NPR's Frank Langfitt has been offering free taxi rides around Shanghai to talk to ordinary Chinese. He drives a Camry around the city, but rented a van for a trip 500 miles outside the city earlier this year. He recently decided to buy a car, which can be a complicated process in China. Yang Zhuo for NPR hide caption
Cars
A dying art? Maryland has stopped testing new drivers for parallel parking. Here, a car is seen in Baltimore. Google Maps hide caption
Some auto insurance companies could be using a tactic called "price optimization" to charge loyal customers a higher premium. iStockphoto hide caption
Rowan Atkinson gestures during an interview in 2007. The famous British comedian who plays Mr. Bean is selling his McLaren F1 race car. Alex Grimm/AP hide caption
Auto dealers are extending loans to a growing number of people with weak credit. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption
The 2015 Subaru Outback was one of the carmaker's seven models that won the highest safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Eric Thayer/Getty Images hide caption
The Wiper Wave, attached to your car's rear wiper, promises to take a bit of the tension out of the rough commute. Tyler Fishbone hide caption
Sales of GM's cars slid by 3.8 percent from July 1013, but its light trucks and SUVs, like this Buick Enclave, more than made up for it, spiking 17.5 percent. AP hide caption
An image released by Google Tuesday shows an early version of its driverless vehicle. The company has built several prototypes of the self-driving car. Google hide caption
With the ability to control phone calls, texts, and audio, Apple's new CarPlay system will ensure drivers' "eyes and hands stay where they belong," the company says. CarPlay will be included in several car models this year. Apple hide caption
The P1, now known as the "first Porsche." Juergen Skarwan/Porsche.com hide caption
Ford says it sold the most F-series trucks since 2006. Here, a 2014 F-150 goes through quality control on the assembly line at Ford's Dearborn Truck Plant. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images hide caption
This pose is required when thinking innovative thoughts. Andreyuu/iStockphoto hide caption
The new 2015 Ford Mustang was unveiled Thursday. The car's new design includes features that are geared toward global markets. Andrew Burton/Getty Images hide caption