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One of the largest hurdles facing autonomous vehicles is cost. The technology to implement driverless cars is already here. Google, Audi and other companies have proved over and over again that the tech is viable and at least theoretically safe for public streets, but few people feel comfortable shelling out the $75,000 premium it would take to make your car chauffeur you about.

Ionut Budisteanu, a 19-year-old student from Romania, may have found a way to make autonomous driving tech more affordable. Budisteanu won a $75,000 scholarship in the International Science and Engineering Fair for creating a system that uses a cheaper, lower-resolution three-dimensional radar system paired with a webcam in place of the pricey high-definition 3D radar Google uses.

As a result, Budisteanu was able to cut costs from $75,000 to $4,000. His system uses artificial intelligence software to identify curbs, lane markings and other small objects on the road with the webcam while the radar system locates people, cars and houses. In his tests, the system performed as intended 47 out of 50 times. He believes he can improve accuracy with a slightly higher definition radar system while still keeping costs low.

By the end of this decade, India is expected to be one of the top three car markets in the world, but automakers are already starting to duke it out for sales. In terms of premium brands, Automotive News says that Audi has jumped out to an early lead for sales in the country due in large part to the recent introduction of the Audi Q3 (shown above).

In 2012, Audi's sales increased 43 percent, rising to 9,350 units and outselling BMW (8,686) and Mercedes-Benz (7,015), both of which experienced a drop in sales last year of 9.5 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively. While none of these sales figures are particularly significant on a global scale, the article says that the market for premium cars in India is expected to quadruple by 2020 up to around 120,000 units. AN attributes Audi's lead to its offering of new SUVs while its rivals have been focusing on small hatchbacks.

Despite the company's recent string of successes, there's still a lot of skepticism about Tesla out there. Some of the negativity focuses on the lack of recharging infrastructure, some on the company's expensive cars and how it'll be difficult to make a mass-market car. And when it comes to the company's stock price – TSLA is currently at around $90 – the predictions are all over the map. Some say it's still worth shorting (that is, predicting it will drop). Some say it could reach $200 before too long; others warn it will fall to somewhere in the $20-$40 range.

"There is a fundamental view of a scenario where Tesla becomes the next GM or Ford."

Still, the big news – that is, something that's actually happened, not just bloviations about the future – is that Tesla raised more than a billion dollars in cash last week by increasing the amount of debt and equity it was offering. Instead of selling a total 2.7 million common shares, CEO Elon Musk put up 3.39 million, and bought $100 million himself. This showed confidence, which was admittedly already there, and Tesla raised far more than the $830 million originally expected. The money will be used, in part, to pay back the US government for the $465-million Department of Energy loan.

The good news prompted an unnamed banker to tell IFR what it looks like on the other side of the skepticism spectrum: "[CEO Elon] Musk has a vision of creating a $50 billion-plus company in five years," adding, "There is a fundamental view of a scenario where Tesla becomes the next GM or Ford."

A host of carbon fiber parts designed and made in Germany are what turn the McLaren MP4-12C Spider into the Gemballa GT Spider. The 625-horsepower, twin-turbo V8 is untouched, almost everything else is heavily touched. There's the body kit that includes new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, new tailpipes and logos. Swing up the doors and you'll find a reskinned interior in leather and Alcantara in your choice of color, plus color-matched gauges. That will run you 19,980 euro ($25,647 US) including paint and installation, but it can alternatively be shipped internationally if you'd like to have your own people install it.

The GForged-one wheels are an inch larger than the standard units, at 20 inches up front and 21 inches in back, but don't change the weight of the car. There are two styles and two finishes available, and shod in Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber they'll require 7,980 euro ($10,243) of your hard earned. Throw down a little more and you can have the brake calipers painted, too.

If this number whispers seductive German nothings in your ear, check out the press release below and the high-res gallery above.

The Silver Lake sand dunes see their fair share of well-built trophy trucks executing impressive jumps. Drivers build insane pieces of machinery for the express purpose of sailing through the air like mad men and women.

Mike Higgins is no stranger to the area. His heavily modified Ford trophy truck has gone flying through the sky on more than one occasion, but he recently bit off more than he could chew. After hitting a particularly lofty dune, Higgins went airborne for a ridiculous 180 feet before becoming intimately familiar with the finer points of gravity.

While Higgins nailed the jump, his landing fell short of wowing the judges. The impact very nearly broke his truck in two. Despite the mechanical mayhem, the driver walked away without a scratch, proving that occasionally miracles really do happen. You can check out the jump and the subsequent destruction below for yourself. Be warned: there's a fair bit of foul language.

Universities are right now trotting out Grade-A commencement speakers to motivate this year's graduating class of collegiates to change the world, or at least vacate their parents' property before the age of 30. Some of the most inspiring commencement speeches of all time include the one Steve Jobs gave at Stanford in 2005, and this year's address du jour is one given by the late David Foster Wallace at Kenyon College in 2008 (watch them both below).

Automaker executives are often invited to the podium to speak as well. Former General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner spoke in 2011 at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne just recently addressed graduates at Walsh College. Over the weekend, current GM CEO Dan Akerson took to the podium to inspire students embarking from the Mendoza School of Business at Notre Dame.

Did Akerson, who graduated from Annapolis in 1970, motivate the next Jobs, Musk or Gates to lead us all into a bright and promising future? We'll let you read the transcript below and judge for yourself. His message had to do with what constitutes a good leader, those qualities being the ability to define reality by setting priorities, allocating capital and resources to meet those priorities, a willingness to serve and leading by example.

Speaking to a room full of business school graduates, Akerson also remarked, "If all you intend to do with this knowledge and influence is see how many points you can score on your personal wealth scorecard... then something is terribly wrong." An interesting, if convenient, revelation from someone whose salary topped $11 million in 2012.

Earlier this year, BMW and Toyota confirmed a four-part joint venture mostly focusing on increasing improving vehicle efficiency using fuel cells, lightweight materials and better battery technology. Also tucked into the announcement was a "feasibility study" for a shared platform to underpin a future midsize "sports vehicle."

In terms of the latter, it seems that things have stepped up from the feasibility stage to the conceptual stage, as Motor Trend reports we could see a pair of new sports car concepts debut later this year in at the Tokyo Motor Show. There isn't much information about the new program, but the article suggests the sports cars could be all-wheel drive hybrids, with electric motors powering the front wheels and a gas engine powering the rear wheels. While a partnership between Toyota and BMW might not lend itself to a catchy portmanteau like "Toyobaru," here's hoping it will bear fruit that is as exciting as the ones produced by the Toyota/Subaru tie up.

When it comes to fleet vehicles, the Chevrolet Impala definitely plays an important role for General Motors, and it looks like GM is hard at work developing the next-gen Impala for bulk-buying businesses. The Motoring Journal recently spotted a handful of Impalas testing in Colorado with minor camouflage, but upon closer inspection, these appear to be test mules for a new compressed natural gas (CNG) model – a powertrain combination far more likely to find favor with fleet buyers than everyday consumers.

Aside from the obvious "CNG" stickers affixed to the decklid, these cars also have different exhaust outlets than what we saw on the V6-equipped Impalas during our first drive of the sedan back in March. Images also show under the hood with a different engine cover and plenty of exposed wiring as the CNG system continues testing. There was also an electrical connector poking out of the front fascia, and at least one of the sedans had a receiver-style trailer hitch.

During the launch of the 2014 Impala, Chevrolet said that it is looking to flip the current fleet-to-retail from 70:30 to a more profitable and resale-friendly 30:70 ratio, and this new CNG Impala could be a good way to retain some of that 30-percent fleet business. We reached out to GM for word on when a CNG Impala might arrive, and received this response:

We do offer a CNG van and a bi-fuel pickup truck, but still studying the demand for CNG powered passenger cars. Infrastructure is a consideration for anyone buying these types of vehicles. Unfortunately, there's nothing to announce today on this front.

Our best guess is that it could debut for the 2015 model year, since the ninth-generation model is carrying over for fleet-only sales as the 2014 Impala Limited.

The Associated Press reports three former Saab executives have been arrested on charges of accounting fraud. Swedish prosecutor Olof Sahlgren has refused to identify the individuals, but says they're suspected of attempting to evade taxes by falsifying Saab accounts between 2010 and 2011 during the Spyker years. Other reports indicate the parties involved include former General Counsel to Saab Kristina Geers (seen to the left of former CEO Victor Muller, above), a 15-year-veteran of the company – her husband, Eric, was the company's communications director for 9 years as well.

Saab filed for bankruptcy in 2011, and was purchased shortly thereafter by National Electric Vehicle Sweden. If convicted, the trio could face up to four years in prison for their crimes under Swedish law.

Start with a Ford F-150 SVT Raptor as your base vehicle for modification, and chances are high that you'll end up with something pretty cool. Now, have those modifications done by professional lunatics Hennessey Performance, make the project turning the pickup into an ultra-long SUV, and the result stands a real chance of being a total kick in the ass. Let us present the Hennessey VelociRaptor then, in all of its awesomeness.

Hennessey has taken care in grafting a "Excursion type" rear cabin onto the Raptor, complete with an optional third row. The pictures we have show a cabin that's up to the fit and finish standards of the original Ford truck, too. The cab added over the bed also makes room for a massive load space out back, accessible via split out-folding doors and long enough for a person to lay down in (see video).

Mechanically, the truck-turned-SUV sticks with Ford's stock 6.2-liter V8, rated at 411 horsepower, or can be had with a supercharger and some 600 hp. Hennessey says the stock-motor VelociRaptor will run from 0-60 miles per hour in 7.5 seconds, while the hi-po version takes just 5.9 seconds. The SUV does take some of the off-road ability away from the Raptor, with the company saying it hasn't yet had the opportunity to test its capabilities. On-roading and "moderate off-road duties" are the current prescription.

Hennessey will build just 30 copies of the VelociRaptor per year, offered at a starting price of $149,500. If that seems like an exorbitant markup over the Raptor's $43,920, well, you're welcome to go out and build your own. Scroll down for a video walk around of the VelociRaptor, and one showing the supercharged version on a dyno.

A 20-year-old woman was killed in Edmonton, Canada on Satuday, reports CTV News, in a freak accident resulting from a rollover during a Jeep demonstration. As part of a fundraising enthusiast event called "Jeeps Go Topless," the driver of one Jeep Wrangler drove up and onto the top of the tire of another.

CTV reports that the owner of the topmost Jeep then switched the vehicle off, posed for pictures and then dismounted from his vehicle. His movement off of the Jeep apparently caused it to tip over, crushing a woman who was on top of an adjacent vehicle. Edmonton police are currently investigating more fully what caused the parking lot accident to occur. Scroll below to watch the CTV News video report about this tragic incident.

The leaked facelift images and the Competition Package rumors were accurate: These are the 2014 BMW M5 and M6 models, with exactly three nips and four tucks distinguishing them from their outgoing counterparts, as well as an expected track-day overhaul package. The standard M5 boasts 560 horsepower from its 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8, and the new Competition Package ups that to a preliminary 575 hp, with shifting options remaining the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission or the six-speed manual. Unsurprisingly, the M6 family – including the two-door coupe, convertible and four-door Gran Coupe – get this optional treatment as well.

The go-fast packs make a lot more changes around the cars, though. It lowers them by ten millimeters, recalibrates the steering, differential, front bushings, coil springs, dampers and M chassis control system while adding stiffer anti-sway bars and black chrome exhaust tips. All models sit on 20-inch M light alloy wheels and can be specced with carbon ceramic brakes. For the dragsters among you, the result is a 0-62 mph time that drops by 0.1 second in all models but the M6 convertible.

Inside, on all 2014 M5 and M6 models, there's a new look to the steering wheel, a touchpad for the iDrive controller, more storage and more chrome trim. Two more paint colors and two more leather hues have been announced, with more Frozen paint finishes on the way as well. We're told prices will be announced closer to the models' August on-sale date. For now you read what BMW has to say about them in the press release below.

Our friends at XCAR have taken the time to train their lenses on the iconic Toyota Supra. With Toyota finally back into the performance car game, it seems only logical to remember one of the brand's most legendary sports cars. While we're all busy ladling praise onto the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ twins, it's important to remember that Toyota used to produce all manner of fun-to-drive machinery. The Supra once sat at the top of that list, its most recent iteration giving buyers the option of a ludicrous forced-induction inline six, gorgeous styling and plenty of presence.

Of course, the legend didn't stop once the Supra fell off American order sheets in 1998. Always an aftermarket darling, the Supra has gone on to become a tuner favorite in nearly every corner of grassroots motorsport. From drag racing to road racing and everywhere in between, the Supra is remains a force to be reckoned with nearly 15 years after it last prowled the US auto market. You can catch the tribute from XCAR below.

Automotive News reports the European automotive market has posted first gain in 19 months. Germany and Spain helped push the swell thanks to higher-than-average consumer confidence, though the EU saw registrations jump two percent overall compared to the prior year. In April, buyers took home 1.08 million new vehicles, up from 1.06 million during the same month in 2012. Analysts are hoping the news is the first sign of a legitimate recovery for a region that has suffered some of the slowest auto sales in 20 years. Even so, the market continues to suffer – four-month sales are down 7 percent to 4.18 million units.

Peugeot-Citroen saw its sales fall off by 10 percent last month. Ford and General Motors both posted declines of 0.6 percent and four percent respectively, with Chevrolet suffering through a 28-percent decline last month. There were winners in the region, however. Mercedes-Benz sales increased by 13 percent while Volkswagen registrations jumped by around 9 percent. Sales were particularly strong in the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany.