Autoblog

Cadillac rushing update for laggy CUE infotainment system

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, Cadillac, Luxury, Infotainment

BMW's innovative iDrive was introduced in 2001, and a dozen years later, automakers are still learning hard lessons about what consumers want in their infotainment systems. In response to owner feedback - and a few media drubbings - about the delayed and occasionally fickle responses of its CUE (short for Cadillac User Experience) system, Cadillac has told Wired that it's going to issue an update this year.

Coming for the XTS and ATS, the new software will mean quicker haptic feedback to driver inputs on the touchscreen and the buttons, and snappier responses on screen. Down the road, Cadillac's VP of marketing says that a different mix of screen controls and hard buttons is "something you'll be seeing in the future" - the system is presently a mix of touchscreen-based controls and capacitive-touch switchgear - there are no knobs or physical pushbuttons to speak of, and the omission of both has proven to be a divisive issue among consumers and industry pundits.

Cadillac hasn't provided a date for when the CUE update will be issued, but it has indicated that the service will be performed by dealers, not sent wirelessly.

Cadillac rushing update for laggy CUE infotainment system originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM hiring 3,000 Hewlett Packard employees for IT

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, GM, Earnings/Financials

In a case of outsourced becoming insourced, 3,000 Hewlett-Packard employees who are devoted to General Motors IT issues will be swapping workplaces, moving to GM and becoming GM employees in order to work on IT issues.

The General wants to increase its speed of innovation and believes it can do that by hiring 10,000 IT workers and doing 80-percent more of its own IT work instead of using outside companies.

The plan calls for using HP software to accelerate the completion of tasks and delivery, which will save money. The new font of funds will be used to boost resources that aid innovation, and to open "innovation centers" in several states that will dedicate themselves to finding the next big things.

The first round of 3,000 employees should be integrated within six months, the ultimate goal of bringing 90 percent of company IT work in-house is expected to take five years.

GM hiring 3,000 Hewlett Packard employees for IT originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did Apple forget to tell automakers about the new Siri button? [UPDATE]

Scott Burgess — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Audi, Chrysler, Toyota

Apple expects nine different carmakers to begin including a "Siri button" on their steering wheels within the next 12 months, the company announced this week.

Of course, the news came as a surprise to some of the carmakers, according to Business Insider.

After Apple announced plans to further integrate it's Siri voice recognition software to a button on the steering wheel, some carmakers said they were unaware of those plans.

Audi told Fast Company, which contacted all nine carmakers mentioned by Apple, that it was not sure if the project could be completed in a year. A Chrysler spokesman said the company did not have any plans to announce anything. Toyota was equally as vague: "(T)here are no particular applications planned at this time."

Building a Siri button certainly makes sense and, no doubt, will happen in the coming years. It's also smart business. Instead of an automaker spending money developing voice recognition software, let Apple do it and integrate that system into a vehicle. Already, carmakers have moved to integrate smartphones into cars, putting apps on phones onto center console screens and finding ways to piggyback services from a phone into the car. USB ports on a car are simply expected nowadays.

There might even be plans to create a "Siri button" that allows a driver to control his phone by voice without ever taking his hands off the steering wheel. But before that happens, someone at Apple might want to tell the automakers.

UPDATE: According to our sources, Apple did have deals in place with each automaker that the tech company mentioned in its keynote. The confusion arose from PR teams with certain automakers not being adequately prepped before the announcement was made.

Did Apple forget to tell automakers about the new Siri button? [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo expands Polestar software upgrade to more models

Zach Bowman — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, SUV, Wagon, Etc., Volvo, Luxury

Volvo is spreading the horsepower love around its fleet with a wider array of Polestar Performance software upgrades. 2011 and 2012 XC60, S60 and XC70 models equipped with a T6 engine are now available with a software upgrade that adds in 25 horsepower and 30 pound-feet of torque without impacting fuel economy. Those improvements put the engine's final figures at 325 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque, though the extra grunt won't come cheap. Volvo says that the software package will set buyers back a hefty $1,495 including destination when it goes on sale on December 5th.

The company isn't saying why the T6 software costs $200 more than the 23-horsepower upgrade available on vehicles equipped with the automaker's T5 engine. That boost can be had on the C30, C70 and S40, and will eventually show up on the V50. Hit the jump for the brief press release.

Continue reading Volvo expands Polestar software upgrade to more models

Volvo expands Polestar software upgrade to more models originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 4.0 software hints at automotive integration, new dock

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Technology

Our Apple-obsessed brethren at TUAW have been probing the company's new iPhone 4.0 software and, with the help of a trusted tipster, came across what could be a new automotive-related feature buried within the update.

The new software will apparently allow a "iPod out" functionality, which could be integrated into vehicles utilizing the iPod Accessory Protocol. While that's nothing new, the software tweaks have the potential to allow users to control music and other content through the iPhone (or by relation, the iPod Touch or iPad), turning the device into a separate remote control of sorts.

If that's the case, there's a distinct possibility that Apple - or third party accessory manufacturers - could develop a car kit complete with a dock, buttons and custom menus. The video after the jump provides a snooze-worthy tease of the functionality, and if this software sleuthing is to be believed, we might see some kind of Apple-branded car kit released by year's end.

[Source: TUAW]

Continue reading iPhone 4.0 software hints at automotive integration, new dock

iPhone 4.0 software hints at automotive integration, new dock originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Analysis: ABC News report shouldn't panic Toyota drivers

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Toyota

You may have noticed that there have been a large number of reports recently about Toyota and the continuing series of recalls it has announced in recent weeks. Here at Autoblog we try to be fair and tell the story as best we can without being inflammatory. Unfortunately, the same can not be said of all media outlets. ABC News, and reporter Brian Ross in particular, have been particularly vigorous in pursuit of a story - not the story.

Let's make one thing clear. Autoblog is not a cheerleading section for Toyota, or for trial lawyers, TV presenters or politicians with nothing better to do. We'd like to present the information to our readers without unnecessarily frightening anyone.

We also want to avoid the sort of debacle that happened with CBS and the Audi 5000 in the '80s and NBC with the General Motors side-saddle gas tanks in the '90s. In each of those cases, tests were setup to "simulate" the purported problem, but the tests did not exactly simulate real world conditions and showed unrealistic scenarios.

A recent report from Ross on ABC News featured an "automotive expert" named David W. Gilbert from Southern Illinois University attempting to demonstrate an electronic glitch in a Toyota Avalon. Let's discuss this report in more detail after the jump.

Tired of Toyota recall news? Try out the recall-free version of Autoblog.

Continue reading Analysis: ABC News report shouldn't panic Toyota drivers

Analysis: ABC News report shouldn't panic Toyota drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW finally acknowledges turbo lag, will update software

Michael Harley — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, BMW

Countless BMW owners have been frustrated for some time with software-induced turbo lag on their N54 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-6 engines. While early models were acclaimed for their immediate power delivery, it seems BMW felt it necessary to address "specific noise concerns" with the engine and made software changes in models built between June 2006 and March 2008. Those changes introduced turbo lag - the noticeable delay between the throttle and the time it takes for the turbocharger to spin and produce power. Enthusiasts were up in arms, but BMW refused to recognize their concerns (addressed on nearly every BMW message board, and by the BMW Car Club of America)... until now. According to a statement from the automaker, new software will be released in January 2009 that will restore the original turbocharger response. Of course, it comes with a warning that it may result in "slightly increased engine noise levels." As if an enthusiast cares... Thanks for the tip Michael!

[Source: BimmerFile]

Continue reading BMW finally acknowledges turbo lag, will update software

BMW finally acknowledges turbo lag, will update software originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Left Out: UPS software minimizes left turns

Noah Joseph — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:32:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

What can Brown do for you? Not make left turns, for a start.

UPS uses proprietary software it calls "package flow" to increase efficiency in its logistical operations, including mapping out routes for each of its 95,000 delivery trucks. According to UPS, the software has already cut out some 28.5 million miles, 3 million gallons of fuel and 31,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide by optimizing the most efficient routes for delivery. The next step is to minimize the number of left-hand turns its trucks have to make.

Hanging a left entails more waiting at traffic lights and for circulation to clear at intersections than taking right turns, so UPS is reprogramming Package Flow to favor right turns instead. Naturally, it won't send its trucks around in circles if a left turn is in order, but seeing a big brown truck turn left could become a rarer sight from now on.

[Source: The New York Times Magazine via Winding Road]

Left Out: UPS software minimizes left turns originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Become a car designer, just $19.99!

Dan Roth — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Toys/Games

From time to time we've all been tempted to purchase that fake diploma from the endlessly circulating email, right? The last time I checked, though, they weren't offering fake certificates from the Art Center College of Design, or the Academy of Art University. If you still held onto the dream of someday shaping cars, even after all your sketch pads had been confiscated, the normal path was that you'd go to an institution where you could learn industrial design through a rigorous academic program. That's the reason why those of us who continue to doodle four wheeled conveyances are reduced to sketching while on boring phone calls; to truly design real cars takes years of practice, hard work, and skill. Alternatively, you could drop a measly 20 bucks and start computerating up some fun looking vehicles with Topics Entertainment's Sports Car Designer software.

In the end, it's still no replacement for learning to render a form on paper with perspective, shading and foreshortening; all those things that take years to develop skill with. From what we can see, you're limited to a profile view, but the options for body shape creation are wide ranging enough that you can whip up some interesting forms. We're not seeing a tremendous amount of variety or originality in the screenshots at the support website sportscardesigner.com, but for $20 at Best Buy what do you want, Cinema 4D? When you're done with your masterpiece of the moment, you can export it as a .jpg, or you can spit CAD data out so that another program might be able to stitch the entire car together for you in 3-D space. It's a fun way to divert some hours, and hey, it'll keep that eternally fidgeting car-crazy pre-teen quiet for the vast span of 15 minutes, at least.

Thanks for the tip, Larry!

Become a car designer, just $19.99! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Average cars have $2,000 worth of software and it's increasing fast

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology

Not so long ago cars and trucks were rather straightforward. Pretty much everything was mechanical, ignition systems had distributors, fuel systems had carburetors and suspensions had springs and dampers. The speedometer and odometer were driven by a cable that was twisted by a gear in the transmission. On the other hand, modern cars and trucks could not function without without software, and lots of it.

The average car today contains about $2,000 worth of software. Electronic control units and the software they contain manages virtually everything including the engine, transmission, windows, brakes, lights and more. When electronics first starting appearing in cars most of the systems functioned independently of each other. Cars today feature controller area networks that allow the systems to talk to each other and share information. The speedometer is driven by a servo that gets speed information from the controller for the anti-lock brakes. Even the audio systems use speed information from the brake controller to adjust the volume at higher speeds.

All the extra functionality that we have in our cars now means vastly more complex control software and far more interactions. While software used to be put in ROM on older systems, new systems use flash so that they can be updated when problems are discovered and more problems than ever are software related. As we move toward more complex drive-trains and vehicle to vehicle communications in the future even more software will be required.

[Source: MotorAuthority]

Average cars have $2,000 worth of software and it's increasing fast originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Sep 2007 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Camry-soft? Toyota developing its own operating system

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 19:54:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, Technology, Toyota

As any fledgling tuner knows, a car's ECU's are the little things that mean a lot, and the modern car has dozens of them. For Toyota, which is working with suppliers to create an in-house operating system that will rationalize the number of control units and the amount of code controlling them, fewer ECUs will mean massive cost savings, faster development, and increased efficiency.

Currently, new software is written from scratch for each ECU in each new model. By working with its suppliers early in the development phase, Toyota wants to integrate components into modular systems, making for safer, less complex, and less expensive (for Toyota, at least) vehicles. As part of Toyota's two-year-old Value Initiative program -- only the latest step in Toyota's ruthless drive to be a leaner car company and stay in front of its competitors -- in-house software development will aid in CEO Katsuake Watanabe's aim to cut nearly $9 billion in costs.

Software teams are in place now, but a working version isn't expected until 2015. With fewer ECU's and one OS to rule them all, the word "crash" could take on new meaning. We can only hope that Toyota will take its OS-writing lessons from Apple, and not Microsoft.

[Source: Engadget]

Camry-soft? Toyota developing its own operating system originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Apr 2007 19:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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