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Most Cadillacs will be electric by 2030, says GM
If you're waiting for big companies to reduce their carbon emissions, you can forget about 2020. Apparently, 2030 is when we'll start to see changes. That's the year Amazon wants to make half its shipments carbon-neutral and Microsoft promises a 75 percent reduction in carbon emissions. Now, GM has another promise for us: by 2030, the majority (and possibly all) Cadillacs will be electric vehicles.
GM’s first electric truck could be ready in 2021
GM plans to bring an electric truck to the market in fall of 2021, TechCrunch reports. GM CEO Mary Barra made the announcement today during GM's investor day.
Toyota, GM, NVIDIA and others team up on self-driving car chips
Autonomous vehicles pose a whole bunch of R&D challenges. With so many aspects to consider -- power consumption, safety, user interface and data management, to name just a few -- creating a common computing platform for their use is a big ask of just one company. That's why a group of automotive and tech businesses have joined forces to create the Autonomous Vehicle Computing Consortium (AVCC), in a bid to create a platform that will promote the scalable deployment of automated and autonomous vehicles.
Alexa is coming to newer GM vehicles in 2020
The US's largest automaker is about to add Alexa to its vehicles. Starting in the first half of 2020, General Motors plans to update 2018 and newer Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadilac model cars, trucks and crossovers to feature the digital assistant. The automaker says the rollout marks the biggest auto-related expansion of Alexa to date.
GM won't deliver self-driving cars by the end of the year after all
General Motors and its self-driving car subsidiary Cruise will miss their goal of rolling out driverless cars by the end of the year. According to Financial Times, Cruise said more testing is needed. "Delivering self-driving cars at scale isn't just about winning the tech race, it's about winning the tech race and the trust race," Cruise chief executive Dan Ammann wrote in a blog post today.
GM will help Chevy EV owners find certified home charger installers
General Motors wants to make it easier for Chevy EV-owners to charge their vehicles at home. Customers can now visit the Chevrolet.com Charging Page and search for certified charger installers. They'll be able to fill in details about their home, compare quotes and contact an installer from the page. Chevy hopes the new feature (the result of a partnership with Qmerit) will convince more people to buy EVs.
GM will deliver over-the-air updates to 'most' vehicles by 2023
Today, General Motors unveiled its new electronics system. The platform will make "smartphone-like" over-the-air software updates possible, and it should be rolled out in most GM vehicles by 2023, the company says. We'll see it first in the 2020 Cadillac CT5 sedan, which should go into production later this year.
GM is doubling the staff for its self-driving car business
General Motors is ramping up its autonomous vehicle business. According to Reuters, the company is planning to hire 1,000 people over the next nine months to work on Cruise, a GM subsidiary that develops self-driving car technology. The hiring spree would double the amount of staff currently under the Cruise umbrella and would mark a major investment in autonomous efforts.
GM thinks you'll buy stuff through your car's dashboard
As more cars roll off production lines with WiFi and LTE capabilities as standard, brands are falling over themselves to find ways to monetize this connectivity. Jaguar and Shell have partnered for in-car fuel payments, while BMW and Ford are bringing Alexa to your dashboard. Now, General Motors (GM) has unveiled a new on-board marketplace where drivers can buy coffee and gas, and make restaurant and hotel reservations, without getting out of their car.
Class-action suit alleges GM cheated emissions test
Yet another automaker has potentially been caught trying to cheat on its EPA emissions tests. Following VW's "diesel-gate" SNAFU in 2015 and the Justice Department going after Fiat-Chrysler just last week, GM on Thursday found itself the defendant in a class-action suit over its alleged use of "defeat devices" similar to those used by VW.
GM reportedly tried to buy Lyft
General Motors is serious about gaining a foothold in the ride-sharing industry. Not only has the company established its own car-lending app and purchased the defunct Uber competitor, Sidecar -- but according to The Information, it's also been toying with the idea of buying Lyft. An interesting idea, but it isn't happening. Sources familiar with the matter say that car-hailing service has already turned GM down.
GM working on over-the-air updates for future vehicles
Over the past few weeks, General Motors has focused on bringing Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support to its vehicles. While this functionality is great for drivers, the company's current infotainment ecosystem still relies on being updated at dealerships -- which can be a hassle to some people. But, it looks like that won't be the case for much longer. On Wednesday, GM's global product development chief, Mark Reuss, said the automaker is already working on a new technology that will allow future vehicles to receive cloud-based software updates.
Recording industry sues Ford and GM over in-car CD ripping
Ford and GM both sell cars that'll rip a CD to its internal HDD, so you never have to go without your jam in a pinch. Unfortunately, that same feature is now the target of outrage from the Alliance of Artists and Recording Companies, which has launched a class-action lawsuit against both the automakers, as well as AV unit outfits Denso and Clarion. The lobby group believes that the quartet need to pay royalties under the rules of the old Audio Home Recording Act, so that companies that made devices that "recorded" music had to pay musicians a fee as compensation for any future piracy. Considering the verdict in RIAA v. Diamond Multimedia that specifically exempted HDDs from the ruling and the fact that the head units can't directly record songs from the radio, we think the AARC might be onto a loser.
GM is bringing wireless phone charging to some Cadillac cars
General Motors may be going through a rough patch at the moment, but that's not stopping the company from setting its sights on the future. Today, the Detroit-based automaker revealed that it plans to put wireless charging pads inside a number of Cadillac vehicles, starting with the launch of the 2015 ATS sport sedan and coupe later in the fall. Although the announcement highlights the compatibility with Powermat, a General Motors representative has confirmed to Engadget that the feature also supports Qi and "other in-phone wireless charging technologies." What's more, GM says this is coming to more vehicles soon (as had been previously reported), with the Cadillac CTS, Cadillac Escalade, GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado expected to be added to the list in Q4 of this year.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with GM's Phil Abram (update: video embedded)
At 4:00, we'll be chatting up General Motors' chief infotainment officer Phil Abram about the ways in which smartphones, touchscreens and in-car apps are transforming the automotive industry. January 10, 2013 4:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Chevy's Siri and TuneIn in-car apps hit 2013 Sonics and Sparks, we go hands-on (video)
Not enough Siri in your life? Hop into a 2013 Chevy Spark. Those vehicles rocking a MyLink radio are eligible to upgrade to Apple's friendly iPhone 4S / 5 helper. Using the Bluetooth button on the steering wheel, you can access the assistant. We got a demo from a GM rep, who showed us how to access messages, read back to you through the car stereo. If you're feeling vocal, you can also dictate responses and Siri'll shoot them back off, all without ever having to take your hands off the wheel. You can also ask for things like recommendations for local businesses, but those won't play through the display. Siri also won't answer your philosophic questions, as GM doesn't want to display Wikipedia pages on the screen while you're driving. From the demo, the whole thing seemed pretty straightforward for anyone who's ever used an in-car Bluetooth system, checking things like stock prices and sports scores, if you're so inclined. We also received a quick demo of TuneIn, an iPhone app that pulls in radio stations around the world, featuring recommendation features like a Favorites button, local trending and a Jump button, which uses an algorithm to pull songs and the like based on your listening habits. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub. Jon Fingas contributed to this report.
Chevy Volt EcoHub app tells drivers how little they pay to charge, goads them into staying green (video)
GM's OnStar team would really like us to stay on the electric side of the Chevy Volt's powertrain as much as possible. That's the selling point, after all. Rather than simply preach green driving and hope for the best, the division is testing a new EcoHub app that reminds Volt drivers just how miserly their plug-in hybrids can be. Qualifying owners who opt in or subscribe to OnStar have the Volt's energy usage costs compared to their home's total electricity bill, showing how much cheaper it can be to avoid the gas pump. There's more if money isn't enough of a motivator -- the app also builds in a counter that estimates how much gas Volt drivers are saving nationwide. The eco-friendly ego boost is currently limited to Android users participating in Pecan Street's smart grid project in Austin, but long-term plans have the app reaching iOS and all Volt fans eager to justify their ride.
Fisker lands former GM exec and Chevy Volt guru Tony Posawatz as CEO
Fisker hasn't had what you'd call the best year so far, but it may have found the ticket to turning its hybrid vehicle business around. Meet Tony Posawatz, Fisker's new CEO -- and, until just weeks ago, GM's Vehicle Line Director. Despite being the second new chief executive at Fisker since Tom LaSorda arrived in February, Posawatz needs little explanation for his sudden rise to power. He's an original member of the Chevy Volt leadership structure and could very well know a thing or two about developing a hybrid car from start to finish. His influence might only be keenly felt when the Atlantic wheels its way towards driveways in 2014, but there's no doubt he's onboard to right the good ship Karma and improve Fisker's reputation in the short term. We wouldn't want to be in GM's shoes as it watches one of its EV-friendly veterans so publicly jump ship, however.
General Motors invests in NanoSteel, hopes to lighten its load
What's the simplest way to improve fuel efficiency? Build a lighter car, of course. That's GM's plan, at least, and it's taking its first step toward a more efficient future by investing in a nano-structured materials design firm called NanoSteel. "Over the next several years, light-weighting of vehicles will be a major focus area to improve fuel economy." GM's Jon Lauckner said of the deal. The nano-structured Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) GM's betting on has the potential to shave excess pounds off of a vehicle without sacrificing structural integrity. It's easier to work with too, and can be shaped and cut without being heated. The size of GM's contribution to the cause hasn't been disclosed, but NanoSteel CEO Dave Paratore seems encouraged by the partnership, stating that it will allow them to "accelerate the final phases of development" for its nano-structured AHSS. Maybe together, the two firms can meet President Obama's 2025 mileage goal. Read on for the official press release.
GM testing pedestrian detection system powered by WiFi Direct (video)
Car makers have been peddling wireless pedestrian avoidance systems almost as long as there have been automobiles. (We believe one of the earliest was called the "side view mirror.") GM's new experiment though, differs from other implementations by skipping out on the 3G, cameras and radar -- instead going for a model built around WiFi Direct. The peer-to-peer 802.11 standard hasn't exactly set the world on fire, but the WiFi Alliance is diligently tweaking the platform and apparently GM thinks its a perfect match for connecting cars, cyclists and pedestrians to each other. Unlike 3G-based systems, there's little lag between locating and identifying bikes or people crossing the street since the signal doesn't have to be bounced off a satellite. It also has a leg up on radar detection since WiFi can be a two way pipeline -- alerting someone out for a stroll of an oncoming vehicle. Of course, it will be some time before anything like this actually makes it into a production vehicle. But, in the meantime, you can check out the PR and video after the break.
