Valeo Unveils Smartphone Ignition System

Valeo Unveils Smartphone Ignition System
BMW Announces Cheaper Charging for i3, i8
Hyundai Previews its High-Tech Future
Ram ProMaster City May Offer New Variants
Porsche Cayman GT4 Revealed in Spy Photos
Ram Teasing New Off-Road Variant

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Would you like to trade in your car keys for the convenience of being able to unlock your doors and start your car with just your smartphone? That's the future that automotive supplier Valeo is showing at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show.

Called InBlue, the technology is pretty straight forward. By using Bluetooth technology, your smartphone can be used to start your vehicle along with allowing secure vehicle sharing, remote parking and access to such vehicle data as tire pressure, fuel level and last location where the vehicle was parked.

2015 Consumer Electronics Show Coverage

Similar to Hyundai's latest smart-watch app, Valeo also displayed smart-watch integration, that gives users the ability to unlock and start their car from their wristwatch.

Valeo says that this technology could be hitting the market in 2016.

BMW Announces Cheaper Charging for i3, i8

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BMW announced a new pilot program today at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show designed to make charging its electric cars cheaper.

Working with a select group of BMW i3 owners and Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) in northern California, the program will study how time management of electric vehicle charging can deliver an improved electric power grid efficiency and reduce the total cost of ownership of an electric vehicle.

The goal is to provide PG&E with 100 kilowatts of capacity at any given time, even if there are a bunch of EVs charging on its grid. By allowing BMW, rather than the owners to determine when the cars should be charged, the load on the grid can be reduced.

2015 Consumer Electronics Show Coverage

The pilot program will involve 100 BMW i3 owners who will receive a $1,000 incentive for participating. BMW and PG&E will monitor the power grid load level. For each event where the grid reaches its peak, BMW will delay the charging of its program participants by up to one hour, and consequently reduce the load on the grid. Program participants will be notified of the delayed charging, and BMW owners can over-ride it and continue charging their car via the smart phone app.

Beyond the charging program, BMW is looking to recycle used EV batteries. Mostly from its former MINI E vehicles, these batteries still sport about 70 percent of their original storage capacity. They are now being used in a 200 kW storage system located at BMW's Technology Office in Mountain View, California.

Discuss this story at our BMW forum

Hyundai Previews its High-Tech Future

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At the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, Hyundai is giving us a taste of the new technology its planning on bringing to future cars, including an augmented reality head-up display, updated high-resolution infotainment system, digital dashboard and driver assistance systems.

First among the new technologies showcased by Hyundai is an augmented reality head-up display system. In comparison to the HUD that's currently available in cars like the 2015 Hyundai Genesis, this system uses animations to show the weather conditions ahead. Additionally, the system will identify and warn the driver of any hazards in front of them, like when a car is about to drift in front of you. The system will also display arrows that lead to exit ramps, highlight street signs, display smart cruise control distance bars and one-way street markings.

Hyundai is also showing off a connected wrist band that the driver wears while driving the car. It can monitor the drivers heart-rate, and notify 911 if it changes rapidly. Additionally, the band can vibrate when the lane departure warning system is activated or when a car is about to unexpectedly enter the driver's lane.

2015 Consumer Electronics Show Coverage

While this technology seems like a tame upgrade over what we currently have in cars today, Hyundai's next unveil is a step into the future. Called the 2015 Hyundai Cockpit Concept, it showcases a ton of high-tech features that may trickle into future cars, the most notable of which are the new screens that will be used inside the car.

For those concerned about driver distraction with all these screens, Hyundai has developed a 3D gesture method of interacting with the system. Think of the way gamers interact with their Xboxes via Kinect and you have a pretty good idea of how this works.

The concept also includes heart rate monitoring, a driver alertness monitor, blind spot warnings, advanced low fuel level warnings and advanced turn-by-turn navigation. The system will also be able to transfer navigation information from your car to a mobile device, so you can walk to your final destination.

Rear seat passengers are also getting some love from Hyundai. The Korean automaker is looking into the use of tablets in the rear seats. For younger passengers, the car will use a tablet's camera to monitor activity in the rear seats, and display it in the main display up front. For other use cases, Hyundai is looking to allow a passenger to adjust the navigation and climate controls.

Finally, Hyundai is working on six advanced driver assistance systems. Key among these new technologies is a connected-car system that allows the vehicle to communicate with its surroundings in order to better understand its environment. The car can connect to other vehicles, the smart grid and even pedestrians. Other driver assistance technologies include a highway driving assist, a traffic jam assist, a narrow path recognition system and even a virtual lane generator, for when there are no lanes to see.

Discuss this story at our Hyundai Forum

Ram ProMaster City May Offer New Variants

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Ram's new small commercial van lineup may be expanding in the U.S.

The ProMaster City, which is new to the Ram lineup for 2015, is now on sale in the U.S. in two different forms, though that may change."When we learn more about our customer needs here, then we can go to that portfolio and bring in what we need, which includes the diesel engine, a short wheelbase, maybe a seven-passenger version," Joe Benson, head of Ram commercial truck operations told Edmunds. "We have that flexibility in the future."

SEE ALSO: 2015 Ram ProMaster City Review

Currently in the U.S., Ram offers a two-passenger panel van for hauling cargo or a five-passenger version with sliding doors for moving people. Other possible variants that could come to the States include a panel van with a lifted suspension and a small pickup version that would feature drop-down sides for easy entry into the box.

The small commercial van segment now has entries from Nissan, Chevrolet, Ford and Ram, while the segment as a whole is expected to hit 100,000 units sold in 2016.

[Source: Edmunds]

Discuss this story at our Ram ProMaster Forum

Porsche Cayman GT4 Revealed in Spy Photos

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The upcoming Porsche Cayman GT4 has been fully revealed by our spy photographers.

This car features a new rear wing compared to previous prototypes, suggesting that this is the final production version of the GT4. Previous spy photos of the car have been abundant, but none have shown off the car completely uncovered as these do.

Exact specifications are still unknown, although we expect the car to make between 370 and 400 hp, routed through Porsche's PDK seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The current 3.4-liter flat six is the most likely engine to provide power for the car, although rumors have been swirling about the possibility of a turbocharged four-cylinder mated to an electric motor.

SEE ALSO: Porsche Cayman GT4 Spy Photos

All of the modifications you would expect on a faster version of the Cayman are present on this car including large lightweight wheels, larger brakes, a new front bumper and that massive rear spoiler. Weight savings are also in store for this hardcore Cayman model, probably delivered by the deletion of sound deadening material and inclusion of carbon fiber.

Up until now, Porsche has been careful not to give the Cayman more power than the top-dog 911, but the GT4 is set to change that. It is meant to sit between the Cayman GTS and the 911 S in the German brand's sports car lineup.

Discuss this story at our Porsche Forum

Ram Teasing New Off-Road Variant

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Ram is gearing up to release a new off-roader.

Teased on its social media channels, Ram is planning to reveal a new vehicle this month that is meant for tackling the mud. "Life's more fun off the beaten path," tweeted the brand. "An exciting new way to get there is coming soon!" A video was also included in the teaser that shows two hikers getting ready to venture into the wilderness.

It may be a production version of the Ram 2500 Outdoorsman, a package that was shown in concept form at last year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas. That truck featured upgraded shocks, tires and a ton of outdoor-inspired accessories including a camouflage paint job and a cover for the bed.

Odds are that the new vehicle, whatever it may be, will be revealed at next week's Detroit Auto Show.

Discuss this story at our Ram Forum

Car Reviews

Monday, 5 January 2015

Valeo Unveils Smartphone Ignition System

Valeo Unveils Smartphone Ignition System

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