A California court has ruled that drivers can use mobile devices to check maps while behind the wheel, narrowing the interpretation of a state law that prohibits cellphone use while driving.

The case involves a driver, Steven Spriggs, who was pulled over in California after using his iPhone to look at a maps app while stuck in traffic. An officer interpreted the driver’s actions as in violation of the law, resulting in a $165 ticket.

The judges overseeing the case in the California 5th District Court of Appeal reversed Sprigg’s earlier conviction, ruling that the law is specifically applied to “listening and talking” on a cellphone while driving.

The judges argued that the officer’s interpretation, and that of lower courts, is too broad and brings “absurd results.”

“Then it would be a statutory violation for a driver to merely look at the telephone’s display,” the ruling said.

Most states have laws that ban texting and talking while driving, unless using a hands-free device, however many of the provisions were written before cellphones were used for other purposes, such as replicating the functionality of an in-car navigation system.

Audi has published a new teaser image of the third-gen TT. The coupe will bow in less than a week at the Geneva Motor Show.

The image confirms the next TT’s fluid silhouette is inspired by the first-gen model introduced in 1998. It gains a sharper front fascia characterized by angular headlights and a chiseled hexagonal radiator grille, two styling cues that will define Audi’s next design language. The company’s trademarked four-ring emblem has been moved from the grille to the hood.

LED headlights will be available at an extra cost, and buyers in Europe will be able to order the TT with Audi’s Matrix beam technology. All models will be equipped with LED tail lamps.

Earlier spy shots confirm the new TT will adopt a back-to-the-basics cockpit with an increased focus on driving pleasure. It will eschew a traditional center stack in favor of a simpler setup with just a few knobs and buttons for the HVAC controls, and the current TT’s static LCD screen will be replaced by a retractable unit to create a clean, uncluttered look.

The TT will be offered with a host of high-tech options including the latest generation of Audi’s infotainment system, a heads-up display and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Look for the 2015 TT to come standard with a 220-horsepower version of Audi’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The more expensive TTS will use a 300-horsepower four-banger while the range-topping TT-RS will be powered by a 380-horsepower five-cylinder mill. Both front- and all-wheel drive will be offered, and buyers will be able to choose between a six-speed manual transmission and a dual-clutch DSG unit.

The 2015 Audi TT will go on sale in Europe and the United States next fall. A convertible version will likely be presented later this year at the Paris Motor Show and land in showrooms in early 2015.

Nissan is reportedly preparing to ramp up its US manufacturing capacity to minimize the need for imports in the second-largest automotive market.

Speaking to reporters in Detroit, Nissan’s VP of sales and marketing for the US, Fred Diaz, suggested that the company aims to manufacture 85 percent of its US sales volume within the country “in the very near future,” as quoted by The Detroit News.

The executive suggests Nissan began increasing investment in North American manufacturing during the recent recession, spending approximately $5 billion to expand production in the US and Mexico. The strategy is said to have added 8,000 jobs in the US over the past five years, increasing capacity by 22 percent and boosting exports by 100,000 units.

The shift is said to be part of a broader strategy aimed at improving the Japanese automaker’s reputation with buyers and dealers, though it is also expected to improve the bottom line.

Alongside the manufacturing changes, the company will also be relying on a handful of redesigned models to help it grow market share in the US and abroad. A new Maxima and Titan are expected to arrive within the next year, while the Rogue and Murano are set to arrive sooner.

Maserati’s long-awaited sub-GranTurismo sports car may finally be on the verge of making its debut.

The trident brand will unveil its answer to the Jaguar F-Type and Porsche 911 at next week’s Geneva Motor Show, according to a GTSPIRIT.com report that does not cite sources.

Rumors referenced by Car and Driver suggest that the sports car will ride on a shortened version of the Ghibli and Quattroporte’s platform and utilize the sedans’ twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 and/or 3.8-liter V8 engines.

While Maserati has declined to comment on the alleged debut, the automaker has been making noises for some time about a two-door that would be smaller, less expensive and more driver-focused than the GranTurismo.

Last year, Maserati CEO Harald Wester stated that the brand needed a higher-volume sports car to compliment the niche-selling GranTurismo. Prior to that, a leaked product plan sheet also suggested that Maserati was plotting a 911 rival.

This year is Maserati’s 100th on the market, a milestone that would certainly lend itself to the introduction of an important new model.

Of course, none of that confirms that the sports car will arrive in Geneva, so we’ll just have to wait and see what next week holds.

Nissan has announced a new “Smart” rearview mirror that doubles as an LCD monitor for camera feeds.

When the LCD function is activated, the full width of the mirror converts to an ultra-wide monitor showing a view from the rear-facing camera located on the back of the vehicle.

The image from the rear camera is claimed to provide a wider field of vision, giving an unobstructed look at the rear flanks without being blocked by C-pillars, tall passengers or cargo. It is also said to show a clear image in a variety of conditions, automatically adjusting for glare, bright headlights or other factors.

The 4:1 aspect-ratio LCD is integrated directly behind the mirror and can be switched off, enabling it to be used as a traditional rearview mirror. The company suggests it reworked the structural design of both components to avoid a double image when the monitor is active.

“[The Smart mirror] offers the possibility of new and exciting designs for our upcoming models because Smart rearview mirror is an alternative to a very wide rear window for good visibility,” said Nissan’s chief planning officer and executive VP, Andy Palmer. “We’ll have the flexibility to create new shapes, and to further improve aerodynamics for better fuel efficiency.”

The company plans to offer the Smart mirror as a dealer option this spring in Japan, ahead of a global rollout in 2015.