CES auto news

CES: Mercedes-Benz DICE concept brings gesture controls to the cockpit [w/video]

Not to be outdone by its competitors from Ingolstadt, Mercedes-Benz brought out its own vision of the future of interiors, complete with augmented reality, a fully customizable dashboard and gesture-based controls. There's not a knob or button to be found...

The video after the jump demonstrates the Dynamic & Intuitive Control Experience (DICE) far better than words can convey, but the basic elements are these: a series of proximity sensors detect hand motions across the interior, allowing you to scroll, select and control a variety of functions. The highlights include the ability to get information about the businesses and sights around you, connect with friends nearby and control all the standard music and navigation functionality you'd expect in a high-end ride. But it's not without its issues.

The major problem is there's no way for the system to detect if you're motioning or just have your hand out, and making matters worse is the poor definition of exactly where your hands and arms should be to take control of specific elements. But Mercedes has time to work out the kinks - one exec admitted that a production version is at least 20 years out.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz DICE concept brings gesture controls to the cockpit [w/video]

CES: Hands-on with Kia UVO2

Kia is rolling out the second generation of its UVO infotainment system before we could really get to know the original, but UVO2 is packing all the advanced telematics and connectivity features of its competitors - or at least it will when it ships later this year.

We had a chance to sample the lower-spec version of UVO2 in an Optima Hybrid, and overall, it's an improvement over its predecessor both in terms of polish and features.

Included in UVO2 is automatic crash notification, road-side assistance, service reminders and tracking, along with geo-fencing, speed warnings and a curfew setting that lets you know when the kiddies stray too far, go too fast or stay out late.

Along with the normal raft of music and navigation features, there's a companion iPhone app that keeps track of maintenance and notifications. It also includes a vehicle finder that automatically logs the vehicle's last location and lets you find it using a nifty augmented reality feature. Get more details in the press blast and hands-on video after the jump.

Continue reading Hands-on with Kia UVO2

CES: Next Audi flagship will drive autonomously in traffic jams

Audi had plenty to announce at CES, including the debut of its new Audi Connect system and Touchpad-integrated MMI knob, modular entertainment platform, NVIDIA Tegra 3 chipset and its planned expansion of both infotainment and active safety systems.

On the safety front, Audi execs announced plans to introduce a new system dubbed Traffic Jam Assistant, which recognizes when a driver is stuck in start-and-stop traffic and can be switched into an autonomous mode that takes complete control of the steering, acceleration and brakes.

The system uses the front-mounted adaptive cruise control sensors combined with wide-angle video cameras to detect lane markings, other vehicles, barriers and pedestrians, and can control the vehicle without any driver intervention up to 37 mph. Eight ultrasonic sensors also keep tabs on what's in front of and at the sides of the vehicle, with the front sensors not only tracking the vehicle ahead, but - like Nissan's latest Predictive Forward Collision Warning System - several vehicles ahead.

If this all sounds familiar, it should. And so should the name. Mercedes-Benz has been working on a similar system called Traffic Jam Assist, which we sampled in an S-Class last year.

Like Mercedes' system, Audi's implementation should make it to market sometime next year, likely in its refreshed range-topping A8.

CES: Hands on with Mercedes-Benz mBrace2

Following Dr. Z's keynote here at CES, Mercedes-Benz showed off the latest iteration of its telematics and infotainment system, mBrace2.

The system simply expands and enhances what M-B's system has been doing for the last few years, integrating Facebook, Google Point of Interest searches and now Google Street View into the current COMAND interface.

There's a full-scale browser controlled by the central COMAND knob, but as you can see in the video after the jump, a combination of spotty data access (the CES show floor needs its own spectrum) and some oddly chosen user interface decisions makes for a rather clunky experience.

Data issues aside, the biggest problem is using the outmoded concept of a pointer to select things on the screen. That's fine for PCs, but using a five-way controller to pan and click around a page is infuriatingly frustrating. Here's hoping M-B irons out the kinks before mBrace2 arrives on the all-new SL and the rest of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz lineup.

Continue reading Hands on with Mercedes-Benz mBrace2

Exclusive: 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class to feature all-new infotainment system

Mercedes-Benz is making a big splash at CES this year, finally bringing a booth to the party and trotting out Daimler head Dr. Dieter Zetsche to keynote Tuesday morning's festivities.

The big news is the introduction of mBrace2, Mercedes' new cloud-based entertainment and information delivery system that debuts on the all-new SL roadster and proliferating through the Benz lineup in 2013.

We just wrapped up a hands-on with the prototype system (coming soon), but if you're looking for a thoroughly updated COMAND interface, you're in for disappointment.

The same beige and black user interface carries over with mBrace2, but there's attractive news on the horizon. Mercedes tells us that an all-new and completely redesigned interface is due to debut on the 2014 S-Class, which will drop the 90s-era graphics for a more modern, intuitive design. And if it's anything like the system Mercedes showed off with the Concept A-Class, things are finally looking up for Benz infotainment.

CES: Audi shows off 2013 A3 interior with new Audi Connect, we go hands-on [w/video]

Audi has tripled the size of its booth here at CES, and contained within is a mockup of the next A3's interior. Well, half of it. But the functional display was designed to showcase the latest generation of Audi Connect, the automaker's reworked infotainment system that's set to debut on the 2013 Audi A3.

As we exclusively revealed to you last year, Audi is incorporating its touchpad technology (originally fitted to the A7 and A8) directly into its Multi Media Interface (MMI) control knob, negating the need to move one's hand to write individual letters for navigation, point-of-interest and web searches. As expected, the knob has grown in size, but the additional girth isn't a bad thing. Audi has also nixed the traditional buttons flanking the knob and instead replaced them with toggle switches to swap between navigation, telephone, radio and media. From a muscle-memory point-of-view, this should be a good thing.

The other major upgrade is under the dash, with the installation of Audi's first Multi-Media Extension (MMX) board. This new modular board incorporates an NVIDIA Tegra graphics processor that not only displays fantastic images and 3D animations on the ultra-thin seven-inch display, it can be swapped out as chipset technology evolves. Audi has also expanded its Google Earth integration to include Google Street View and a new iPhone cradle in the armrest boosts the phone's signal to keep the data flowing. We were also told that inductive charging could be included in the cradle, but that might be one system that's left on the cutting room floor. Get a sample of it all in our hands-on video after the jump.

Continue reading Audi shows off 2013 A3 interior with new Audi Connect, we go hands-on [w/video]

CES: AOL Autos announces new Technology of the Year award

With in-car technology coming fast and furious at this week's North American International Auto Show and the Consumer Electronics Show, it seems like the perfect week for AOL Autos, Autoblog, Translogic and Engadget to announce a new "Technology of the Year" Award program that will reward the best purveyors of new tech, and serve as a useful hub of info for our readers.

At CES today, AOL Autos Editor-in-Chief David Kiley is announcing the new award, which will be rolled out throughout 2012, with a winner presented with the laurels at next year's CES.

A panel of judges will be evaluating new or improved tech in the categories of telematics, connectivity and active safety. The judging panel includes Kiley, Autoblog editor-in-chief John Neff, Engadget editor-in-chief Tim Stevens, Autoblog senior editor Damon Lavrinc, AOL Autos Tech Editor Jeff Sabatini, and HuffingtonPost auto industry senior editor Sharon Silke Carty. The judging board also includes Tony Fadell, founder of www.nest.com, who is also the former Apple engineer often referred to as "The Father of the iPod. Author Lauren "The Car Coach" Fix, and Shelby "The Teen Car Coach" Fix are also judges.

AOL Autos has also assembled this unique judging panel to evaluate technology advances introduced each year and will name the best at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show.

"AOL Autos is the obvious source to bring together the best and brightest arbiters of automotive and electronic communications hardware into one industry award," explained Kiley. "Tapping into the expertise of AOL Autos, Autoblog, and Engadget, AOL is uniquely positioned to evaluate and ultimately name an annual Technology of the Year winner."

You can go to the homepage of the award program, http://autos.aol.com/award/, which explains the award parameters, lists stories about new tech that will be eligible for nomination this year, as well as an opportunity to win a Samsung flat-screen TV and Roku if you sign up for our Tech of the Year e-newsletter this week, which will keep you up to date on all the new eligible technology.

Finalists for the award will be announced at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. And between the LA Auto Show and CES, said Kiley, "Our readers will have an opportunity to cast votes for the best tech, and their consensus winner will carry the weight of one judge on the panel." Said Kiley, "Even if our readers don't have the chance to test the technology themselves, we want to know what they think about our coverage and the concepts they are reading about."

Continue reading AOL Autos announces new Technology of the Year award

CES: Hands-on with Chevrolet MyLink for the 2013 Sonic, Spark

We got our first taste of Chevrolet's new entry-level version of MyLink at CES, and for being a pre-production unit that's not due to arrive in showrooms until later this year, we're throughly impressed.

The system uses a seven-inch resistive touchscreen to display the basics - audio, telephone and settings - along with a photo/video viewer (only functional when the car is stationary) and an app launcher.

The only two apps currently available are Pandora and Stitcher, but there's a lot of space to fill on that screen and the reps we spoke to made it clear that they're in talks with other third-party developers.

What impressed the most was both the responsiveness - something other automakers have been combating for some time - and the overall design, which is clean, clear and straight-forward (and how can you go wrong with Helvetica Neue?). It's everything we want in a touchscreen interface and nothing more.

Well, almost.

There's no embedded navigation system, so you'll be relying on OnStar to provide directions. That said, turn-by-turn guidance will be ported through the head unit, so it's better than dealing with arrows on a tiny screen nestled between the gauges. And what about voice control? For Android devices, Chevy is leveraging the built in voice search functionality. For the iPhone... not much, yet. But for a system that's aimed at subcompacts and with a price point that's sure to be more than palatable, you can't have the world. And aside from the Sync-equipped Ford Fiesta, there's nothing out there that even begins to compete. Check out the demo after the jump for more.

Continue reading Hands-on with Chevrolet MyLink for the 2013 Sonic, Spark

CES: MOG comes to Aha Radio. Aha Radio comes to Honda, Subaru. Here's why it matters.

Pandora may be becoming a standard on every major OEM infotainment system, but all-you-can-eat subscription music services haven't gained the same momentum or widespread adoption. MOG is aiming to change that with automotive partnerships with BMW and Mini, but its just-announced tie-up with Aha Radio extends MOG's reach even further, and it has wider implications - not just for the on-demand music service, but for Aha Radio as a whole.

The partnership with Aha Radio (now owned by Harman) is just the first of several MOG will be announcing in 2012. Aftermarket companies like JVC are also implementing the music service into their head units, but what's more important is the usage of Aha Radio as the method of delivery.

Rather than going to an automaker, getting approval to use its application programming interface and then developing an app that only works with one infotainment system, MOG is integrating its service into Aha Radio, which delivers a range of content - from restaurant information to Facebook feeds - into a single app that's ported and controlled through your in-dash touchscreen.

So Aha Radio is the platform - a one-stop conduit for content - and MOG, NPR, CNN, Twitter, Facebook and others deliver the substance.

Both Honda and Subaru have announced partnerships with Aha Radio and plan to integrate the service into their factory head units beginning this spring. But you don't need to buy a 2013 Subaru BRZ (pictured above) to get in on the action. Kenwood will join Pioneer to begin offering Aha Radio on its head units later this year. and even better, Aha Radio runs and integrates with both iOS and Android devices, so there should be no need to worry about connectivity issues. Hit the jump for the all the details.

Continue reading MOG comes to Aha Radio. Aha Radio comes to Honda, Subaru. Here's why it matters.

Official: 2012 Dodge Charger Blacktop goes stealth at CES

Dodge has given the 2012 Charger the black treatment with a new style package debuting at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. The 2012 Dodge Charger Blacktop is as monochrome as a vehicle can legally be.

With tinted windows, massive blacked-out five-spoke wheels and a smoked tail light array, the Blacktop package gives the already purposeful Charger an even thicker dose of attitude. In fact, the only color we can spot outside are the aluminum exhaust finishers. Details are still scarce on how much the package will cost you, though Chrysler has said that the vehicle will feature a standard Dr. Dre Beats audio system when it debuts.

As you may have heard, the stereo features 10 speakers pushed through a 12-channel amplifier, and an 8.4-inch Uconnect screen controls the sound. While Chrysler hasn't said exactly what the Charger Blacktop will feature under the hood, we suspect a certain familiar 5.7-liter V8 or a 3.6-liter V6 are good bets. Hit the jump for the press release.

Continue reading 2012 Dodge Charger Blacktop goes stealth at CES