autoevolution
 

Cristian Agatie

Contributor
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As a child, he grew up among tractors and heavy machinery and was covered in grease from tip to toe most of the time. It was a tractor that he drove for the first time and when asked what he’d become, he candidly replied: “tractor operator”. Later on, he drove all kinds of vehicles, from heavy trucks to off-roaders, all outside of public roads until he got his driving license.

He did not become a tractor operator, as you can tell already. Instead, he got interested in journalism and pursued a career finding stories for local newspapers and radio stations. But the first love is never forgotten, so when presented with the chance, he seized it and became a motor journalist in 1995.

Having found the perfect job to mix his passion for cars and journalism, he couldn’t help exploring other areas, like science, computers, and mobile devices. He took stints working for a computer magazine for a couple of years, and it was then that he had his first contact with new media. But cars always remained his passion, so he returned to motor journalism when Auto Bild started its local branch. Later, he became an internet junkie, and moving online felt only natural.

In the meantime, he also became obsessed with technology, electric vehicles, batteries, and whatnot, so he writes a lot about those. He found autoevolution a fertile ground for exploration and so he discovered his passion for RVs and campers, but also solar panels and new energy solutions.
High-Tech Headrest That "Senses" a Crash Before It Happens Can Save Your Neck
High-Tech Headrest That "Senses" a Crash Before It Happens Can Save Your Neck

18 Aug 2022, 12:01 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Many modern vehicles come with mobile headrests that offer whiplash protection in the case of a rear-ending. Most, if not all, move into position to limit head movement after the vehicle strikes from behind. A Canadian supplier works on headrests t...

 
Touchscreens in Modern Cars Can't Hold a Candle to Physical Buttons, New Test Confirms
Touchscreens in Modern Cars Can't Hold a Candle to Physical Buttons, New Test Confirms

18 Aug 2022, 09:56 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Carmakers started to copy the touchscreen smartphone interface to replace the physical buttons inside their vehicles. But what works for a smartphone is not necessarily suitable for cars, and sometimes it can prove outright dangerous. Carmakers ...

 
These Are Dark Times for Road Users, NHTSA Reports 100 Traffic Deaths Every Single Day
These Are Dark Times for Road Users, NHTSA Reports 100 Traffic Deaths Every Single Day

18 Aug 2022, 08:29 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Car crashes have become so common these days that road deaths mean nothing more than numbers in statistics. According to NHTSA, 9,560 people lost their lives in the first quarter of the year, the highest number of first-quarter fatalities since 200...

 
Old-School American Cool Dodge A100 Custom Sportsman Has Nothing To Do With Dusty Rust-Eze
Old-School American Cool Dodge A100 Custom Sportsman Has Nothing To Do With Dusty Rust-Eze

17 Aug 2022, 14:39 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The Dodge A100 was a competitor to the Volkswagen Type 2, but also to the Ford Econoline and Chevy Corvair Greenbrier. The 1967 Sportsman example selling on Bring a Trailer is a great piece of American automotive history. If you find this silhou...

 
70-Mph Range Test: How the Latest Software Update Improved the Porsche Taycan's Range
70-Mph Range Test: How the Latest Software Update Improved the Porsche Taycan's Range

17 Aug 2022, 12:39 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Porsche Taycan recently received a software update promising to improve range, among other things. Curious to see how much improvement we’re talking about, the guys at InsideEVs have put the updated Taycan through the famous 70-mph range test...

 
Not Even the NHTSA Can Unlock the FSD Beta on Its Cars, Tesla's Help Was Requested
Not Even the NHTSA Can Unlock the FSD Beta on Its Cars, Tesla's Help Was Requested

17 Aug 2022, 10:17 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The NHTSA complained to Tesla about its vehicle not receiving the FSD Beta access, despite having the needed hardware and a Safety Score of 99. Thanks to Twitter power, the case got Elon Musk’s attention, who promised to help. If you saw t...

 
This Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia Looks Surprisingly Good for a 34-Year-Old Camper
This Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia Looks Surprisingly Good for a 34-Year-Old Camper

16 Aug 2022, 17:14 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia was the ultimate camper van in its heydays and is still held in high regard by the camper community. This 1988 example selling on Bring a Trailer is as good as new, although it is far from perfect. The Vanagon wa...

 
Ford Develops Headlights That Can Replace the Head-Up Display To Enhance Safety
Ford Develops Headlights That Can Replace the Head-Up Display To Enhance Safety

16 Aug 2022, 16:03 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Ford Europe is testing new headlight technology that can replace the head-up display by projecting useful information on the road ahead, in the driver’s sight. This helps keep the driver’s eyes on the road, enhancing safety. I must c...

 
BMW iX With an "Autonomous Driving" Label Crashes in Germany, Killing One, Injuring Nine
BMW iX With an "Autonomous Driving" Label Crashes in Germany, Killing One, Injuring Nine

16 Aug 2022, 15:09 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The accident happened Monday afternoon in the southwestern town of Reutlingen near Frankfurt after the BMW iX veered into oncoming traffic. According to the Reutlingen police reports, the BMW iX was an “autonomous electric test car.” Ho...

 
Musk's "Global Vision" Published in China Is the Closest Thing to a Master Plan Part 3
Musk's "Global Vision" Published in China Is the Closest Thing to a Master Plan Part 3

16 Aug 2022, 13:39 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Elon Musk announced working on the “Master Plan Part 3” back in March. We haven’t heard of any progress since then. Still, the Chinese media has published an essay by Musk, in which he shares his thoughts on several topics, paving...

 
Starlink Terminals Can Be Hacked Using a Home-Made Device, Security Researcher Shows
Starlink Terminals Can Be Hacked Using a Home-Made Device, Security Researcher Shows

16 Aug 2022, 10:29 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / SpaceX made a name for itself not only by offering internet access in places that lack basic utilities but also for its bulletproof security. During the Black Hat USA 2022, the latter shattered to pieces after a security researcher demonstrated how...

 
Drop Top Customs Offers the Convertible Challenger That Dodge Did Not Want To Build
Drop Top Customs Offers the Convertible Challenger That Dodge Did Not Want To Build

16 Aug 2022, 08:54 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Dodge only offered a convertible Challenger for the 1970 and 1971 model years, leaving muscle car fans with only two options on the market: the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. Stellantis is budging for the last year of production and offers a co...

 
Insanely Cool 1948 Westcraft Sequoia Travel Trailer Is Looking for a Crafty New Owner
Insanely Cool 1948 Westcraft Sequoia Travel Trailer Is Looking for a Crafty New Owner

15 Aug 2022, 17:35 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Vintage travel trailers are very hard to find, but the stories they tell make them so rewarding to own. This 1948 Westcraft Sequoia is listed as a project on Bring a Trailer, although it can be taken on a road trip right away. Unlike Airstream, ...

 
Guy Installs Vacuum Toilet in Toyota SUV, It's the Next Best Thing Now
Guy Installs Vacuum Toilet in Toyota SUV, It's the Next Best Thing Now

15 Aug 2022, 15:10 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Installing a toilet in your motorhome or camper trailer makes a lot of sense for those times spent in the wilderness. Smaller rigs, like campervans, usually go without, saving the space for more useful stuff. But an SUV? Well, it’s unusual, t...

 
Tesla Allowed Advertising of Autopilot and FSD in Germany Following Appeals Court Ruling
Tesla Allowed Advertising of Autopilot and FSD in Germany Following Appeals Court Ruling

15 Aug 2022, 10:51 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla scored a landmark victory after an appeals court reversed an earlier ruling to stop advertising the Autopilot and FSD in Germany. The lawsuit was filed in 2019 by the non-profit industry group Wettbewerbszentrale, which considered the formula...

 
A 17-Year-Old Boy Has a Secret To Teach Tesla About Electric Motors, It's Groundbreaking
A 17-Year-Old Boy Has a Secret To Teach Tesla About Electric Motors, It's Groundbreaking

13 Aug 2022, 23:32 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Electric vehicle production scaling would not be possible with all the scarce and expensive materials used today. A 17-year-old boy has a solution to the problem, designing an electric motor that doesn’t use rare-earth magnets. Today&rsquo...

 
This Volkswagen Type 2 Sunroof Deluxe 21-Window Samba Is the Real-Deal, Full of Surprises
This Volkswagen Type 2 Sunroof Deluxe 21-Window Samba Is the Real-Deal, Full of Surprises

13 Aug 2022, 12:06 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Samba was the most luxurious version of the Volkswagen Bus, with its 21-window configuration (23 windows initially) and the retractable sunroof. No wonder many Type 2s imported from Brazil were modified to look like one, with varying degrees of suc...

 
One of the Very Few Chevrolet K5 Blazer Chalet Camper Is Your Stairway to Happiness
One of the Very Few Chevrolet K5 Blazer Chalet Camper Is Your Stairway to Happiness

12 Aug 2022, 16:40 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / This Chevrolet K5 Blazer Chalet Camper is #414 out of around 1,800 chalet campers built by GM in collaboration with RV maker Chinook Mobilodge Inc. for the 1976 and 1977 model years. Considering the capable chassis and the versatility of the Cheyen...

 
Xiaomi Is the Next To Steal Tesla's Limelight, Epic CyberOne vs. Optimus Bot Battle Ahead
Xiaomi Is the Next To Steal Tesla's Limelight, Epic CyberOne vs. Optimus Bot Battle Ahead

12 Aug 2022, 15:38 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The battle of the bots is upon us, as Xiaomi just unveiled its CyberOne humanoid robot. Given the timing of the launch, it’s safe to assume the Chinese robot is aimed at stealing the limelight from Tesla’s Optimus Bot September premiere...

 
Made-in-Germany Tesla Model Y Built With BYD Structural Battery Pack Has a 55-kWh Capacity
Made-in-Germany Tesla Model Y Built With BYD Structural Battery Pack Has a 55-kWh Capacity

12 Aug 2022, 13:52 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / We’re getting new information about the type of batteries BYD is supplying Tesla for Giga Berlin production. As we’ve already written earlier, these are blade batteries similar to those used for the BYD Seal structural battery. Now we h...

 

Stories by Cristian Agatie