Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…

Federal Agency Calls For Alcohol Detection And Speed Adaptation Systems On New Cars

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has called for all new vehicles to be equipped with alcohol impairment detection systems as standard. It comes after a fatal crash on New Year’s Day killed nine people, including seven children, which could have been prevented with the use of technology, says NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy. While most responsible drivers would be onboard with that, there’s an element that may prove less popular. In addition to pushing for “passive vehicle-integrated alcohol impairment detection systems,” the board also recommends that vehicle manufacturers and consumers be incentivized to adopt “intelligent speed adaptation systems that would prevent speed-related crashes.”

2023 BMW Alpina XB7 Detailed With 630 HP And A $146k Price Tag

Say hello to the Alpina’s take on the facelifted BMW X7 — the Alpina XB7, with over 630 hp in flagship guise. Visually, the XB7 features the traditional Alpina styling additions, including a deep front splitter, revised rear bumper, and the brand’s signature multi-spoke forged wheels in either 21 or 23 inches. The car features Alpina-specific dampers, increased negative camber, reinforced torsion struts, and stiffer rear axle bushings, while braking is handled by blue-painted Alpina-branded four-piston brake calipers by Brembo. Under the hood, the tuning division has worked its magic to give the bi-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine  630 hp (470 kW / 639 PS) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque.

New 2023 Mitsubishi ASX Is Really Nothing More Than A Renamed Renault Captur

In what is surely going to be a disappointment to fans of the brand’s storied history of making innovative cars of its own (think the original RVR), the new Mitsubishi ASX has been revealed to be nothing more than a rebadge of the Renault Captur — even the wheel designs are shared between the two. Engines and interiors are also common with Renault, and European sales are set to begin in March 2023. While we knew the two cars would be related, we had hoped for a little more differentiation, especially going from the teaser released earlier this year.

Hertz Buying Up To 175,000 EVs From GM, First Batch Set To Arrive In 2023

Hertz is embracing EVs, investing in a further 175,000 cars from General Motors over the next five years. While specific details haven’t been revealed just yet, it could mean that renters will be able to select from the likes of the Chevrolet Blazer EV, Equinox EV, and Silverado EV, as well as the Cadillac Lyriq and upcoming GMC Sierra EV. Last year, the rental car company announced plans to buy 100,000 Tesla Model 3s, and that was followed by plans to buy up to 65,000 EVs from Polestar.

Skoda Vision GT Teased As A Virtual Electric Racecar With Active Aero

Skoda’s latest teaser has shown off a digital-only single-seater electric racecar inspired by the 1957 Skoda 1100 OHC. Although there are no plans for a production version of this design study, the Skoda Vision GT provides an interesting look at what a digital version would look like.

Lamborghini’s High-Riding Huracan Sterrato Is Taking Shape In Italy

Fans of odd-ball performance cars have been waiting for the production version of the awaited Lamborghini Sterrato to drop for some time. Now a new prototype has been filmed close to the company’s headquarters, confirming some of the brash rally-inspired supercar’s visual elements. It includes raised suspension, flared fenders, roof rails, and a large roof scoop.

What Else Is Making The News

Disliking YouTube Videos Push Users Towards Similar Recommendations

According to new research, using the dislike button on YouTube only pushes more of the same content to a user. Mozilla, the company behind the Firefox web browser, ran a study to test the effectiveness of the Dislike and Not Interested buttons, finding that the latter stopped only 12 percent of similar recommended videos.

Denmark And Germany Are Building The World’s Longest Immersed Tunnel 

Construction has begun on the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel, which will connect Denmark and Germany when it opens in 2029. The tunnel will be 18 kilometers (11.1 miles) long and will cut the travel time between the two countries to just 10 minutes by car, which is currently 45 minutes via ferry. While it is shorter than the Channel Tunnel, which links France and the United Kingdom, which was built using a boring machine, the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel will be constructed by immersing pre-built tunnel sections, reports CNN.