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The auto industry is head over heels for VR
Virtual reality and augmented reality are all over the North American International Auto Show floor. Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen are all using the tech to show off their latest cars and concepts. During the industry preview days (the show is open to the public through Sunday, January 28th) lines to try the experiences stretched around each booth. The value to prospective customers is directly tied to the quality of each experience, though, and that quality shifts dramatically from one automaker to the next. Instead of thoughtful experiences that work within VR's current limitations and are simultaneously informative and entertaining, more often than not, the VR implementations felt like cheap amusement park gimmicks with little regard for the user's comfort.
BMW's next generation of hybrids relies on modular electrification
BMW's alternative-fuel interests go beyond plug-in hybrids. Sure, the company has been building a battery-powered ecosystem, with cars like the city-styled i3 and i8 sports Coupe and Roadster serving as the testing grounds for tech that will later trickle down through the rest of the model line. But the company is also licensing its electrification technology to Karma's recently resurrected luxury EV sports car, the Revero, in addition to luxury boats from Torqeedo and yachts from Hinckley.
The most eye-catching cars and tech from NAIAS 2018 in Detroit
The North American International Auto Show's press and industry preview week is winding down, but the show is far from over. Next week the NAIAS opens to the public and if can't make it to the Mitten State yourself but still want a peek at what's tucked inside Detroit's Cobo Center, we've got you covered. HoloLens and VR? Check. A Chevy pick-up with snowmobile treads for tires? Mhrm. Same goes for a Mercedes G-Class Wagon trapped inside a brick of "amber" resin. Hell, we even got the Michelin Man to flex his muscles for a photo. There's a lot to see, so kick back, pour yourself a frosty beverage and peep the slideshow below on the biggest monitor available.
Nissan: Leaf EV pre-orders are over 13,000
Over the last week or so we've seen some wild concepts from Nissan at CES (IMx) and NAIAS (Xmotion), but as usual, its Leaf EV is quietly a story as well. The revamped electric vehicle is weeks away from going on sale, and the company tells Engadget that there are already 13,000 pre-orders. With a newly-extended range capable of 150 miles on a charge, its price starts at less than $30k (before any tax credit) for the base model and buyers can actually expect to receive one in 2018.
Lamborghini’s 650HP Urus is equal parts muscle and infotainment
Lamborghini's Urus is more than just an absurdly overpowered SUV, it's packed with technology both on the entertainment and safety sides too. That means along with its 650 horsepower twin-turbo aluminum 4.0 liter V8 (whew) you also have the option for a pair of Android Auto tablets mounted to the back of the driver and passenger seats. Oh, and there's a digital instrument cluster as well, which will either make keeping it under the 305 KMH (189.5 MPH) top speed easier or harder, depending on your driving style.
SiriusXM adds streaming-style features to its in-car radio service
In-car listening has come a long way in the past decade. Where satellite radio used to be one of the few ways to get live digital shows in your car, it's now trivially easy to bring your phone into the car and stream virtually anything. And SiriusXM knows it -- the company has launched a new platform, 360L, that brings some of the creature comforts of internet streaming to in-car satellite radio. To begin with, there's simply more to listen to -- you can listen to on-demand shows, not to mention channels that were previously online-only.
Hyundai's new Veloster will make its debut in 'Forza Motorsport 7'
The new Hyundai Veloster just made its debut on the NAIAS 2018 show floor, but the first time we'll be able to drive one is in Forza Motorsport 7. Following a string of cars debuting in videogames (BMW M4 Coupe, Porsche 911 GT2 RS), the Veloster Turbo and Veloster N will come to Forza players tomorrow, well before the cars go on sale in Q2 2018. In real life, the refreshed three-door hatchback has a bit more power and a lower stance, while the new "N" performance version goes up to 275HP and adds track-tuned driving modes.
GAC's En Verge concept packs a digital dash and AR for passengers
Chinese automaker GAC is making waves at the North American International Auto Show. "We want you to give us a chance to challenge ourselves," GAC group president Feng Xingya said from the stage, before unveiling GAC's first all-electric concept, the En Verge. The En Verge is a two-door compact crossover SUV. The first thing you'll notice are those massive ports on the front bumper. While they look like they're for cooling, they're actually removable fog lamps. Called G-Torches, they double as flashlights for when you want to do some off-trail exploring. Handy!
BlackBerry's 'Jarvis' finds security flaws in connected cars
As cars become more reliant on software, it's critical for automakers to make sure their code is as secure as possible. It's somewhat surprising, though, for a company like BlackBerry to come out with a potential solution. At a keynote during the North American International Automotive Show (NAIAS) today, the company's CEO John Chen announced a new cloud-based tool called Jarvis that can scan the complex software required for modern connected and autonomous cars.
Toyota caves to pressure and adds CarPlay to new models
Many car manufacturers have joined the modern era by adopting Android Auto, Apple CarPlay or both, but not Toyota. It insisted on going its own way, and that has usually meant skipping its cars entirely if you cared about smartphone integration. Thankfully, the automaker has seen the light. The 2019 Avalon and future models (including Lexus vehicles) with an Entune 3.0 or Enform 2.0 system will support Apple CarPlay, letting you use the more sophisticated apps from your iPhone instead of making do with limited built-in features. CarPlay will be standard on all Avalon trim levels when the sedan goes on sale in late spring, although that's no guarantee it'll be standard on other models.
Nissan's Xmotion concept swaps key fobs for fingerprints
Infiniti's eye toward the future has manifested itself with the Xmotion (pronounced "Crossmotion;" it's a crossover SUV). The suicide-door clad ride boasts hand and eye motion and gesture sensors for the generous door-to-door digital dashboard, climate controls and infotainment system. The latter is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple's Car Play setups, as well as surround sound for the 4+2 seating arrangement. In the stage demo, the display showed off swimming koi and driving information. The fish are actually a virtual assistant, and you can see them in action below.
Acura puts its 'True Touchpad' Android UI in the 2019 RDX
In 2016 Acura showed off its "Precision Cockpit" concept that included a touchpad with 1:1 mapping to a central display. It's supposed to improve on both touchscreens, which can require an awkward reach from the driver to somewhere out of their line of sight, and existing remotes that try to copy a mouse-controlled UI. Now the company has announced that technology is coming to the 2019 RDX branded as a "True Touchpad." This Android-based car OS is the first use of a touchpad with absolute positioning in a car, making sure that wherever the driver taps on the pad corresponds to what is shown on the central 10.2-inch screen, which is mounted high up, in the driver's line of sight. Combined with a new natural language interface and an interactive heads-up display for the driver, it's supposed to be easier to use than any car software we've seen before.
Lexus LF-1 concept looks toward an electrified, autonomous future
A few months ago Toyota and Lexus announced that by 2025, all of their car models would either be electric or have an electric powertrain option. Today at the NAIAS event, Lexus showed off a slick concept crossover that could be a part of that future. The LF-1 "Limitless" concept design is supposed to invoke "molten katana," but the important parts are inside. With options for a gas, plug-in hybrid or all-electric powertrain, it fits into Lexus' vision for the future. Naturally, it also includes intelligent and autonomous features, with a chauffeur mode that can get you home hands-free, and suspension that reacts to driving style, road conditions and weather data. "Four-dimensional" navigation takes time into account, suggesting breaks for gas, rest and, at appropriate times, setting up hotel reservations like a concierge. The touch controls inside include haptic responses, while a touchpad accepts data entry.
BMW's latest hybrid is the i8 Coupe
BMW's newest hybrid i8 Coupe is the 2+2 answer to your "What if I don't want a convertible?" question. Like its Roadster sibling that debuted at the LA Auto Show last November, the Coupe hits 369 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque thanks to the internal combustion power plant driving the rear wheels, and 34 amp-hour electric motor powering the fronts. This is how BMW does all-wheel drive. There are improvements abound, with energy capacity jumping from 7.1kWh to 11.6kWh and an overall 12 horsepower increase over last year's model. BMW says that this and the Roadster can go 18 miles on pure electric power, with the equivalent of 70 miles per-gallon fuel efficiency pending EPA testing.
Mercedes CEO: 'Stay tuned' for an electric G-Wagen SUV
Mercedes-Benz's G-Class Wagon isn't changing for the future in the ways you might expect. Yet. From a preview event at Detroit's crumbling, historic Michigan Theater for the North American International Auto Show, chairman Dieter Zetsche was joined onstage by Arnold Schwarzenegger to talk about the iconic SUV's improvements. Given where Schwarzenegger used to hold office -- California -- and his environmental bend, The Governator had a pressing question for Zetsche: "What is the future [of Mercedes] in fossil fuels? Does this G-Wagen eventually come out as an electric G-Wagen?" He has the world's first one at home in Los Angeles, he said.
Ford teases 'Mach 1' electric performance SUV for 2020
At its NAIAS 2018 preview event, Ford just dropped a few details about an electric vehicle it plans to release in 2020. The "Mach 1" (cribbing its name from the famous Mustang model) is an all-electric performance SUV under development by Team Edison in Ford's recently-opened Corktown facility. It won't be the company's only EV either, as chairman Bill Ford revealed the company plans to have 40 electric vehicles by 2022 while investing $11 billion in them.
Ford's 2019 Ranger unveiled with automatic emergency brakes
After a few years away (at least in the US) Ford's midsize truck, the Ranger, will return for the 2019 model year. Just unveiled ahead of the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, it's one of two new models that Ford is releasing that includes automatic emergency braking. Other driver assists like lane keeping and adaptive cruise control are also available, but the one we haven't seen before is a sort of "cruise control for off-road" called Trail Control. Between 1-20 MPH on rugged terrain, it takes over acceleration and braking individually on each wheel while the driver just steers.
GM plans to release cars with no steering wheel in 2019
If the Department of Transportation grants GM's latest Safety Petition, the automaker will be able to deploy its no-steering-wheel, pedal-less autonomous car next year. GM has not only revealed what its Level 4 self-driving vehicle will look like -- in a video you can watch after the break -- but also announced that it filed a Safety Petition to be able to deploy its completely driverless version of Chevy Bolt called Cruise AV in 2019. The company describes it as "the first production-ready vehicle built from the start to operate safely on its own, with no driver, steering wheel, pedals or manual controls."
