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In particular, brand CEO Gernot Döllner stated that Audi is capable of creating vehicles in a wide range of segments, including full-size premium SUVs. While there has been no official confirmation of the development yet, there have been no denials either.
It is expected that the future model will feature an electric powertrain and will serve as the company's flagship. This vehicle should strengthen Audi's position in the key US market, where demand for large SUVs is consistently high.
It is possible that the new model will be based on the platform of the new American Scout brand, part of the Volkswagen Group.
Plans were previously announced to use production facilities for similar models in the US, which would simplify logistics and reduce the impact of import duties.
The model will be unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show this year. According to available information, the model will be 5,366 mm long, longer than even the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. However, the brand's engineers are focusing not only on size but also on innovative technologies. In testing, the car reportedly demonstrated puncture resistance at speeds up to 150 km/h, as well as a smooth ride thanks to the new SkyRide suspension.
A fully electric version with 707 hp and a range of up to 620 km is expected to join the lineup. Hybrid versions are likely to be available in the future, but there is no official confirmation yet.
Construction of the two-story O House residential building, constructed using 3D printing technology, has been completed in the Japanese city of Kizuki. The project was completed by Onocom and Kizuki using a COBOD industrial printer. It is the first two-story building of its kind in Japan to receive official occupancy permits.
The house has a floor area of 50 square meters. The foundation is buried 0.5 meters deep, and the building's height above ground reaches 7 meters. The structure is based on a reinforced concrete frame, installed on a strip foundation with piles. The walls, floor, and roof, printed from a cement mixture, are placed within this frame. Some of the elements were manufactured off-site, and the printer was operated by four people.
The house's architecture is inspired by the shape of natural caves: it features curved, arched walls and no vertical windows. Light enters through skylights in the roof. The upper floor houses the kitchen, dining room, and living room, while the lower floor houses a bedroom with a separate bathroom.
The structure complies with strict Japanese earthquake resistance standards. The building was constructed as a demonstration project, with plans to construct similar buildings and use the technology for disaster recovery.
Photos of a camouflaged Mitsubishi electric vehicle, which is actually based on the new Nissan Leaf, have surfaced online. The company previously confirmed that it would introduce a second production electric vehicle based on the Leaf platform this summer.
The prototype's body proportions are similar to those of the Nissan Leaf: the roof shape and overall silhouette are identical. However, the model received its own design, including new headlights with multiple lighting elements, a redesigned front bumper, and unique taillights. It also features three-spoke wheels, typical of Mitsubishi.Three-spoke wheels, typical of Mitsubishi, are also installed.
The technical components are expected to be completely borrowed from the Leaf. In the US, the 2026 Nissan Leaf is equipped with an electric motor producing 214 hp and 354 Nm of torque in S+, SV+, and Platinum+ trims. A 75 kWh battery provides a range of up to 303 miles, or approximately 488 km.
Mitsubishi's new electric vehicle is expected to feature similar specifications and a price tag of around $30,000. The model's name has not yet been revealed. The new model will be part of the brand's updated product strategy and will expand its lineup of city electric vehicles.
The American company Google unveiled the Nano Banana 2 neural network. The developers call it "the newest, most advanced image processing model," Vedomosti reports.
The technology will be implemented across all of the company's services.
Users now have access to tools previously exclusive to the Nano Banana Pro version. These include the Gemini knowledge base and web search data. The updated model enables the creation of legible text for greeting cards or marketing layouts. Nano Banana 2's technical capabilities ensure consistent object consistency when working with up to 14 elements simultaneously.This feature is in demand when preparing storyboards and plots, as it eliminates the need to alter the appearance of the original data. The maximum resolution of generated content is 4K.
Nissan has released video footage demonstrating the engine's condition after 100 hours of continuous operation at maximum RPM. The Japanese automaker's specialists conducted a series of endurance tests, during which the powertrains were subjected to extreme loads.
Technical details of the tests were revealed by representatives of the Tennessee engine plant.
Naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter V6 engines designed for Frontier pickup trucks are being randomly selected from the assembly line for testing. The engine produces 310 hp and 281 Nm of torque.
In the lab, the engines are mounted on a rig and run in the "red zone" of engine speeds. The most intensive cycle lasts 300 hours, which equates to over 200,000 kilometers under real-world conditions.
"We start the engine, bring it to the red zone, and hold it there for hours. Then we completely disassemble it and examine what's broken," explained Brandon McClain, Quality Assurance Manager.
During testing, exhaust manifolds are heated to red-hot temperatures. In addition to mechanical testing, the facility uses X-ray scanning. The machine inspects every hundredth cylinder block, making 1.2 mm-thick slices to verify the integrity of the cooling channels and component walls.
Elon Musk announced that the first launch of the next-generation Starship is scheduled for March of this year. He wrote this on his X social media page.
Flight 12 will be the debut flight of the Starship V3 architecture, also known as Block 3. This is an updated and more powerful version of the ship. The launch was originally planned earlier, but in November 2025, the Booster 18 booster was damaged during testing. As a result, a different combination—Booster 19 and Ship 39—was chosen for the mission.
The first launch is expected to take place from the second launch pad, OLP-2 (Pad 2), at Starbase in Texas. The flight plan is based on the same profile as previous missions. Recovery of the booster and spacecraft is not planned for this time.
"This year, SpaceX plans to prove the full reusability of the Starship spacecraft, which will be a huge achievement as the cost of access to space will be reduced by a factor of 100," Musk stated.
In parallel with launch preparations, SpaceX is completing construction of the Pad 2 launch pad and has already begun preparatory work to upgrade Pad 1.
GAC Toyota and Pony.ai unveiled a production robotaxi based on the Toyota bZ4X
electric crossover in China.The vehicle is equipped with a seventh-generation
autonomous driving system that completely replaces the driver.
Externally, the robotaxi is almost identical to the regular bZ4X and features
Toyota's current design.The main innovation is hidden inside:
The car is controlled by the Pony.ai computing platform,
developed through years of testing in major Chinese cities—Beijing,
Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. The developers note that the
new system better handles complex road and weather conditions.
Toyota and Pony.ai's partnership began in 2020, with the Japanese company
investing approximately €341 million. Pony.ai's autonomous taxis previously
used other Toyota and Lexus models, including the Sienna and RX450h.
The partners plan to scale up the project: by the end of 2026, thousands
of bZ4X robotaxis will be on the roads of China's largest cities. Pony.ai's
fleet of autonomous vehicles has grown from approximately 200 vehicles in
2024 to nearly 1,000 by the end of 2025, with a target of 3,000 units in 2026.
Long-term, the company aims to reach 100,000 vehicles by 2030 and become profitable.