Car FYI

It's almost impossible to isolate the number of patents that have been filed related to automobiles. In many of these cases, those patents are guarded fiercely by the right holders. In the United States, the early days of the automobile was controlled under what was called the Selden Patent . Filed by George B. Selden in 1879, the broad patent established a basis that allows the collection of royalties on any automobile manufactured by an American automaker. It was only when tenacious car pioneer Henry Ford fought and eventually won a court battle against the Selden Patent in 1911 that a four-wheeled vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine could be developed without paying a royalties. Since the Selden patent, the procedure of protecting certain techniques and technologies for financial gain has resulted in steady employment for attorneys. However, as the automobile enters a new stage of life, some auto companies have demonstra...

Like it or hate it, no one can doubt that the first-generation Chevrolet Volt was an important car. A premise founded as a concept car, the first plug-in hybrid powerplant vehicle was believed to be the product that would shepherd a recently bankrupt automaker into the future. The technology potentially enabled several short distance commuters to travel on electricity along without relying on a range-extending gasoline powerplant. Close to its introduction, a hefty price tag and loss of some of its novelty value led to the downplaying for the importance of the vehicle. Despite some apprehension, the Volt sold reasonable well as an electrified niche vehicle. No longer the only plug-in hybrid available to North American motorists, Chevrolet realized that the 2016 model year could provide the Volt with an edge capitalizing on new advances in technology and design. On Sunday night, the face of the highly-anticipated 2016 model year Chevrolet Volt greeted an audience in Las Vegas at thi...