Autoblog

Hughes Telematics and Chrysler relationship looks to be over

Chris Tutor — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:59:00 EST

Filed under: CES, Technology, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Earnings/Financials

Back in 2008 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, we got to spend some time in a Jeep Grand Cherokee outfitted with a bunch of technogoodies from Hughes Telematics. And again at this year's CES, Hughes let us play with even cooler stuff in a Dodge Journey. They bragged of downloadable apps for your Chrysler-branded vehicle and super-cool, futuristic travel guides from your in-dash nav system. Stuff that might convince someone to actually purchase a Journey.

But, alas, since then, Chrysler went bankrupt and it seems the company's relationship with Hughes soured. In an official statement Hughes tells Autoblog:

New Chrysler introduced additional business terms that were not part of either the prior business discussions or the original arrangement. As a result, we reached an impasse in the negotiations and are ceasing our work with new Chrysler to deploy our hardware and launch our services with them in the fourth quarter of 2009, as was previously planned.

That's okay, Hughes says, because they still have Mercedes-Benz as a customer, and they don't need Chrysler anymore. We're not financial experts by any means, but as we stumbled through the SEC report, it was obvious Hughes had invested a lot of time, money and emotions into making things work with Chrysler and that it might take a while to get over losing the bond they once cherished.

In any case, you can read the SEC filing for yourself here or check out Hughes' full official statement to Autoblog after the jump. Thanks for the tip, MBAcurafan!

Gallery: Hughes Telematics at CES 2008

[Source: SEC.gov]

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Hughes Telematics and Chrysler relationship looks to be over originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2009: Hands on with D-Box and Simcraft racing simulators

Chris Tutor — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 19:14:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Motorsports, Podcasts, CES

They're more than glorified game consoles with force-feedback steering wheels strapped to a lounge chair. Costing as much as $44,000 apiece, they're racing simulators, and we got to play with a couple of them at CES.

Simcraft says its $44K model is meant for training real race car drivers, like Indycar driver Sarah Fisher, who stopped by CES on Wednesday to show off the company's Apex SC830. The U.S. military is also using the high-dollar simulator to train its soldiers to drive in the tricky sands of Iraq. D-Box's top-of-the-line GP Pro 200 is a much more affordable high-end racing simulator. It'll only set you back $14,000.

Both are PC-based and both offer much more realism than your Laz-E-Boy being moved around by your little brother. The SC830 is definitely more hardcore, with the seat and displays mounted on a tubular-steel frame. The GP Pro 200 sits lower, is more compact and looks less complicated than the Simcraft. But how do they drive? Click through to the jump to read our impressions and for more photos.

Gallery: CES 2009: Hands on with D-Box and Simcraft racing simulators

Continue reading CES 2009: Hands on with D-Box and Simcraft racing simulators

CES 2009: Hands on with D-Box and Simcraft racing simulators originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2009: Alpine keeps in touch with iPod users

Chris Tutor — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, CES

Alpine has had iPod compatibility for years, but the user interface has been decidedly un-Apple. Alpine hopes to rectify matter with its new touch-screen iXA-W404 unit works, which boasts a new interface, new features and all the connected goodies audiophiles on the move require.

iPod and iPhone owners will notice that the Alpine's 4.3-inch, touch-screen face displays album art of the current song, and the names of the next two and most recent songs played. Song selection can be made from an alphabetical list just as on the iPod Touch and iPhone or by flipping through the album art in an animation similar to Apple's Cover Flow. Alpine's newest unit also supports video playback from an iPhone or any 30-pin iPod. W404 owners can choose to display three of five "widgets" included with the unit, which include a clock, calendar and photo viewer. The unit can be upgraded by adding components from Alpine's lineup, ranging from GPS, HD Radio, rear-view camera and Bluetooth connectivity. The W404 head unit can even control video display on rear-seat monitors.

The 2DIN iXA-W404 will be available in April for a suggested retail of $550. Alpine's HD radio tuner is a $230 add-on, the rear-view camera system is $220, the Bluetooth module is $180, navigation capability is $350 and a dual seven-inch headrest monitor package is $750.

Gallery: CES 2009: Alpine keeps in touch with iPod users

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CES 2009: Alpine keeps in touch with iPod users originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2009: Visteon shows off dashboard of the future

Chris Tutor — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, CES

Click above for high-res image gallery of Visteon's CES 2009 display

Visteon, a major supplier of automotive instrument panels, has a vision for future car interiors that will soon give you a different view of your dashboard.

One of the most interesting ideas Visteon has developed is a user-customizable gauge cluster that they say will be available soon from a major manufacturer. Like traditional gauges, Visteon's Reconfigurable Cluster displays speed and RPMs using classic needles and numbers. Untraditionally, though, the new design simulates those gauges with LCD displays that can be modified to present the information in almost any way imaginable. End customers could potentially even upload their own designs, skins, etc. to make their instrument panels their own unique design.

The clear plastic hood surrounding the cluster isn't merely decorative. As you can see in the photo above, when a door is ajar, the hood glows red. When high-beams are on, it turns a subtle blue. Turn signal indicators light up the entire left or right side yellow. It's a simple and elegant feature.

Click through the jump to read more about Visteon's instrument technologies and click here for a high-res gallery from the company's booth at CES.

Gallery: CES 2009: Visteon's reconfigurable gauge cluster

Continue reading CES 2009: Visteon shows off dashboard of the future

CES 2009: Visteon shows off dashboard of the future originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2009: Hands on with heat-sensing FLIR-equipped BMW

Chris Tutor — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:18:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, CES, Safety, BMW

Click above to view a high-res gallery of photos from FLIR's CES 2009 demo.

Just like we thought, FLIR wasn't on board with our plan to drive their night-vision BMW through the Nevada desert, but we did get to check out the car's in-dash display.

Our demo was indoors only, though we still got a good idea of how it works. Showgoers passing in front of the BMW's heat-sensing camera appeared in nice detail despite the relatively small difference in their temperature and their surroundings. FLIR rep Jay James said the camera can detect a .05 degree difference in temperatures, which translates into many more shades of gray on the monitor.

The system is tuned to look several yards down the road and so was thrown off by the number of pedestrians within inches of its bumper. But whenever someone walked through its danger zone, the system's display indicated a pedestrian by outliing that person with a yellow rectangle.

The demo BMW had been retrofitted with the system, but new BMWs with the factory-installed version flash a yellow triangle in the head-up display to alert drivers to take action.

Gallery: CES 2009: FLIR demos BMW Pedestrian Detection

CES 2009: Hands on with heat-sensing FLIR-equipped BMW originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2009: Sony Xplods with new automotive units

Chris Tutor — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Audio, Gadgets, CES, Ford

Sony is expanding its Xplod car stereo lineup with eight new models, including the company's first double-din unit in several years.

The most feature-filled of the new models is Sony's MEX-BT5700U model (in photo above) with a front USB port for music players including iPhone and iPod. Its Bluetooth connection can also transfer phonebook info from a phone to its display and allows access to phone functions through the head unit. And when using Bluetooth to play music from a media device, the Sony unit displays song name, artist, etc. Sony says the MEX-BT5700U is their top of the line head unit and expects it to go on sale this June for about $300. Follow the jump for info on all seven of Sony's other models announced this week at CES as well as the official Sony press release.

Gallery: CES 2009: Sony Xplods with new automotive units

Continue reading CES 2009: Sony Xplods with new automotive units

CES 2009: Sony Xplods with new automotive units originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2009: Wireless gadget charging coming to your car

Chris Tutor — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, CES, Work

Click above to view a high-res gallery of eCoupled photos

You've probably heard of wireless battery charging technology, but soon you might just see it showing up in your car. Fulton Innovation has teamed up with Leggett & Platt to bring eCoupled Intelligent Wireless Power Technology to your mobile phone, MP3 player, radar detector or just about anything else that needs electricity.

Instead of a web of snarled power cords, the eCoupled system charges any enabled gadget resting on the power pad. As in the illustration, enabled devices resting within range of the pad would be juiced up just as if they were plugged in.

Bret Lewis, director of Fulton Innovation, gave us a demo of the eCoupled system Wednesday night. Fulton had outfitted an iPhone and a Motorola Bluetooth headset with an eCoupled coil. Lewis took the two devices, laid them on a wooden bowl and, as if by magic, the two began to charge. The only indication the bowl was anything but dead tree was an electrical cord running from the back. Underneath, the bowl had been hollowed to accommodate a metal plate with the coil inductor. The same type system could easily be incorporated into a car's console or instrument panel.

Ideally, Lewis says, gadget manufacturers would incorporate the technology into portable devices as they're designed. In the real world, of course, there are potentially billions of legacy devices that could benefit from a third-party attachment to allow the wireless batter charging.

But it gets better! Lewis says the system can also transfer data, potentially allowing wireless coupling of music players and mobile phones with you car.

We also spoke with Ross Haith Jr. of Leggett & Platt who let us in on some commercial vehicle projects they have ready to launch as soon as this year. Read about that as well as press releases from the two companies after the jump.

Gallery: CES 2009: Wireless gadget charging coming to you car

Continue reading CES 2009: Wireless gadget charging coming to your car

CES 2009: Wireless gadget charging coming to your car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2009: SYNC updated with Traffic, Directions and Information

Chris Tutor — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, CES, Ford

Ford and Microsoft debuted SYNC at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show, updated the system at last year's event and now keep the tradition alive with more enhancements for 2009. The next iteration of SYNC will sport new features able to take full advantage of a user's GPS-enabled bluetooth smartphone.

Boiled down to the bare essentials, these features are summed up as Traffic, Directions and Information. The Traffic feature sends texts messages with traffic alerts to the user's phone, or the SYNC system can read them aloud in the car. The Directions function mimics a full-feature navigation system by displaying directions on the radio and speaking them audibly through the sound system. And finally there's information, which allows users to access sports, weather and news of all types through SYNC.

The best part is that all of these features follow you to any vehicle equipped with SYNC via your smartphone. Ford even claims that the iPhone works with these new capabilities despite the fact Apple limits the phone's Bluetooth capability and AT&T doesn't allow data tethering. We'll be sure to get more details on how all this works later today when we meet with Ford execs and get a demonstration.

The big Blue Oval says it will offer these new SYNC features on almost all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles with three years of service included right up front. Check out Ford's full press release and see a video demonstrartion of the new features after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading CES 2009: SYNC updated with Traffic, Directions and Information

CES 2009: SYNC updated with Traffic, Directions and Information originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2009: The cars of CES

Chris Tutor — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:05:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, CES, Pontiac

Click above to view a high-res gallery of the cars of CES 2009

The doors to the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show don't officially open until Thursday morning, but we got a sneak preview of the setup going on in the LVCC's North Hall. That's where most of the automotive action will be concentrated and there are plenty of wild rides lining the halls.

You'll notice that in most of the photos, like the Galpin Scythe (above), the exhibitors' booths are far from complete. As the week unfolds, we'll bring you more from the floor and attempt to get our hands on some of the best car-related tech in Vegas. For Alex, the original KITT's here - or at least a close facsimile - and for all you Pontiac G8 ST fans, Azentek/Navigon has everyone's favorite stillborn ute on hand, although it could just be a Holden Commodore with a G8 nose job. We'll find out more tomorrow, so stay tuned.

UPDATE: We spoke with Azentek about their G8 ST. Apparently it is indeed one of the only G8 STs in existence. Donnie Zanney of Azentek says his company is just down the road from GM and, like a good neighbor, lets the tech company borrow a car every now and then. Unfortunately, yes, they have to give it back.

Gallery: CES 2009: The cars of CES

CES 2009: The cars of CES originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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