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January 7, 2010 9:41 AM PST

Auto industry focused on hybrids, survey says

by Candace Lombardi
  • 4 comments

Styling innovations like this glass roof available for Ford Motor's 2009 V-6 and GT Mustang may not be the focus in coming years as automakers look to provide energy efficiency not looks, according to one survey.

(Credit: Ford)

Biodiesel technology is low on the list of priorities for auto industry research, according to a global survey of 200 senior auto executives conducted by KPMG that was released Thursday.

When asked to rate which were the most important alternative fuel technologies to the auto industry over the next five years, hybrid systems were ranked first followed by battery electric power, fuel cell electric power, and biodiesel, respectively.

Fuel efficiency was ranked as the feature auto executives believed makes the biggest impact on customers' purchasing decisions, while "environmental friendliness" was second followed by safety innovation in third.

A car's style and looks came in last on the list of factors auto executives thought customers looked at these days when deciding which car to buy. They're likely right. The information follows news that Ford Motor announced in December it saw record sales for its hybrid cars in 2009 compared to hybrid car sales in other years.

"Automotive manufacturers are in the challenging position of being asked to compete on both technology and cost. With global consumers still feeling the pinch of the recession, those OEMs who can deliver on this equation will be in the driver's seat," Gary Silberg, national automotive industry leader for KPMG, said in a statement.

The survey was conducted September through November 2009.

Originally posted at Planetary Gear
In a software-driven world, it's easy to forget about the nuts and bolts. Whether it's cars, robots, personal gadgetry or industrial machines, Candace Lombardi examines the moving parts that keep our world rotating. A journalist who divides her time between the United States and the United Kingdom, Lombardi has written about technology for the sites of The New York Times, CNET, USA Today, MSN, ZDNet, Silicon.com, and GameSpot. E-mail her at candacelombardi@gmail.com. She is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not a current employee of CNET.
January 7, 2010 9:19 AM PST

CES: Ford brings digital comforts to cars

by Martin LaMonica
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Editor's note: Mulally's speech was covered live here.

LAS VEGAS--Ford CEO Alan Mulally says tech geeks will feel right at home in Ford cars.

Mulally delivered the Thursday morning keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show, where he said "smart technology" such as access to smartphones and fuel efficiency are core to Ford's strategy.

"Green technology and smart innovation are helping us serve our customers and differentiate Ford," Mulally said.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally giving a keynote address Thursday morning at CES in Las Vegas.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

He started his talk noting the surge in usage of online applications like Twitter and Facebook in the past year. Ford's Sync software allows drivers to access these applications through smartphones using Sync's voice activation features.

"Fortunately, the connectivity that Ford chose has proven to be right because it has the ability to accommodate change...and connectivity through a mobile phone," he said.

Mulally said Ford plans to extend its pilot program, in which Best Buy will help Ford drivers become familiar

... Read the full post at CNET's CES 2010 blog
Originally posted at 2010 CES
January 6, 2010 9:01 PM PST

CES: Ford brings smartphone Web apps to cars

by Martin LaMonica
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LAS VEGAS--Ford Motor is making its vehicles an Internet application platform by giving drivers access to streaming media and other smartphone applications.

During a keynote on Thursday at the Consumer Electronics Show, Ford CEO Alan Mulally plans to show off the latest high-tech touches to the interior of Ford vehicles, including a redesigned driver interface that will let drivers access smartphone applications through the voice-command feature of the Sync in-car software. Cars equipped with the latest Ford interface, called MyFord Touch, will be available in certain models later this year, according to Ford.

The first three available applications are the Pandora streaming music service, Stitcher news and audio service, and Twitter, said Jim Buczkowski, director of global electrical and electronics systems engineering at Ford.

The MyFord Touch user interfaces includes an eight-inch touch screen which also lets drivers use voice commands to make phone calls.

(Credit: Ford Motor)

So instead of fiddling with a BlackBerry or iPhone while driving, consumers can use voice commands to navigate through the applications, he said. The connection to the ... Read the full post at CNET's CES 2010 blog

Originally posted at 2010 CES
January 6, 2010 5:00 AM PST

Dealer's use of Web turns Main St. into high-sales highway

by Automotive News
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HILLSDALE, Mich. -- Chrysler Group dealer Tom Vann embraced the Internet as a sales tool nearly 15 years ago, when the technology was still a novelty.

He's sure glad he did.

Because nearly 70 percent of his car sales today come through the Internet, it doesn't matter that Vann's Team Hillsdale Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep is tucked into this small, predominantly farming hamlet deep in south central Michigan.

"We saw a long time ago that we couldn't just focus on our Main Street business," says Vann, 45, whose father, Bill Vann Sr., was a longtime dealer in nearby Albion, Mich.

The surrounding county has been losing automotive and tool-and-die jobs for the past decade. Unemployment in Hillsdale County, population 46,500, was 17 percent in September, according to the state of Michigan.

But Team Hillsdale has been largely immune to the slide. Vann's average online buyer comes from 120 miles away. His biggest market is the heavily dealered Detroit area, 100 miles away.

Vann's sales territory ranges approximately from the border with Ohio and Indiana to the south, Lansing to the north, Kalamazoo to the west and Ann Arbor-Detroit to the east.

... Read More
January 5, 2010 9:41 AM PST

CES: Kia unveils voice-driven auto infotainment system

by Lance Whitney
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Certain Kia car owners will soon be able to play music and make phone calls, all by just the sound of their voice.

Kia Motors' new infotainment system "Uvo powered by Microsoft" will let car owners access its key features by voice as well as by touch. With an assist from Microsoft speech technology and an embedded version of Windows, Uvo will help drivers and passengers make and answer phone calls, respond to text messages, and play music from different sources, said Kia.

Using Microsoft's voice recognition, car owners will be able to direct the system by issuing short voice commands rather searching through complex menus, said Kia. Drivers and passengers can scroll through their music lists and phone books by voice or via the touch screen.

For greater accuracy, speech recognition profiles can be created and trained for two different voices from among a variety of languages. The system can even respond to questions, such as "What's playing?" so that drivers don't have to fumble or take their eyes off the road.

... Read the full post at CNET's CES 2010 blog
Originally posted at 2010 CES
Lance Whitney wears a few different technology hats--journalist, Web developer, and software trainer. He's a contributing editor for Microsoft TechNet Magazine and writes for other computer publications and Web sites. You can follow Lance on Twitter at @lancewhit. Lance is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and he is not an employee of CNET.
January 4, 2010 2:45 PM PST

Move over, rpm; make way for mpg

by Automotive News
  • 5 comments

High-performance cars will get a nod at the North American International Auto Show next week, but electrics and hybrids will get the buzz.

Volkswagen and Toyota will show hybrid concepts; Audi, BMW, and Fiat will unveil electric concepts. Honda will show the production version of the CR-Z hybrid hatchback.

The Detroit auto show will put together many electric cars and technology in one area called Electric Avenue.

Meanwhile, the high-performance crowd will get their due with the CTS-V coupe from Cadillac and a performance sedan concept from Buick.

Mercedes-Benz will take the wraps off of the fourth variant of its new E class--a production convertible that replaces the CLK.

... Read More
Originally posted at 2010 Detroit auto show
January 4, 2010 2:20 PM PST

BMW launches free M Power iPhone application

by Antuan Goodwin
  • 2 comments

BMW M Power iPhone app

BMW's M Power app is actually quite useful.

(Credit: BMW)

BMW has launched the M Power iPhone app, the Bavarian automaker's second free application to promote its brand. However, unlike its previous offering, this app is actually sort of useful.

The M Power app measures vehicle acceleration using your iPhone's (or iPod Touch's) built-in accelerometer. After securing the iPhone (via a windshield mount or just tossing it in a cup holder), the app will measure 0-60 mph times other user-customizable speeds in mph or kph. The app will also measure forward and lateral G-forces for users who want to take a spin on a skidpad. Users can also unlock different skins on BMW's Web site to customize the look and feel of the app.

Although branded with the BMW M badge, the M Power app will work for any car that you can fit an iPhone into. Unlike my favorite paid iPhone accelerometer-based speed computer, Dynolicious, BMW's app doesn't look like it will calculate your vehicle's horsepower or torque. But at the low cost of "free," the M Power app is a hard bargain to turn down.

Check out the BMW M Power app in the iTunes App Store.

January 4, 2010 12:00 PM PST

Cheap GPS: Gokivo app drops to 99 cents

by Rick Broida
  • 11 comments

If you've been wanting to test-drive an iPhone navigation app but didn't want to invest $34.99 on CoPilot Live, $49.99 on TomTom U.S.A., or $59.99 MobileNavigator, here's good news: Now you can get Gokivo GPS Navigator for just 99 cents (iTunes link).

Just to clarify, that 99 cents buys you 30 days' worth of navigation (complete with real-time traffic). After that, Gokivo will cost you $4.99 per month or $39.99 if you pay annually (a considerable savings).

It will cost you more over the long haul than a flat-rate app like CoPilot or MobileNavigator, but Gokivo might be a more attractive option for infrequent drivers--since there's no contract, no commitment.

If you're like me and only occasionally need turn-by-turn navigation assistance, you can, literally, pay as you go. Gokivo now supports in-app transactions, so if you're leaving for a road trip or happen to get lost somewhere, just tap out $4.99 and presto: You've got another month of GPS.

If you want to learn about the app's navigation acumen, read Dong Ngo's recent comparison of Gokivo and MapQuest (another subscription-based solution).

But I think with an entry point of just 99 cents and the option of paying five bucks whenever you want 30 days of traffic-enhanced navigation, Gokivo is hard to beat.

What's your favorite GPS app? Do you prefer the flat-rate offerings or a subscription option like this one? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Originally posted at iPhone Atlas
Rick Broida, a technology writer for nearly 20 years, is the author of more than a dozen books. In addition to writing CNET's The Cheapskate blog, he oversees BNET's Business Hacks. Rick is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CBS Interactive. Disclosure. Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers. Follow Rick on Twitter at cheapskateblog.
December 31, 2009 11:09 AM PST

Ford, MIT partner to reduce driving stress

by Suzanne Ashe
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Ford this week announced it is partnering with MIT's AgeLab on a project to identify specific stress-inducing driving situations, monitor a driver's reaction to the situations using biometrics, and evaluate methods to incorporate new stress-reducing features into the next generation of Ford products. The six-month effort will begin in January and will focus on human interaction with a specially equipped 2010 Lincoln MKS.

Ford's goal for the program is to take this a step further by creating the most comfortable driving environment possible so that the driver is always relaxed and calm.

By using the Lincoln MKS, MIT AgeLab researchers will have a rolling test vehicle loaded with innovations such as the Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support, MyKey, Voice-Activated Navigation, and Sync.

Since 2004, Ford and MIT's AgeLab--in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation's New England University Transportation Center--have been working to develop vehicle systems that detect the stress level of the driver at key points in time. The goal is to use the information to adjust systems in the car in ways that reduce driver stress.

December 28, 2009 12:25 PM PST

Chinese drivers turn to Onstar

by Suzanne Ashe
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Drivers in China can now subscribe to OnStar. The service welcomed its first subscriber earlier this month. Chinese subscribers receive 14 services through Shanghai OnStar Telematics. Some of the services include: automatic crash response, emergency services, automatic airbag response, vehicle diagnostics, stolen vehicle location, remote door unlock, turn-by-turn navigation, destination download.

The service is available throughout mainland China in Mandarin Chinese. Worldwide, OnStar has more than 5.6 million customers and has performed 253 million customer interactions to date.

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