Technology

In a collaboration between carmaker BYD and fast food outlet KFC, drivers in China can order takeaway though an embedded app in their vehicle.The initiative between BYD and KFC sees the central media display in a BYD vehicle turn into a large menu for the restaurant, similar to a self ordering touchscreen you'd find in-store.The app locates the closest KFC store, sends the order through and navigates the driver to pick up the food.A journalist writing for Chinese motoring publication Auto Home road-tested the app and highlighted the voice interaction as a strength, but that pulling over and putting the vehicle into “Park” to access the full menu was required for safety reasons.   The embedded ordering app is not the first time BYD and KFC have collaborated. In April this year the businesses announced KFC would offer a BYD vehicle charging service at its restaurant locations.Apart from the tasty opportunity for humans to fill up themselves, the chargers are a draw, too. They are the fastest BYD has ever built, delivering up to 1500kW that can provide up to 2km of range a second. The ultra fast chargers are only compatible with second-generation BYD Blade batteries.In April there were already 5000 KFC outlets hosting BYD's chargers and by December the expectation is for there to be 20,000 locations in operation.The numbers are mind boggling and only highlight the sheer scale of commercialisation in China.As for the tech coming to Australia - there’s no word on that. For now, Aussies will have to order their takeaway the old fashioned way and do it through an app on their phone.    

Ford has just had a huge artificial intelligence (AI) reality check.AI is taking over everywhere, but Ford has just learnt the hard way it’s not here yet.The Blue Oval has performed a serious backtrack in the United States, rehiring many of its engineers than were supposed to be replaced by AI.A report in Bloomberg states the company has rehired more than 300 of its former quality inspectors."Artificial intelligence is a fantastic tool, but it's only as good as the information you use to train it," Vice President of Vehicle Hardware Engineering Charles Poon told the media."Over prior years, we didn't pay as much attention as we should have to the experience of our most knowledgeable engineers that have been with us through many product cycles.”Ford recently introduced 900 AI-powered cameras in its factories to detect quality issues at source, but it appears these haven't worked out as planned."Mistakenly, we thought that by just introducing artificial intelligence and ingesting the design requirements that we had, that would produce a high-quality product," Poon said.The rehired staff will improve AI technology and provide mentoring for younger workers.Ford is placing more emphasis on the experience of its engineers to assist in the inevitable AI transition.Chief Executive Officer Jim Farley recently said ‘expensive’ Ford Australia engineering jobs were at risk amid impending vehicle emissions fines.“It's amazing to me that no one notices that Toyota has like 10 engineers in the country, and Ford has got thousands,” Farley said earlier this year.“ needs to decide if they want to help us equalise the cost differential … because this is among the most expensive places to have engineers on the planet.”Ford reported its worst financial performance since the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, losing more than $11 billion in the fourth quarter of last financial year.It said electric vehicle asset value depreciation was at the heart of these heavy losses.

When is a car no longer a car?That’s a good question, as you’d initially think that a car needs four wheels, some seats and a steering wheel.Dig deeper and a car may only require three wheels, one seat and perhaps no steering wheel whatsoever. There’s a lot of flux to the definition of a car.The steering wheel point is particularly controversial as if there is no steering wheel, you’re technically not driving anymore and are a passenger. Therefore I’d argue this isn’t necessarily a car anymore and merely a shuttle for transportation.This feeling arose when I experienced Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software for the first time late last year.This was in a Model 3 electric sedan which can be fundamentally defined as a car. It has four wheels, five seats and a steering wheel.You’re also able to drive the Model 3 like a regular car, but with the push of a button it drives itself. Sure, you need to supervise it and take back control if it starts heading in the wrong direction, but for the most part you aren’t touching the steering wheel or pedals.It’s a bizarre sensation handing over all the driving inputs, especially when it can tackle complex scenarios like roundabouts, traffic lights and the infamous hook turns in Melbourne.The technology will likely reach a point where a steering wheel is no longer needed. Tesla is already planning for this with its Cybercab autonomous vehicle.Although production versions of the Cybercab have already started to be produced, they are in small numbers for testing purposes. It’s unclear when they’ll be publicly available for purchase.Tesla is far from the only company developing autonomous driving technology. I was recently a passenger in an autonomously driven Nissan Ariya in Japan. The technology to allow this has been developed in partnership with Wayve, which also has a partnership with Stellantis.Nissan is currently aiming to begin a robotaxi service with these autonomous vehicles in Japan by the end of 2026. It’s also eventually aiming to roll the technology out to customer vehicles as an optional extra.Additionally, Waymo is already operating an autonomous robotaxi service in select cities in the US. There are also plans to introduce it in the UK and Japan.Ultimately the goal with this kind of autonomous or self-driving technology is to have a lounge room on wheels. In some respects we are already there.In the era of software-defined vehicles, many cars now revolve around the central touchscreen multimedia system and the experience they provide. Arguably for some carmakers there is more emphasis on this and the actual driving experience is secondary.In some respects this is warranted as in electric vehicles (EVs) you may be spending your time in the car while it’s charging at a public charger but at the end of the day it’s a car, not a lounge room.Going back to Tesla, the main interface in its current vehicle line-up is the central touchscreen. It dominates the dashboard and you’re required to use it to adjust virtually function.There are also so many novelty and convenience features that span beyond the driving experience. Think of the games you can play while you’re parked, the light show and the comical fart noises you can get the car to play.The list goes on and for many carmakers, especially newer Chinese ones, it seems like a heavier focus is being put on features like this, or services relating to the touchscreen, than the overall driving experience.As a result, it feels like some cars are more glorified iPads with flashy lights on wheels.I know that many people can’t function without technology now and in many respects it’s critical to many areas of cars, particularly safety, however at the end of the day a car is meant to be driven.It would be lovely to see a renewed interest in how a car actually is to drive compared to how flashy and cool its technology is. I’d argue this is wishful thinking though, especially given autonomous vehicles appear closer on the horizon every day.

JD Power, the US-based industry analytics and consumer research specialist, has released its 2026 Initial Quality Study, a much-anticipated (and often feared) annual report looking at the way cars are built and how they operate.And despite a “sharp rise” in overall vehicle quality, this year’s study has highlighted connectivity as a significant stumbling block for manufacturers and consumers.As its name implies, the Initial Quality Study is based on responses from purchasers and lessees of new vehicles (this year 78,514 people) surveyed after 90 days of ownership.The quality audit is split into eight market segments and covers 10 categories - Multimedia, Features, controls & displays, Exterior, Interior, Driving assistance, Seats, Powertrain, Driving experience, Climate and Unspecified (unclassified gripes). Issues are rated according to Problems Per 100 vehicles (PP100).In 2026, fewer problems were cited across nine of the 10 categories, with Multimedia the exception, where “connectivity issues continue to strain customer experience with new-vehicle quality.”Introducing the report, JD Power Senior Director of Auto Benchmarking Frank Hanley said, “As more technology is introduced into vehicles, keeping the experience simple matters more than ever.“The biggest gains in quality come from features that are easy to use - simple controls, less-intrusive driver assistance and software that works the way customers expect.“When technology becomes too complicated, the likelihood of customers experiencing a problem rises considerably,” he said.The total number of reported problems with new vehicles improved to 175 PP100, down from 192 PP100 in 2025, which JD Power said is the best year-on-year improvement since 1997 and the fourth-best performance in the 40-year history of the survey.But Multimedia saw an increase of 1.4 PP100 in reported problems - typically issues with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity and touchscreen displays - for a total of 44.4 PP100 across mass market segments and 38.3 PP100 in the premium groupings.Porsche was the highest-ranking brand overall with an initial quality score of 138 PP100, ahead of Genesis (151 PP100) and Lexus (156 PP100).Toyota Motor Corporation’s Kyushu 1 plant in Japan, which manufactures the Lexus NX and Lexus UX, received the Platinum Plant Quality Award which is based on detected defects and malfunctions.

Chinese brand Leapmotor says buttons are on the verge of an in-car comeback as China’s army of automotive manufacturers further tailor their vehicles for international tastes.That’s the word from Frederik Dallmeyer, Lead Exterior Designer at Leapmotor International, who says customer tastes are causing a rethink on featureless cabins in which all functions are controlled through a central screen.Leapmotor has already begun launching work-arounds, in which shortcuts take a driver straight to the most important functions, like changing the wing-mirror position, but says the next generation of vehicles could feature a return to toggles and switches."I can't be concrete about it. (But) if the tastes of the market dictate that buttons are a must-have, then yes, but let’s see,” he says.“My personal preference is that I like to also have quick access to things. So yeah, I think that’s something that will be worked on.”Asked when Leapmotor vehicles could return to easy-access functionality in its cabins, the designer replied: “I think it’s the next generation.”It has long been thought that the Chinese domestic market’s preference for screen-heavy interior would effectively strong-arm the rest of the world into adopting the same cabin layouts, given the size of China’s export market. The country is now the biggest country of origin for vehicles sold in Australia, with as many as one in three vehicles sold here made in China, depending on the month.But Mr Dallmeyer suggested that wasn’t necessarily the case, with the designer not ruling out individual cabin treatments for domestic and global markets, while also suggesting Chinese tastes could be changing.“I think that depends a little bit on how things were to evolve in China because China is always a very quickly evolving market,” he said.“Tastes change, preferences change. Maybe it’s not necessary, like if more physical functions are also appreciated in that market.”

It might feel like V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) functionality for electric vehicles has been ‘coming soon’ to Australia since the dawn of time but the technology looks like it’s finally close to local introduction with Hyundai using its Ioniq 9 pure-electric SUV for a groundbreaking standards-compliant demonstration.V2G is a bi-directional charging system that allows an EV to supply stored energy to a home during blackout emergencies or monetise its export to the electrical grid during peak periods.The company said it has completed Australia’s first V2G discharge, doing so in compliance with the relevant ISO (International Organization for Standardisation) 15118-20 protocol, using a StarCharge Halo 7.4kW bi-directional DC charger.This comes as the federally-funded Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is pushing EV (electric vehicle) infrastructure development, including large-scale V2G trials. Hyundai said, “This Milestone supports HMCA's commitment to manufacturer-approved, standards-compliant V2G deployment” adding the StarCharge Halo received Clean Energy Council (CEC) listing in March 2026 and is AS/NZS 4777.2 compliant.Like other EV models already on sale in Australia, the Hyundai Ioniq 9’s 800-volt electric architecture allows fast, high-power DC charging and bi-directional energy flows. Australia adopted national V2G and V2H (Vehicle-to-Home) standards in 2024 and ARENA forecasts up to 2.6 million Australian homes could adopt V2G by 2040.But testing, alignment and approval of regulations and hardware (including vehicles) as well as establishing grid standards and gaining network approvals has proved to be a lengthy process. Hyundai said it is “helping establish a standards-based pathway for scalable, manufacturer-supported V2G and V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) deployment across homes, buildings, energy networks and virtual power plants.”Hyundai Motor Company Australia CEO Don Romano added, “This (V2G discharge) is the result of sustained technical work by Hyundai's R&D teams in Korea and Australia. “Getting this right is essential because V2G will only scale in Australia if consumers, energy providers and governments can trust the technology."Electric cars can do far more than just drive. They can power homes and support the grid. “This first V2G discharge using ISO 15118-20 with the IONIQ 9 demonstrates that we are delivering real innovation, not just talking about it," he said.Hyundai models under evaluation or development for V2G in Australia include the Ioniq 9, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 as well as future Ioniq platforms. Mitsubishi has also been working on V2G capability for some time for its Outlander plug-in hybrid, which has taken part in earlier trials for the technology in South Australia.

China is taking the electric vehicle charging conundrum head-on, and it could change EVs in Australia forever.Popular Chinese carmaker Xiaomi is prepping a ground-breaking new battery charging technology expected to arrive this year.The brand’s home charging robotic arm is scheduled for launch in the fourth quarter of 2026 as the newest innovation in EV infrastructure. It will introduce an autonomous process for owners charging their vehicles at home. The car needs to be parked in position, and the system will do the rest.A robotic arm will insert the charging plug into the car and will automatically disconnect it once the battery reaches a pre-set level of charge or is fully charged. Charging can be initiated remotely using a smartphone app if the vehicle is parked within the robotic arm’s reach. Charging and charging infrastructure remain key roadblocks to mass uptake of EVs globally. Automated charging could be a game-changer, further diversifying ways to charge and improving the convenience of a process much maligned for its inconvenience. We won't see Xiaomi's technology in Australia any time soon, however.Xiaomi has not confirmed Australia as one of its future priority markets yet, as it's expected to first take on Europe.It’s not just Xiaomi that's pushed on with automated charging plans. Several other Chinese brands have shown interest in the technology. Li Auto is said to be actively testing its own auto charging robot, according to CarNews China, while Aito and EV charging infrastructure company Star Charge have also been working on systems. This technology remains a while away from Australia, with China often pioneering such initiatives before pushing it out globally. For example, BYD’s Flash megawatt charging was first introduced extensively in China, but is now due in Australia before the end of this year. Developments such as fast and automated charging are crucial to establishing a stable and reliable EV infrastructure Down Under. The latest sales data showed EV uptake is increasing rapidly in Australia, but charging infrastructure is not keeping pace. “As the number of EVs on the road continues to grow, charging infrastructure must become more of a priority. Continued investment and enabling policy settings will be essential to ensure infrastructure keeps pace with consumer adoption,” Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Tony Weber said.“Charging infrastructure rollout must accelerate if Australia is to maintain consumer confidence and support continued uptake.”

Game-changing solid-state batteries are back on the agenda.Chinese carmaker Dongfeng has announced it will begin mass-production of solid-state batteries in the second half of 2026, according to reports out of China. With an energy density of 350Wh/kg, much higher than conventional lithium-ion batteries, the brand said vehicles equipped with the battery will have a driving range of 1000km. Solid-state batteries don't use a liquid or gel to store energy like conventional batteries, allowing for significantly greater energy density. Greater energy density means a bigger driving range from the same size battery, so its success will put range anxiety to bed for good. These batteries are also said to reduce the likelihood of fires and are much lighter than lithium-ion alternatives. Earlier this year, Dongfeng put a solid-state prototype model through cold-weather testing in China and confirmed plans for a production model to launch in 2027.Dongfeng sub-brand Forthing is due in Australia this year, meaning solid-state battery technology from the brand Down Under might not be too far away.Solid-state batteries looked to be on the back burner in the industry, with a full-scale uptake still decades away, according to some experts. Donfeng might have just moved up the timeline if it gets mass-production underway this year.  Dongfeng is the latest addition to a growing list of Chinese brands racing to get solid-state batteries into production. Chery appears to be closest in this race with its next-generation ‘Rhino’ battery boasting 400Wh/kg and 1500km of driving range expected to feature in Chery sub-brand Exeed models before the end of the year. Chery’s local branch has also shown interest in these cars launching in Australia.Mass-production of solid-state batteries have proved to be a significant challenge, with high production and development costs combined with technological complications slowing progress. Dongfeng’s announcement of mass-production in the second half of 2026 puts it ahead of much of the competition that are targeting taking this step no sooner than 2027. BYD plans to begin only small-scale solid-state battery production next year, according to reports.Donfeng's joint-venture partner in China, Nissan is another brand to developing solid-state batteries, but its mass-production program won't begin until the end of the 2028 financial year.It is not just China getting in on the solid-state game. In September 2025, Mercedes-Benz confirmed a solid-state prototype of its EQS sedan went 1205km on a single charge.

Safety has become the latest secret battleground for luxury car makers - you can't see it, but it is very important.As modern cars are required to include more and more active safety technology, both through regulations and pressure from customers, the difference in safety between a mainstream and luxury vehicle has shrunk.Which is why integration of these active safety systems is the new area of focus for premium brands such as Audi, allowing it to separate itself from both direct luxury rivals and mainstream offerings.It’s part of the reason why Audi has undertaken over 10,000km of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) testing in Australia, to ensure it works smoothly and without unnecessary distraction to the driver - something many of these systems are guilty of, particularly in cheaper, more mainstream models.“Almost anyone can build a nice watch for $300, but to get a really good watch you have got to invest quite a lot extra - it's all about the one percenters,” explained Peter Strudwicke, product manager for the new Audi Q3. “And we have a lot of those that we apply to all the cars we develop. Eighty percent good is not good enough.”Strudwicke added that Audi is so serious about ensuring its safety systems aren’t distracting or sub-standard, that it would rather not offer them at all if they cannot be properly calibrated.“It's the depth of engineering. It's integral to the whole company, they won't sign something off if it's just good enough, it needs to meet quite a high standard,” he said. “It's one of the reasons why we didn't have traffic sign recognition. We wanted it for years. We got it quite late because the engineers weren't comfortable with how the technology was and how it read Australian traffic signs. It's still not perfect, but once it got past a certain level of accuracy, then they were happy to turn it on for us.”Matthew Dale, head of product planning for the German brand in Australia, expanded on the level of work that Audi is undertaking to ensure that safety becomes a key separating factor for the brand as the entire market gets more competitive.“We do all local tuning and testing for ADAS systems, and was certainly one of them that we did,” Dale said. “With, say the A5, we brought those cars here, a fleet of them, with the latest ADAS systems, with speed sign recognition and things like that, to refine that for the Australian market. And I think it's that software engineering that goes into the cars as well, specific to the Australian market, because the Australian market is quite a popular test bed globally.“Pete mentioned an example before where we've got some unique scenarios in Australia that the tuning of the ADAS systems has been tuned for the Australian market, but that tuning's gone global. Tuning ADAS systems for tunnels, as an example. We've done over 11,000km of testing quite recently for next generation ADAS systems. “We're importing more cars this year to do significant test bases. And I think the new Q3 benefits from the last time we did the ADAS testing two years ago to refine it for the Australian market. And you can see with the lane guidance and the lane centring and things like that, it's that next generational step that isn't as intrusive.” Dale said ensuring the safety systems not only don’t distract the driver, but also don’t detract from the driving experience is a key tenant for Audi.“When you drive a car, people like me enjoy driving the car,” he said. “For some people it's an A to B, but you've still got to have enjoyment in a comfortable environment without the car taking over the inputs of the driver and making it a very comfortable drive. And that's,  I guess, where a premium product is meant to be, is it's meant to feel like a premium space and something that's not intrusive.”

Whether it’s lazy cost-cutting or an endeavour for design minimalism, the proliferation of touchscreens replacing buttons in new cars might have passed its peak.Feedback from both customers and media, as well as new assessments from safety organisations such as Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) and by extension ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program), could see more brands retreat from the trend of placing controls for key functions in the main touchscreen of their new models. While there are certainly fans of controls within touchscreens - particularly interior designers and engineers at certain brands - calls for easier access to commonly used controls have resulted in Euro NCAP and ANCAP changing testing criteria for 2026, bringing into account the ease important controls can be accessed.Things like indicators, hazard lights, windscreen wipers, headlights and even the horn are just some of the controls that will need to be easily accessible under new testing procedures spearheaded by Euro NCAP.“New assessments of the human-machine interface (HMI) are introduced” in its 2026 criteria, the safety body said in a press release in late 2025.They focus on “evaluating the placement, clarity, and ease of use of essential controls”, Euro NCAP said, “including the availability of physical buttons for commonly used functions, which consumer feedback suggests can reduce distraction”.Australia’s own ANCAP and Euro NCAP often align their policies on such things, and so ANCAP has since confirmed it will be doing the same.“If you’ve noticed that some new cars have the most basic driver controls buried within touchscreens and sub-menus, you’re not alone,” ANCAP’s latest publication said.“It’s time to bring back buttons and stalks and remove some of the complication (and distraction!).“From 2026, we’re asking car makers to either offer physical buttons for important driver controls like the horn, indicators, hazard lights, windscreen wipers and headlights, or dedicate a fixed portion of the cabin display screen to these primary driving functions.”It’s been part of the plan for years, with ANCAP’s CEO Carla Hoorweg having said as early as March 2024 reducing distractions for drivers is a key goal for the organisation."We know driver distraction is a growing factor in road crashes, so it is important that certain in-vehicle controls are easily accessible by the driver and don't complicate the driving task or contribute to in-car distraction or inattention," she said."Physical buttons or stalks to operate these key vehicle controls will be encouraged through scoring, with manufacturers awarded points for the prioritisation of physical controls."While this means brands like Tesla and Volvo, who have been two of the earliest adopters of the ‘big screen’, will have to reconsider how much of the key controls and functions of new cars go into touchscreen menus.Fortunately, some brands have refused to follow the trend.Not long after the 2024 statement from ANCAP, Aston Martin Director of Design Miles Nurnberger told CarsGuide that physical controls are important for retaining the right ecosystem for a driver to feel able to properly use the car.“As an overall industry, there is a big digitisation ecosystem, and that's been a really interesting challenge for us because a lot of car companies have tried to profess to be a tech company,” he said.“I think years ago, it was like you needed some buttons. You put them in the car and buttons and buttons grew, and I think understanding why someone buys a car… led us down a path of looking at all the buttons.“I might be able to make something seemingly more efficient by burying everything in a screen, but it doesn't talk to the real user experience.“You look at the best experience, the best user solution. It might be physical, it's tactile. I can do that with my thumb. I don't take my eyes off the road. I'm a better driver for it.”It’s not just brands like Aston Martin who are committing to buttons.Toyota’s new models still feature a healthy serving of physical controls, as does its upmarket sibling Lexus.Hyundai (and by extension Genesis) follow the same philosophy. Sibling brand Kia is much the same.Chief Creative Officer for Hyundai and Genesis Luc Donkerwolke admitted in 2024 the brands had gone too far in minimising physical controls.“We are always paying attention that we don't end up in the ridiculous situation that you have to go to sub menus,” Donkerwolke said.He also confirmed the reason for removing buttons often comes down to cost-saving.“It's easy to reduce all costs when you only have digital keys . It's low tooling investment, you can do whatever you want, it's only software. The problem is it's not compatible with the use of a car. “We have a clear philosophy, eyes on the road, hands on the steering wheel, and if you do something else like that you are basically putting in danger the life of your customers.”