103 messages,
Last post on Apr 26, 2013 at 4:09 PM
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#96 of 103 Re: What's new? [steve_]
by odie6l
Dec 26, 2012 (8:51 pm)
Funny about your original post... I saw a vehicle today with the pushbutton tranmission. No crosswind detection yet though, but after Sandy... I bet its in the works... lol.
Odie
#97 of 103 Re: What's new? [odie6l]
by steve_ HOST
Feb 09, 2013 (1:31 pm)
I saw a vehicle today with the pushbutton tranmission
"And now, just a few months after the CUE system made its debut, we have two high-volume cars from Ford—the Fusion and the Lincoln MKZ—with consolidated touch-screen/capacitive switch panels. The MKZ panel, in particular, recommends itself as a sweeping banked console that flows between the front seats. The gear selector comprises a vertical row of P-R-N-D-S touch-screen buttons on the left of the central LCD touch screen (shades of the '64 Plymouth Valiant)."
There was a push button Valiant in my family growing up.
Rest of the article is a good summary of where the cockpit is headed in the next couple of years. Goodbye rotary dials.
Dash Away, Lexus! Seriously, Throw the Dash Away (Wall St. Journal)
#98 of 103 Re: What's new? [steve_]
by fintail
Feb 09, 2013 (5:41 pm)
I just hate the shape of that upper center stack area. It's pseudo-artsy, kind of pretentious, good for the target buyer probably.
#99 of 103 Re: What's new? [fintail]
by steve_ HOST
Feb 09, 2013 (6:38 pm)
Interesting note in the article about how the "prime" square foot in the center stack is pretty much the battleground for the automakers now.
#100 of 103 Re: What's new? [steve_]
by fintail
Feb 09, 2013 (7:44 pm)
It's where the excitement is, as not as many know or care about what is under the hood.
#101 of 103 unintended consequences
by steve_ HOST
Feb 11, 2013 (9:00 am)
"Individual driverless cars come with important opportunities for increased efficiency. Groups of driverless cars likewise have the potential for even greater collective efficiencies, for example through shared reduced drag. And driverless vehicles seamlessly connected to smart infrastructure offer even greater promise still.
Autonomous cars and a smart parking system could allocate parking spaces to the nearest vehicles in need of a spot, and vehicles could navigate to those spots directly and quickly, reducing the fuel consumption, emissions, and time associated with searching for a spot.
One giant elephant in the driverless car room is vehicle miles traveled (VMT). It’s tempting to believe that driverless cars will reduce VMTs through various efficiencies, but the opposite could also happen. In a highly autonomous vehicle future, we may do far more with our cars than we currently can."
Will Driverless Cars Decrease Fossil Fuel Consumption? (National Geographic)
I like the idea of your car dropping you off at work and then going to a parking garage six blocks away where there's space available on the 8th floor.
#102 of 103 hot spot
by steve_ HOST
Feb 25, 2013 (8:12 am)
"General Motors Co. is expected to announce today a partnership with AT&T that will bring embedded 4G LTE mobile Internet access into most 2015 GM vehicles sold in the U.S. and Canada.
The Detroit automaker said the rollout, which first will be available to consumers in mid-2014 as they buy 2015 Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, signifies the largest implementation of 4G LTE in vehicles to date."
GM, AT&T team to give vehicles high-speed Internet access by '15 (Detroit News)
BMW, Audi and Chrysler have made similar announcements in recent months.
#103 of 103 up the Gazoo
by steve_ HOST
Apr 26, 2013 (4:09 pm)
"Toyota reached an agreement with Microsoft in April 2011, to work together on telematics, or network technology for cars.
It is unclear whether the site will really lead to car sales, but Toyota will be able to tap into data on consumer behavior, as well as try to revive Japanese people's fading interest in cars, he said."
Toyota, Microsoft beef up Gazoo.com Net service (Anchorage Daily News)