Although the BMW remote app has dismal reviews the GM OnStar app on Google Play has four stars much higher than the BMW app rating.
Freescale Semiconductor today introduced a range of fully programmable wireless charging ICs for automotive and applications. The new Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Qi-certified transmit controller
Continental has put together an international team from the IT and automotive industries to work on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), called “Continental Intelligent Transportation Systems, LLC”
It will be headquartered in the Silicon Valley and guided by Seval Oz, an expert in vehicle networking and automation. In her previous role she worked on Google’s self-driving car project.
When you think of London and the big red double deck buses, you don’t think of bleeding edge technology. However next year, some hybrid London buses will recharge while they are stopped at bus stops. The buses will not have to plug-in to a charger but will have battery juice topped off by wireless inductive charging.
The wireless chargers will be built into bus stops in London, next year The Enviro400H E400 hybrid buses, with wireless charging capabilities, will run on route 69 between Canning Town and Walthamstow. The inductive charging to on-board batteries will occur at the bus stops at either ends of the route.
Volvo announced its new XC90 coming to the US in April starting at $48,800. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support will follow its release.
Technically it’s considered an SUV, the Volvo XC90 made on a scaleable architecture with a vertical touchscreen and many ADAS features. The pleasant interior is styled in leather and wood.
The PR darling of EVs, Elon Musk has responded to feedback from customers who bought an ad in a local Palo Alto newspaper in the form of a Tweet and more. Elon Musk tweeted that the customers were right and many of the features will be implemented soon.
Some connected car features wanted are voice dialing by speaking the numbers, a larger touchscreen spot for answering calling to avoid disconnecting incoming call by mistake.
It looks like that many of the carmakers who committed to Apple CarPlay for iPhone5 and later are not able to get the feature out this year and will launch CarPlay at later dates.
So far Mercedes, Volvo, Honda do not have exact dates for CarPlay with most coming in 2015 while CarPlay compatible Hyundai 2015 Sonata models are being sold with a promise of a CarPlay update by the end of this year.
Volvo has opened AstaZero as a test site for traffic safety solutions, in the hopes that by by 2020 no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car. Volvo has been working with magnets that can be sensed in the snow. The Volvo XC90 has advanced run-off road/brake at intersection and AT&T 4G LTE. Volvo also tests autonomous cars in Gothenburg.
Volvo plans development of active safety systems, to prevent accidents with AstaZero as the premiere proving ground, near Volvo Cars headquarters in western Sweden.
AUTO Connected Car has partnered with the Telematics West Coast Conference & Exhibition 2014 (Oct 30-31) Hilton, San Diego, produced by Telematics Update. The major
There are more ChargePoint charging stations than Starbucks, McDonald’s, 7-Eleven: 8,160,Dunkin’ Donuts or Wal-marts. BMW’s new fast chargers are supported. EV owners can find charging stations online or via Android and iPhone apps.
When drivers realized there are so many places to charge an EVs, they’re more likely to consider buying EVs. There are many charging stations are at many stores.
With 18,000 charging locations across U.S. and Canada, ChargePoint has more spots than the number of Starbucks: 14,958, McDonald’s: 13,890, 7-Eleven: 8,160, Dunkin’ Donuts: 7,681 and Walmart: 5,256.
The Connected Car Expo has announced the roster for CTIA Super Mobility Week in Las Vegas, NV, September 9-11. The event is expected to a preview of the Connected Car Expo at the LA Auto Show November 18-20.
Before the show are several days devoted to Ford, with the Ford App Developer Conference on September 8, the over night Ford Hackathon (9/8-9/9) and Ford App Pursuit (9/9-11).
There is a CCE pavillion with mobile apps from Hertz Neverlost, Lixar, OnStar and Speaktoit.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began offering a new, free, online search tool to find out if a vehicle