Mercedes-Benz has begun road testing electric vehicles equipped with solid-state batteries, using a modified EQS prototype, with plans to bring this next-gen technology to production vehicles by 2030. The new battery, developed with input from its Formula 1 supplier, is expected to increase driving range by nearly 25%, potentially delivering over 620 miles on a single charge.

Sonos has released the TrueCinema spatial audio feature for the Ace headphones, making TV and movie audio more immersive and detailed. The update enhances the headphones' spatial audio capabilities by simulating room acoustics, along with improvements to active noise cancellation and call quality.

Honda and Acura have introduced a North American Charging Standard to Combined Charging System adapter for the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX, allowing access to more than 23,500 Tesla Superchargers in the US. This move, developed in collaboration with Tesla, ensures compatibility with Tesla Superchargers version 3 and later. Honda has sold nearly 50,000 Prologue units since its launch last year, and future EVs from Honda will use the company's own platform, starting with the Saloon and SUV 0 Series in 2026.

The Tea app has gone viral, attracting more than 1 million women within a week. Marketed as a dating safety app, it allows women to post pictures of men they are dating to seek feedback and verify identities. While lauded for its safety features, it has raised concerns about privacy, potential defamation and mental health impacts for men featured without consent.

Electric vehicle charging stations have become the top-converting amenity on Hilton Hotels' booking platform, surpassing traditional features such as pools and free breakfast, according to Jean Garris Hand, Hilton's global head of sustainability. Hilton has EV chargers at over 1,800 hotels and is working with Tesla to add as many as 20,000 more at North American properties. Other hotel chains including Marriott International and Radisson Hotel Group are also expanding EV infrastructure to attract environmentally conscious and affluent travelers.

Judge the CES Innovation Awards® program! With five new categories for 2026, the annual competition celebrating outstanding design and engineering is seeking experts from across the industry. Selected judges will receive a complimentary Exhibit Plus Pass for CES® 2026 -- apply now.

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