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Chevrolet’s new autonomous car prototype, which launched this week at the Shanghai Auto Show, may look a bit peculiar, but having seen Mercedes’ F 015 Luxury in Motion concept a few months back, it may not look that odd after all.

The Chevrolet-FNR autonomous electric vehicle comes chock full of sensors, and also includes roof-mounted radar, both of which combine to allow for its self-driving functionalities.  And since we mentioned the Mercedes Luxury in Motion concept, Chevy’s concept does appear a bit similar in terms of its design, as well as its front seats that can swivel around so they can face the rear seats.  One unique thing about the Chevrolet-FNR is its iris recognition tech for starting the car, while gesture control allows drivers to toggle between self-driving and human driving modes.

Apart from the rather odd basic exterior design, there are other interesting elements, such as the car’s crystal laser headlights and taillights, and its dragonfly dual swing doors.  Chevrolet did not disclose the concept car’s powertrain, though it did say that it features magnetic hubless wheel electric motors that can be charged wirelessly.  For the Chevrolet-FNR’s interior, the vehicle boasts of mesh seats, comfortable headrests, and ambient lighting.

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Ford announced today that it will be investing a total of $2.5 billion in new engine and transmission facilities in Mexico, allowing the Blue Oval to join a growing number of automakers opening new plants in the country.

Ford already has an existing plant in Chihuahua, Mexico, and that’s where a new facility will rise, hosting the manufacture of a new gasoline engine for the company’s small vehicles.  The gas engine will be exported to several markets, including the U.S. and Canada, South America, and the Asia Pacific.  In addition to this, Ford also confirmed it will be expanding diesel and inline-four engine production in Mexico.  Additionally, Ford is manufacturing a new plant in Guanajuato, which will take care of the manufacture of two brand-new automatic transmissions.  The Guanajuato plant will manufacture transmissions for Fords sold in North and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region.

The confirmation of the two new facilities comes at the same time as Ford’s 90^th anniversary in Mexico; the automaker produces the Ford Fiesta and Fusion Hybrid and the Lincoln MKZ and MKZ Hybrid south of the border.  And, as is always the case when new plants open, Ford will be creating new jobs with the two plants.  The company already has 11,300 workers in Mexico, and this number will grow by 3,800 when the new plants open.

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Aluminum vehicles may not always seem like the safest vehicles around, but Ford had apparently made sure that the 2015 F-150 lives up to the company slogan of “Built Ford Tough.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had given the 2015 F-150 SuperCrew an overall rating of five stars in recently conducted crash tests.  The F-150 SuperCrew got five stars in the frontal and side crash tests, and scored four stars in the rollover test, and when all was said and done, Ford had effectively added “safer” to the list of superlatives one can use to describe the F-150.  With its aluminum body, the 2015 F-150 has already been proven to be lighter by 700 pounds and capable of better towing and fuel economy.

It did help that the 2015 F-150 does come with a wealth of safety features and improvements.  Despite the generous use of aluminum, Ford still used high-strength steel for the F-150’s frame, which did help greatly.  Its safety features include dual-stage airbags, side curtain airbags, an adaptive steering column, and more.  The truck is chock full of driver assist technologies, and its curve control feature keeps drivers on the right path.  Optional features include adaptive cruise control, active park assist, collision warning, and lane-keep assist.

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Chevrolet had been the subject of some derision and wisecracks at the Detroit Auto Show in January, when it showed off its upcoming all-electric vehicle, the Bolt.  After all, Chevy’s plug-in hybrid EV, the similarly-named Volt, has been around for much longer and now has name recall among consumers.  However, General Motors and Chevy are sticking to their guns, and won’t be renaming the Bolt despite the extreme similarity to the Volt name.

“Since unveiling the Bolt EV three months ago, the name has quickly become associated with Chevrolet,” said Chevrolet in an emailed statement to The Detroit News. “Therefore, we will use the name when the vehicle goes into production. The Bolt EV is a significant statement of Chevrolet’s commitment to electrification and the name suits this game-changing electric vehicle designed for attainability, not exclusivity.”

This is the first time GM has defended its choice of the name Bolt with certainty, as company officials didn’t appear so sure about a month after its Detroit launch.  “Some people think (Bolt) is confusing,” said GM North American President Alan Batey in February, adding that GM could “go either way” as far as the final name goes.  “People are having some fun with it. It is generating awareness, which is good. It’s so conversational.”

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Low gasoline prices have made it less and less appealing for consumers to spring for an electric car or a hybrid, and that seems to be why some carmakers are now reducing the sticker prices of their “green” vehicles.  Just as Cadillac announced the 2016 ELR will be $10,000 cheaper than its predecessor, another General Motors brand – Chevrolet – announced that it will be selling the 2015 Spark EV at only $26,820.  And that’s before tax credits come into play.

With tax credits taken into account, the new Spark EV may cost in the neighborhood of $15,000, making it an extremely affordable electric car in a market where other automakers have cut prices.  Aside from Chevy and Cadillac, Ford also announced that it is lowering the price of its 2015 Focus Electric to $29,995 (before tax), down $6,000 from before.  And the trend isn’t just confined to American cars, as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV recently got its price reduced by $6,130, dropping it to $23,845 before tax rebates kick in.  As for the Spark EV, this is the second time it’s gotten its sticker price cut, as the car’s price was reduced by $5,000 in 2013.

Buyers can also choose to lease a Spark EV at $139 per month for 39 months, with no money down required at signing.  That makes it a more affordable option than the competing Fiat 500e and Kia Soul EV, the former costing $139 per month for 36 months with $1,999 down, and the latter priced at $249 per month for 36 months with $1,999 down.

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Like other “green” cars amid the ongoing trend of low gas prices, the Cadillac ELR plug-in coupe hasn’t been a very good seller.  That appears to be the reason why the automaker announced today that it is significantly reducing pricing on the ELR for the 2016 model year.

Pricing on the 2016 Cadillac ELR is $65,995 with destination charges, which is $10,000 less than last year’s model, which cost $75,995. Buyers, however, will see a lower price tag, as Cadillac is advertising the new ELR at a price of $58,495, which already figures in the $7,500 tax credit.  And aside from being cheaper, the 2016 ELR will also be a better performer.  Thanks to a new software update, the ELR is now capable of 25 percent more horsepower and torque, while 0-60 mph times are now down by 1.5 seconds.  The car’s top speed is now at a decent 130 mph with performance package, up from last year’s 105 mph top speed.

Cadillac says that the new ELR has “moved more in the direction of sportiness,” which is in contrast to how the previous model was marketed.  But even with a sportier look and feel and better performance, the ELR is still capable of some decent mileage figures – the car can go a maximum 39 miles on its electric battery alone before the gas engine takes over.

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Further details have emerged regarding the 36-year-old man killed Sunday when the Lamborghini he was riding in crashed into a guardrail.

According to an unnamed representative of Petty Holdings, crash victim Gary Terry worked as a senior operations manager at Walt Disney World’s Exotic Driving Experience.  He also worked as a professional driving instructor for both the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

“Yesterday we lost a long-time, valued team member of the Exotic Driving Experience family,” read the statement prepared by Petty Holdings LLC. “Sr. Operations Manager and Professional driving instructor, Gary Terry, was fatally injured in an on-track incident at the Walt Disney World Speedway. Our thoughts and prayers are with Gary’s family and friends. He will be sorely missed.’’

Reports regarding the crash state that the Lamborghini’s driver, 24-year-old Tavon Watson, wasn’t able to properly maneuver the car through one of the curves on the course, thus leading to the crash.  Watson has since been released from Celebration Hospital with minor injuries.

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Yesterday, winter had finally come, as Game of Thrones’ fifth season made its premiere on HBO.  And in the run-up to the season five premiere, it may have been more than just a coincidence that Chrysler decided to debut its new commercial for the 300 sedan over the weekend, with none other than Tyrion Lannister himself (Peter Dinklage) narrating the ad.

The one-minute Chrysler 300 ad is called “Kings and Queens of America,” and it fittingly includes a good number of Game of Thrones-specific themes, with music reminiscent of the songs used on the popular television series.  Dinklage compares America to a country where “nothing is reserved for anyone,” where these people can become “kings and queens” if they “reach out and take it.”  And if you watch closely, the ad also features some of America’s most successful young entrepreneurs, including Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and jewelry designer Mercedes Yvette.  Sports fans may also notice San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon – the first full-time female assistant coach in NBA history – also making a brief appearance in the commercial.

Explaining the ad further, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles chief marketing officer Oliver Francois said in a statement that Chrysler “celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of Americans who refuse to give up, dedicate themselves to a craft and have the guts to turn dreams into reality.”  The new Chrysler 300 commercial is part of a campaign called “Drive Proud,” which is spearheaded by Portland-based ad agency Wieden + Kennedy.

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BMW and Nissan are recalling more than 165,000 vehicles in separate recalls, though the problems are both related to the vehicles’ fuel pump, with the same supplier involved in the cases.

According to Automotive News, the fuel pumps on the affected Nissan Rogue and BMW vehicles can potentially fail, preventing the vehicles from starting, or stalling abruptly while on the road.  In both cases, this is because the Bosch fuel pumps’ components were incorrectly nickel-plated.

About 70,500 BMWs are affected by the German company’s recall, including 18,054 vehicles located in the United States.  Affected models include the 228i Coupe, M235i Coupe, 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, ActiveHybrid 3, 328xi Sports Wagon, 428i Coupe, 428xi Coupe, 435i Coupe, 435xi Coupe, 428i Convertible, 428xi Convertible, 435i Convertible, 328xi Gran Turismo, and 335xi Gran Turismo from the 2014 model year, and the 428i Gran Coupe, 428xi Gran Coupe, and 435i Gran Coupe from the 2015 model year.

Only the 2014 Nissan Rogue is affected by the second recall; 76,242 units are affected in the U.S., with another 18,789 in Canada.  The recall covers Rogues manufactured between June 11, 2013 and June 7, 2014.

Both BMW and Nissan will be starting the recall process later this month, and will notify owners accordingly.

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Chevrolet has hinted at one reason why the 2016 Camaro will offer a better driving experience than the outgoing model, and it happens to be a more rigid design.

According to Camaro program engineering manager Jim Karlavage, the new 2016 model is 28 percent stiffer, and that computer technology helped Chevy add torsional strength to the Camaro without having to increase its mass or dimensions.  As the design is now stiffer, engineers had been able to tweak steering and suspension without worrying about chassis flex and other related factors.  Still, Chevrolet claims that it worked a total of “nine million hours” to ensure that the next-gen Camaro offers the optimum driving experience.

This was further elaborated on by Karlavage in a press release, where he talked a bit more about the improvements in driving feel.  “The structural weight savings are compounded by opportunities to reduce un-sprung weight,” he continued. “The result is a more nimble driving experience that rewards the driver with satisfying feelings of responsiveness and control.”  The 2016 Camaro will be using GM’s Alpha underpinnings, as opposed to the Zeta platform of old; this is the same platform used by the Cadillac ATS.

The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro is scheduled to launch in public at the Belle Island Park in Detroit on May 16.