Ford has announced an available software update to add Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to 2016 model vehicles equipped with the company's SYNC 3 infotainment system. The move is a fairly rare occurrence in the automotive space, where automakers generally do not add retroactive features. Owners of approximately 800,000 2016 models will be able to update their infotainment system three… Read More...
Mercedes-Benz is getting into the home energy storage business in the U.S. The German automaker announced today plans to collaborate with solar provider Vivint to offer its battery expertise for in-home energy storage. The move is apparently an attempt for Mercedes to compete with Tesla and its Powerwall. Last year Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler AG announced a new subsidiary of the… Read More...
Google is set to showcase its upcoming Android-based vehicle infotainment systems at its I/O conference. The preview will come by way of Audi and Volvo, the first two brands that are expected to leverage Android for their next-generation infotainment systems. The Android operating system is no stranger to the vehicle. In recent years Google and automakers have enabled Android Auto… Read More...
Earlier this week Tesla began taking orders for its new Solar Roof product for homes. Along with opening the order banks, the company also announced pricing for its glass tile roofing product. Of course the pricing isn't exactly the most straight forward thing to examine. On average, it appears the solar roof tiles are going to set you back $30… Read More...
There's no question autonomous vehicle technology is still in its infancy, which means that overall awareness of it with the buying public is still vague. Nonetheless, a new study has emerged to gauge demand and basically the price elasticity of autonomous vehicle technology. The study, uncovered by CNet, paneled over 1,200 participants and questioned them about two classifications of autonomous… Read More...
Cadillac is joining the growing list of brands offering self-driving technologies. Today the company officially announced its long-rumored Super Cruise system, which enables hands-free driving for drivers of the 2018 CT6 sedan. Cadillac says Super Cruise is different from existing driver assistance systems because of two primary reasons: its driver attention system and use of LiDAR mapping data. Those two… Read More...
A new patent granted to Apple for Detecting Controllers in Vehicles Using Wearable Devices could help improve driver safety by reducing distractions. The Apple patent involves the use of a motion sensor in devices like the Apple Watch to detect if the wearer is driving a vehicle. If the angular velocity measured by the sensor reaches a certain threshold, the… Read More...
Yesterday Apple released iOS 10.3, which add some enhancements across the mobile operating system, including some with CarPlay. Apple's in-car functionality has gained a few feature adds that make the system even better, while virtual assistant Siri can now integrate with automaker apps. Here's Apple's official list of changes in 10.3 associated with CarPlay: Shortcuts in the status bar for… Read More...
Microsoft has announced that it will be licensing its connected vehicle patents to Toyota as part of a non-exclusive intellectual property agreement. While the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, the software company indicated that it would be providing Toyota with access to operating system, voice recognition, gesture control, artificial intelligence and security technologies. The two companies announced… Read More...
BMW's senior vice president for Autonomous Driving indicated today that the company will deliver a fully self-driving vehicle by 2021. Speaking at a panel discussion in Berlin, Elmar Frickenstein said that the Munich-based automaker is developing a car that will support levels 3, 4 and 5 of autonomy based on the context and location in which it is being used.… Read More...
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