This past decade, in-car infotainment electronics has evolved from a multi-disc CD charger and the occasional rear-seat DVD viewing system to a level of innovation once thought of as absurd. Satellite radio, electronic GPS guidance and even wireless Internet connections on several luxury products provide a mere tip of the iceberg to what is currently available to vehicle occupants.

An exhibition that coincided with the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas provided a spotlight on all things high technology. Countless tablet computers, WiFi digital cameras and smartphones were the common spectacle of future electronics. Tempering with the usual balance of the CES in Las Vegas, representatives for the 20th century’s most pivotal invention (the automobile), brought some cutting-edge solutions for the 21st century’s demanding mobile technology world. In fact, Ford Motor Company took an innovation award away from the 2012 CES for their latest MyFord Mobile App.

On several occasions during the 2012 technology show in Las Vegas, a term began to swirl over automotive company products at a higher frequency than ever. The use of the term “The Cloud” was inserted into the presentation of several devices for the future of automotive infotainment. Instead of storing electronic programs and files on a physical hard drive or disk, information is stored through a virtual space called the “cloud”. As in-car electronic systems (most notably navigation services) progressed from the use of DVDs to hard drives that well surpasses many tablet PCs, the venture to the cloud for auto equipment manufacturers means limitless possibilities. The introduction of cloud computing principles have grown most prevalently with the popular navigation program called Google Maps employed on systems including the Ford SYNC and Audi MMI. Unlike previous GPS systems that either stored limited information or require time-consuming updates through a home computer, Google Maps uses a cloud interface to calculate routes. At the recent 2012 CES exhibition, auto companies are certainly becoming wiser to high-flying cloud computing ideals.

Making use of the open world of the cloud, Mercedes-Benz unveiled an upgraded version of their mbrace telematics suite of security and comfort connectivity features set for introduction starting the new SL roadster in the 2013 model year. An enhanced service, mbrace2 expands its reach in providing Mercedes-Benz occupants with a richer, even more connected electronic experience. Facebook, Yelp and Google Local Search are some Apps users of mbrace2 can expect immediately. Based on a cloud-based system, the mbrace2 system can be easily and conveniently updated allowing for delivery of an even greater selection of Apps in the future. The one necessity of cloud computing is a constant wireless connection. For the Mercedes-Benz mbrace2 system, Verizon will provide the subscribed service as it rolls out early this year.

With much of the auto sector devoted to the development of exclusive in-car infotainment solutions (i.e. MyFord Touch, Cadillac CUE, and Kia UVO), the outside stereo and car entertainment suppliers appear to have lost leverage on the marketplace. Other than the units created in-house or through partnerships, Aha by HARMAN have been making some serious inroads on the automotive infotainment market utilizing a cloud-platform. Launched as an iPhone App in 2009 as Aha Mobile, the web-based platform delivers an array of interactive products. Internet radio, navigation-related information, as well as audio dictation of Facebook and Twitter messaging is obtained through the Aha Mobile App that will also soon be joining the Android device marketplace. While Pioneer introduced the first automotive stereo system to incorporate Aha by HARMAN technology, the growth of the brand depends on forging relationships with the automakers.

During the 2012 CES, Subaru and Honda will be the first OEM deployment of Aha by HARMAN technology in the North American market. Demonstrated on a 2013 Subaru BRZ sports car at the 2012 CES exhibition in Las Vegas, the vehicle presented the new web-based entertainment options available through Aha by HARMAN. In the case of Subaru, customers can expect Aha by HARMAN to become part of what will be a “fourth band” of car radio joining AM, FM and satellite radio options on future vehicles.

Cloud computing principles will most definitely affect the evolution of an already growing market for in-car infotainment electronics. Late in 2011, Ford announced a brand-new MyFord Touch infotainment suite for their upcoming 2013 model year vehicles. As they outfit future products with the new in-car system, previous owners of Ford products featuring the first-generation MyFord Touch are being provided with an upgrade through a USB stick. While not a terribly labour intensive task, cloud computing solutions in automobiles would allow updates and improvements to be conducted near seamlessly.

For automotive consumers, cloud computing could unveil a reality where a car or truck could feature the same technological flexibility as an Apple iPad. Numerous Apps, limitless music and media storage, the most current road maps possible as well as effortless data sharing are advantages cloud-based vehicles can provide. Along with the expansive abilities of cloud-based in-car technology, new features such as voice recognition can be modified through software upgrades allowing motorists to immediately experience the advancements of technology (no longer a prize reserved for the purchaser of the newest vehicle). Among the only possible downside could be privacy and security of cloud-based systems. While all automotive uses of cloud computing engages methods to properly protect information, the future is as wide open as the cloud network for debate on this very accessible data.

The cloud computing integration with automobiles could also mean a buyer trading in their vehicle can take more than the custom floor mats and the air freshener with them to the next automotive upgrade. Contingent on the fact a buyer stays with a single auto manufacturer (at least for the time being), it will be highly likely all unique Apps and set-up information can be seamlessly passed to the next vehicle.

Information source: Ford Motor Company, HARMAN International Industries, Mercedes-Benz USA, Subaru

Photo source: Mercedes-Benz USA, Pioneer, Subaru

Related posts:

1. Laser Beams into Automotive Lighting Future
2. Mercedes F-CELL Roadster – Trainees Build A Car Of The Future
3. Look Who’s Talking: An Automotive Safety Future

As one of the most important auto shows of the year takes place in Detroit, the need for brands to create a meaningful impression on the forward-thinking automotive market is paramount. For at least one company, their work in acquainting customers to once advanced producted started a week earlier. Prior to showcasing this year’s automotive innovations, General Motors brand Chevrolet had issued an important remedy the 2011 North American International Auto Show‘s Car of the Year, the Chevrolet Volt.

Currently the only plug-in hybrid vehicle in the United States marketplace, the Chevrolet Volt was put under investigation last year by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in regards to a battery fire risk. Originating from a fire at the vehicle holding area of the NHTSA, the cause was linked to a Chevrolet Volt that was administered a side-impact pole test weeks before. It was assessed that a coolant link caused by a broken line led to the overheating and sparking o lithium-ion battery pack. In November of 2011, the NHTSA announced they had recreated the fire under lab conditions using the identical perimeters that caused the June fire.

Just in time to save General Motors’ corporate assembly in Detroit some headaches of having to answer repeated questions on the Chevrolet Volt’s post-crash fire risk, the company’s engineering team provided a multi-prong fix for the car. The first solution is to construct a more comprehensive structural assembly around the Volt’s battery pack. Second and third modifications strengthening the Volt plug-in hybrid focuses on the battery’s cooling system. A new sensor will be added to the battery cooling supply to monitor fluid levels. Finally, a temper-resistant bracket is added to the battery coolant reservoir of the Chevrolet Volt protecting against the potential of coolant fluid overfill.

Quick to resolve the problem, the new modifications to Volt’s electrical powertrain hardware has already been tested. Four Chevrolet Volts featuring the enhanced crash protection were crash tested through the month of December. With no coolant leak or fires erupting from the collision aftermath, General Motors is confident they have successfully resolved the issue.

Chevrolet Volt owners will be notified individually about the new safety enhancements available for their vehicle in the coming weeks. Since late November, Volt owners were offered use of a ‘loaner’ car if they felt unsafe driving their plug-in hybrid.

In 2007, General Motors shocked automotive journalists and enthusiasts with a perspective of plug-in hybrid driving through debut of the Chevrolet Volt Concept at the North American International Auto Show. Shortly after the conceptual design made headlines in many publications of that time, a production version of the Chevrolet Volt becoming the world’s first plug-in electric/gasoline plug-in hybrid from a major automaker. Spending what seemed to be an eternity on the car show circuit, the Chevrolet Volt’s debut came with the accolades including the 2011 Car of the Year at the North American International Auto Show.

Enduring the Chevrolet Volt’s first challenge as the vehicle launches into wide release throughout the United States and Canada this year, the fire concern has much to do about the continuing learning process behind advanced powertrains entering production cars. As new players like the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi and the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid approaches the marketplace in the next 12 months, the Volt will count on its head-start from the showroom as an advantage.

Information source: General Motors

Photo source: Chris Nagy and General Motors

No related posts.

Merging the particular tastes of luxury car buyers with their popular full-sized sport utility vehicle platform of the 2000s, General Motors’ brand Cadillac adopted the Escalade. After tweaking the Escalade into the 2002 model year, Cadillac struck gold in creating a desirable premium SUV. An eight-cylinder now topping 403 horsepower, four-wheel drivetrain and spacious leather interior with high-tech entertainment items were the exact features Cadillac needed to lure buyers back to American luxury excellence. Expanding to the Escalade EXT pick-up bed truck, extended length ESV and the Escalade Two-Mode Hybrid model, the large premium vehicle rose to become a staple among the contemporary luxury-seeking crowd.

While popularity brought fortunes to a then-struggling Cadillac sales tally, the increased attention to the Escalade line-up has made the full-sized vehicle candy those perpetuating grand theft autos. In August, the Cadillac Escalade (specifically 2008-2010 models) topped a list tallied by the IIHS (Insurance Institute of Highway for Highway Safety) for most preferred vehicles among thieves in the United States. According to the data collected by the IIHS, more than 8 times the average vehicle claims have been filed on the Escalade EXT pick-up model. Revealed as a North American-wide issue, the 2002 Cadillac Escalade was also established as the fifth most targeted vehicle in Canada by the country’s insurance bureau at the end of 2011. The value of the Escalade, as well as its expensive high-end components including Xenon headlamps and custom wheels, has made the sport utility vehicle attractive for parts or as a whole.

Realizing that the Cadillac Escalade owners are now facing a higher-than normal chance of being parted with their over $60,000 vehicle, the 2012 model year sports a new arsenal of factory-installed automotive security. Five individual security enhancements are introduced on the 2012 Cadillac Escalade insuring greater protection among several common thefts.

Standard on all 2012 Cadillac Escalade will be a tougher steering column lock system as well as an improved car key. Designed to greater resist manoeuvring the sport utility vehicle, the new steering column locking mechanism on 2012 Escalade is said to be nearly temper-proof. The only method to unlock the steering column will be the new, improved PASS Key 3+ featuring highly detailed encryption.

Highlighted oddly in the 1980s comedy film ‘Twins’ where Arnold Schwarzenegger deactivated a car‘s alarm system by picking up the rear of a Cadillac sedan, some less sophisticated vehicle warning sirens were electronically programmed to turn off when a vehicle is lifted to a particular angle. A program meant to determine when a vehicle is being legitimately towed, some advanced car thieves have exploited this by using a tow truck to steal an Escalade. An available feature on the 2012 Cadillac Escalade is called an inclination sensor if an unintended change of vehicle angle is detected. The inclination sensor upgrade also prevents flat-bedding or even attempts to steal wheel and tires. Also protecting the lavish wheels of the 2012 Escalade will be a new locking system.

While the Cadillac Escalade can be the objective of some thieves, other criminals settle for the potentially valuable items inside of the sport utility vehicle. Protecting against property theft, the 2012 model year Escalade has an available shock sensor designed to detect breaking of glass.

An OnStar equipped vehicle, the 2012 Cadillac Escalade line-up has electronic tracking technology to relay to law enforcement. In addition, in efforts to slow a fleeing theft, the OnStar system on the Escalade can be used to send a message to the vehicle’s electronic controls slowing the Cadillac safely.

Along with the new security solutions introduced on the 2012 model year Cadillac Escalade, General Motors published the following list of precautions owners of all vehicles should take in reducing car thefts and break-ins:

• Do not leave valuables unattended in unlocked cars, or in plain sight
• Park vehicles in well-lit areas or inside locked garages
• Don’t leave cars running with the keys in the ignition.
• Do not defeat the ignition/key cylinder immobilizers with aftermarket remote- start systems
• Always lock your vehicle with the key fob, which also sets the alarm system
• Use wheel locks with premium wheels
• Do not leave driver’s license, registration or insurance certificate in your car
• Purchase a vehicle with OnStar or the aftermarket OnStar FMV mirror, which will enable your vehicle to be tracked if stolen.

The combination of Cadillac’s new high-tech security advancements as well as the highly prudent actions of the Escalade owners in 2012 and beyond will be key to assure the luxury vehicle loses its flavour to car thieves.

Information and photo source: General Motors

Related posts:

1. Hennessey’s Cadillac Escalade Whoops Up on the Nissan GT-R (Video)
2. Cadillac Details New Product Offerings for 2012
3. Wacky Russians Build Hot Rod Pick-up From Cadillac Escalade

It is not too often that a writer for Automoblog.net has an opportunity to cross over to the marine industry news. The intertwining of automobiles and boats has actually amounted to some rather momentous creations in the transportation field. In 1953, marine product manufacturer Molded Fiber Glass Boat Company served as the new supplier of the Chevrolet Corvette‘s composite body shell. As well as building the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 cars during milestone era of the automobile, Chrysler Corporation was also heavily involved in the marine industry until the 1980s.

In many inboard motor speedboats built from the 1950s through to the 1970s, it was commonplace for automobile-derived powerplants to be modified for use on the water. While American auto companies such as Chevrolet, Chrysler or Ford have been popular engine choices, a group of students from Tennessee Technical Center in Nashville and the Nashville State Community College are currently engaged in a marine build project that will marry a classic wooden Chris Craft boat with Infiniti power.

Engineering exploration and a unique restoration endeavour, the Infiniti Luxury Boat Project basis is a 20-foot 1962 Chris Craft Holiday. Consisting of an all-wooden hull that has degraded due to the age of 50 years, one-half of the Infiniti Luxury Boat project focused on bringing the showroom condition back to the watercraft structure. For what is a labour intensive job, project supervisor George “Dodo” Brockman estimated that as much as 85 percent of the Chris Craft‘s wooden hull will need to be replaced stating, “Some pieces you could put your fist right through”. Up to 600 board feet of high-grade mahogany gathered through sustainable harvesting will be used to bring the Chris Craft Holiday boat back to its former glory.

As the 20-foot Chris Craft Holiday receives revitalization, Infiniti’s contribution, a 400-horsepower 5.6 liter V-8 to the marine project was being primed for its future home inside the watercraft. Called a marinized engine, the Infiniti 5.6 liter V-8 powerplant was modified to the rigors to boating. Through a travel that saw the all-aluminum eight-cylinder engine produced in Decherd, Tennessee removed from its original 2011 Infiniti QX56, transported to Maine and then to Alabama where a number of modifications were initiated. Fitted for combination with a ZF/Hurth marine transmission, the 5.6 liter V-8 engine consisted by a water-cooled exhaust manifold and is now equipped to run on a closed cooling system.

Besides receiving an engine from Infiniti, the inspiration of Nissan’s premium brand will go into the final presentation of the end creation. Through the reassembly process during the Infiniti Luxury Boat Project, the 1962 Chris Craft Holiday will receive a modern interior borrowing from the QX sport utility vehicle. Featuring semi-aniline leather seating, XM NavWeather system and a Bose sound system insure the watercraft aspires to echelons of speedboat luxury yet to be fully explored.

When completed, the Infiniti-powered 1962 Chris Craft boat will be combined with a colour-matching 2012 Infiniti QX56. While no completion date has been set on the Infiniti Luxury Boat Project, fans of the project are welcomed to visit Infiniti’s Facebook and Twitter page for updates.

Information and photo source: Nissan/Infiniti

Related posts:

1. Infiniti Teases New JX Crossover, “Power of 7″ Campaign
2. Infiniti Breaks Records with Hybrid
3. Infiniti Performance Line Provides Added G-Wiz

As car fans, we often pick sides of your favourite brands. Claiming allegiance to an automaker, there is a pride in the technological advantages claimed by a choice company. VTEC, EcoBoost, SkyActiv and TDI identify some popular names of solutions used to define a particular automaker. However, when it comes to developing some of the newest technologies in motoring, it is rare that a single auto company can carry the costly and long process alone. In fact, some notable automakers went out of business or close to bankruptcy attempting to go in alone through the development of technology that became essential to modern cars and trucks. Heading into the end of this year, two major auto companies are in talks that could result in the furthering of advanced powertrains.

In a very brief statement (consisting of a single sentence), General Motors confirmed they are currently conversing with Germany auto company BMW in co-developing future vehicle technology. With very little detail given on top of the simple admittance that discussions are taking place, General Motors has stated fuel cell technology could be a joint venture. Both companies have been working on the prospect of using hydrogen and fuel cells as a future propulsion for automobiles.

General Motors had been confident fuel cell vehicles would be a future (perhaps distant) power source since the turn of the 21st century. The Autonomy and Hy-wire concept cars were visions for General Motor’s possible fuel cell-powered roadways. However, GM’s cash shortage during bankruptcy and the industry rush towards electric batteries placed their development plans for hydrogen power on the technological back burner. In 2009, BMW produced limited test run of a gasoline/hydrogen burning vehicle called the Hydrogen 7 sedan. The BMW Hydrogen 7 was created under the understanding that employing hydrogen for internal combustion engines could be appreciated as requiring less drastic and more easily adaptable. Hydrogen use for internal combustion engines would also provide incentive for creating hydrogen refueling infrastructure. Though General Motors and BMW have incorporated battery-supported, electrified vehicles in production, the promise for hydrogen motoring seems like a solution either company is willing to abandon.

It can be inferred from the release that the General Motors/BMW partnership can lead to other areas of automotive research. The future product development partnership could also involve focus with other emerging technologies. This year, both auto companies have made an active campaign to incorporate a greater use of carbon fiber construction in future vehicles. An super lightweight but strong engineered material once viewed as too exotic for widespread use in the car industry, carbon-reinforced polymers (popularly referred to as carbon fiber) expanded production and refinement through the past 20 years have realized greater cost-effective use.

In Munich, the BMW i brand concept vehicles are structured around the extensive employment of carbon fiber. According to estimates, BMW Member of the Board Klaus Draeger indicated that carbon fiber construction methods could result in 250 to 350-kilogram (551 to 772-pound) weight savings over other electric cars. Overcoming the weight burden associated with electrified powertrains, the use of carbon fiber alongside aluminum allowed the BMW i3 concept to coast weighing a comfortable 2,755.8 pounds. The same construction has been utilized through the concept BMW i8 sports coupe.

In Detroit, a major polymer producer and General Motors have pledged to further the widespread adaptation of carbon fiber materials. Working with Japanese branded company Limited, General Motors is researching faster and more cost efficient manufacturing procedures that could see the practical application of carbon fiber to high volume automotive products.

If a technology-sharing results from the most recent talks, this will be the second time that General Motors and BMW have been jointly involved in as many years. Six years ago, the two companies along with Chrysler were involved in a hybrid transmission venture. With General Motors large trucks and sport utility vehicles adapting what would be known as a two-mode hybrid, BMW created the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 for the North American market.

Information source: BMW, General Motors
Photo source: Chris Nagy

Related posts:

1. Auto History’s Biggest Safety Feature Follies
2. Hydrogen Refueling Stations Slowly Sprouting in US
3. Los Angeles Vs Detroit: Which US Auto Show Rules?

Saddled with the high upfront costs currently attached to the early electric production cars, the new driving lifestyle will drastically affect the refueling environment for consumers. Whether a full EV (electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid model, charging of a vehicle’s battery pack will see private parking lots or garage become an active hub for the operations of electric cars. For the most part cancelling-out the trip to the gas station, electrified vehicles would ideally be completely ready for a complete zero emissions run over a reasonable, unobtrusive course of time. Owners of electric vehicles will quickly become acquainted that not all charging operations are equal.

Similar to gasoline highway fuel economy estimates that automakers publish to sell their vehicles most effectively, charging times for electric cars varies depending on certain factors. For example with the Nissan Leaf fastest battery charge time is recorded at 7 hours. However, if the Leaf is charged to using a standard 110-volt household outlet, the electric car would take a very long 21 hours. In order to achieve faster charging times, electric car owners will need to opt for a home charging unit. One of several leading units coming to market is from GE (General Electric) and will now have the additional advantage of being sold through major on-line website Amazon.com.

Priced at $1,099.00 with free basic shipping through Amazon, the GE Wattstation is a modern looking wall-mounted charging device. The Design of the GE Wattstation is meant to provide a simple interface for users to understand and operate. By simply inserting the cord into an electric vehicle’s power inlet, charging through the GE Wattstation is indicated by a green charging icon on the terminal. The Wattstation is universal for any current electrified vehicle including full electrics vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Spark EV to plug-in hybrids such as the Chevy Volt or an upcoming Toyota Prius model. When the GE Wattstation is not in use, the power cord can be wrapped around the device just as easily as a garden hose. With a shut-off button on the unit, zero power consumption is achieved when the GE Wattstation is not in use.

Suitable for installation inside a garage or even outside, the GE Wattstation comes with a step-to-step DVD detailing the proper method for mounting the unit. The charging unit is configured to be easily integrated with existing properties. Even outside the house, the sturdy design of the GE Wattstation wall charger withstands harsh weather and is secured against theft.

Expanded distribution of the at-home Wattstation unit is part of GE’s comprehensive power supply hardware needs intended to brand themselves as a potential household name as well as a commercial application for EV charging. Besides being sold through Amazon, the distribution of the GE Wattstation will also involve electric car company CODA Automotive. Through an agreement entered last month, CODA Automotive endorses the GE Wattstation as original equipment. Now across the United States and Canada, 46 published public locations have industrialized GE DuraStation charging units capable of replenishing electric vehicle batteries. GE has also entered a deal in September to buy Chevrolet Volts for use at their Shanghai headquarters cross promoting the technology in China. With electric cars finally earning a chance to shine in the 21st century, the construction of the infrastructure on personal, commercial and public property will need to grow at a pace faster than the EV lifestyle itself. The business opportunity presented to rapid electric charging solutions has not been lost on companies like GE.

As the first crop of mass-produced electric cars open to nationwide marketing, the GE Wattstation will have immediate industry competition. When announcing the Focus Electric vehicle, Ford Motor Company entered a collaboration with electrical hardware producer Leviton to create their own charging unit. The Ford branded 240-volt vehicle unit will be sold for $1,499 with the cooperation of Best Buy and their Geek Squad group. Consumers can expect to see a fast-growing competition from charging unit providers GE, Leviton, and other companies as they seek industry leadership no matter what EV prevails.

Information source: Ford Motor Company, GE
Photo source: GE

Related posts:

1. Auto History’s Biggest Safety Feature Follies
2. 5 Hot Auto Tech Trends for 2011
3. US Version Mitsubishi i-MIEV Debuting at LA Auto Show

We knew it was only be a matter of time when an automotive safety alarm bell would sound over an electric vehicle. One of the heaviest promoted vehicles unleashed on the North American marketplace in the past few years, the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt represented a new way that automobile producers and customers could view roads in the near future. A high-profile vehicle, the brand-new Chevy Volt is now facing a publicly visible probe into a potentially dangerous defect that appeared during the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program.

Following a standard side impact pole test in May of 2011 where a Chevrolet Volt was awarded a five-star rating (thanks in part to side curtain airbags), the major drama for the American-built plug-in hybrid car did not develop until three weeks after the crash. In June, a fire that engulfed the crashed car as well as three other vehicles was linked to the Volt‘s electrical propulsion system. Revealed in paperwork filed on the 25th of November, the resulting incident was traced to a failure of the Chevrolet Volt’s lithium-ion battery pack. Like most modern battery-powered vehicles sold or about to be sold in North America, the Volt’s electrical storage is temperature-controlled. Through the initial crash test, the NHTSA team discovered the coolant line damaged following the side impact, which is believed to be connected to excessive heat from an injured lithium-ion battery pack causing the vehicle fire.

Since the June fire, an investigation started by the NHTSA has included an attempt to replicate the condition that created the fire. In early November, three Chevrolet Volts were subjected to identical side impact pole crash test intent in recreating the potential cause of the fire five months earlier. Though those tests did not result in fires of the lithium-ion battery, the retest of the vital Chevrolet Volt component was recorded to have spark and smoke accompanied by an elevation in temperatures that reached up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. While attempting to notify the public of their investigation on the Chevy Volt’s primary energy storage pack, the NHTSA cautions that there are no real-world incidents yet to result in a side impact causing the kind of battery damage occurring in the New Car Assessment Program test.

Reacting to this disturbing news made public, General Motors was prompt in reassuring that the auto company is working closely with the NHTSA in detailing this crash test concern. Senior vice president of global product development Mary Barra has commissioned an engineering team to track down and eliminate any further electrical problems. For owners of the plug-in hybrid Volt feeling uneasy about their Volts for the interim, Chevrolet has extended to them use of another General Motors vehicle for no charge (no pun intended). General Motors also asserts the favourable Chevy Volt crash test results that totalled a 5-Star rating as attributes of the vehicle.

With 5,003 examples of the Chevrolet Volts sold this year up to the end of October, the vehicle enters wide sales distribution across the United States and into Canada against a fair share of public praise as well as criticism. Admirable for its innovative production car powertrain that could be the key to the next generation of automobiles, some doubt the nearly $40,000 (offset partially by federal test credits) Chevy Volt is nothing more than an eco-friendly publicity machine. While some will forgive the plug-in hybrid Volt if a fix to the potential risk of battery overheating is fixed quickly, the hatred for the car by others could be compounded with the NHTSA investigation. Remaining in opposition for the Chevy Volt are some people who has acute techno-fright when it comes to electrified vehicles.

A first major challenge relating to a safety defect (and one can expect a last), the resolution for the Chevrolet Volt is important in determining future acceptance of electrified vehicles. Besides the returning exploration for the Chevrolet Volt sedan, General Motors future premium expression of the plug-in hybrid system in the Cadillac ELR wagers heavily on maintaining confidence in the reduced-emissions technology.

Information source: General Motors, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Photo source: Chris Nagy, General Motors

Related posts:

1. GM Offers Remedy to Chevrolet Volt Post-Crash Fire Threat
2. Bright IDEA, a Chevy Volt Commercial Van?
3. Charged-up for the Chevrolet Volt

Auto manufacturers today realize the car ownership experience must be a far-extending phenomenon to promote loyalty. Auto companies like Ferrari fosters favour for vehicles like the latest 458 Italia thanks to a wide merchandising chain. Mopar merchandise and Mercedes-Benz apparel have also been hot sellers as companions for diehard brand followers blossoming into a meaningful side business. Thanks to the mobile app marketplace, the connection to drivers has become virtual. While some of the popular smartphone and tablet apps attract the enthusiast experience of a vehicle, others provide important methods to link customers to needed service. The OnStar RemoteLink and Audi Roadside App are a few emerging examples for how a smartphone application can provide distressed drivers with relief. Just in time for the numerous holiday treks, Acura owners will have an enhanced roadside assistance service utilizing mobile devices.

The AcuraLink Owner’s Mobile App is devised as a companion to the existing Acura Roadside Assistance Programs. Currently available only on Apple iPhone devices, owners of 2012 Acura vehicles such as the revised TL sedan or TSX Sport Wagon gain a free tool for a range of automotive services.

Created in partnership with their roadside service provider Cross Country Automotive Services, the AcuraLink Owner’s Mobile App regularly serves the user with a valuable emergency link. Whether a vehicle needs a tow, battery jump-start or if an owner is locked out of their vehicle, the Acura Roadside Assistance services can be easily dispatched through the AcuraLink Owner’s Mobile App software. The Apple iPhone’s GPS technology guides the roadside service personnel to the user’s location easing potentially lost motorists. Providing the contact information of the towing company as well as an estimated time of arrival, Acura owners are given an increased sense security in moments assurance is important.

The roadside assistance services provided at no charge to Acura owners under warranty as a 24-hour, 7 days a week protection. Acura drivers outside of this vehicle coverage plan for an additional fee. AcuraLink Owner’s Mobile App can be downloaded on the Apple App Store or from the Acura.com website page. The AcuraLink Owner’s Mobile App is presently not available on Android, Blackberry or other wireless devices.

Acura has been very susceptible to the tough 2011 calendar year for Honda Automobiles. Due to the great dependence on the Honda’s Japanese resources for cars as well as parts, Acura suffered lighter inventories because of the March earthquake and tsunami disaster. Aside from production impairments, Honda’s premium car brand is suffering from less than ambitious activity as most of the 2012 Acura line-up remains largely unchanged. At the end of October 2011, Acura division sales in the United States are down to 6.6 percent. Acura has been able to claim a technological edge over luxury car rivals and are relying on their enhancement through the App could be a building block.

Information and photo source: American Honda Motor Company

Related posts:

1. 2009 Acura RL – New Design Direction
2. Popular Automotive-Related Mobile Apps
3. Acura To Begin New Push With Entry-Level 2013 RSX

Environmental consciousness is the new resell red in today’s automotive market. The long-running and proven Toyota Prius is a forerunner to the latest way of thinking for car manufacturers suddenly striding for the most efficient powertrain or the maximizing of advanced materials on everyday cars. As long waiting lists formed for car customers desiring the Toyota Prius when gas prices went ballistic during mid-2008, the Japanese auto brand realized a they have struck marketing gold provoking thoughts of expanding the gasoline/electric car‘s line-up.

Creating the extended payload Prius v that has just recently reached dealers, a promised third unique member to the prophetic Prius hybrid family will be officially revealed at the 2012 Detroit North American International Auto Show. Toyota reveals details of the upcoming 2012 Prius c ahead of its Detroit premiere; the popular United States auto show was the place where the Toyota Prius family saga began a year before presenting a vehicle assortment that also included a plug-in hybrid Prius based on the original vehicle. Targeted as the new entry-level vehicle for the hybrid vehicle line-up, the subcompact Toyota Prius c will achieve fuel mileage of 50 miles per gallon.

Measuring 157.3 inches in total length, the 2012 Toyota Prius c will become one of the smallest alternative powertrain vehicles in the wide North American marketplace. While electric versions of the Smart Fortwo and city vehicles will be smaller than Toyota’s upcoming vehicle, the Prius c will be drastically more compact than the all-electric Nissan Leaf.

The production car design is lot less radical than the concept that only shown alongside the new Toyota Prius family at the 2011 edition of the Detroit automotive exhibition. The clearest difference between the 2011 concept and the production example of the Toyota Prius c is the election for a more convention headlamp placement on the model destined for showrooms. It you remember, the Prius c Concept car employed headlamps located along the cowling just ahead of the windshield.

The Toyota Prius c is likely to garner, at least, some initial confusion with the all-new Toyota Yaris. It’s interesting to note that an electric-assisted gasoline concept car based on the subcompact was shown at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. While the Toyota Yaris HSD Concept was a mirror for the future replacement of the automaker’s current subcompact, the Hybrid Synergy Drive technology implantation in the small and tidy vehicle was clearly meant for the Toyota Prius c product.

Despite an objective geared towards optimizing fuel economy, the five-door Toyota Prius c achieves youthful design intent. Some distinguishing characteristics to the Prius c is borrowed from its larger hybrid sister vehicles. Smaller grille openings, the triangular side glass at the rear, and the massive taillight pillars appear to be defining features Prius buyers will note in common with the standard Prius or Prius v products.

Toyota has been careful to insure the smaller proportions of the Prius c hybrid does not make the vehicle unattractive for passengers. Toyota’s new Entune system will be available on the small hybrid offering giving occupants incredible electronic entertainment and information service options including Pandora. Bluetooth and 9 airbags will be found as standard interior features inside the 2012 Toyota Prius c cabin as valuable companions to 50-plus mile per gallon motoring.

Presented to the public shortly after the new year, the Toyota Prius c sales will start in spring of 2012. While there has been no announcements related to vehicle pricing, strong indications would have the Prius c competitively priced under the conventional Prius. With the lower $20,000 possible for a well-equipped hybrid, Toyota plans to send a message to the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt that American consumers do not need a stinking government tax incentive to motivate buyers. However, an incentive is usually included for the Prius products just as an additional carrot to draw green or fuel saving consumers.

Information and photo source: Toyota Motor Corporation

Related posts:

1. Toyota Aggressively Prices Prius c Under $25,000
2. Meet the New Toyota Prius Hybrid Family
3. Toyota Announces Prius Plug In, Pricing For Updated Lineup

Despite continuing popularity in the global marketplace, the sport utility and crossover vehicle have taken a lot of heat from environmental-minded people. Some view the compromise of fuel economy for increased driving utility as one reason to object more truck-like vehicles while others see crossover products as another facet where excessive resources are devoted to build automobiles. Finally, some view sport utility or crossover vehicles as a technological step backwards from progress made in respect to cars.

The outgoing generation of the Ford Escape leaves the compact sport utility vehicle market with a unique legacy of combating the stigma of taller automobiles. Adopting the Escape Hybrid in 2005, Ford even bested Toyota by producing a compact utility product capable of fuel economy in the low 30 mile per gallon range. Revealed on the 2011 Detroit North American International Auto Show concept car called the Vertrek (a vehicle pictured above believed to strongly suggest the styling direction for the 2013 model year replacement for the Escape), Ford Motor Company is prepared to launch crossover vehicles deeper across their trail; changing conventional thoughts.

Ahead of this week’s opening of the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford Motor Company has been stoking interest in pending debut of the 2013 Ford Escape by announcing some design and technology evolutions waiting automotive enthusiasts can expect to see employed.

Recycled Plastic Bottle Carpet

Extracting the polyester fibers from plastic bottles, supplier Autoneum and Ford have devised a procedure to assemble the 2013 Escape interior’s carpet. Describing the nonwoven carpet like Spaghetti, material engineer Laura Sinclair illustrates the innovation for floor covering as a product of much study. “If you have more fibers running on each other – rather than what’s underneath, which can be more abrasive – that helps reduce wear.” Ford is no stranger to using ecologically friendly construction for interior features. Soy-based seat foam has been employed for the production of many Ford products including the Mustang, Taurus and F-150 pick-up truck.

Ford Motor Company plans to consume 4,000,000 plastic bottles of 20-ounce size through the annual construction of the 2013 Escape (working out to a projected 160,000 vehicles per year). Ford’s projections are based on yearly production of 180,000, up to 4,500,000 bottles will be claimed through recycling.

Parts Produced MuCell Injection Molding Process

An innovation that will initially go unnoticed by motorists, parts created using the MuCell injection molding process technology will be applied to the construction of the 2013 Ford Escape instrument panels. Many automotive components are produced using plastic injection molding. From the smallest bushing to seat shells are formed through pushing heated polymer resin into a die. The MuCell Process developed by MIT and Trexel introduces the controlled use of gas (Co2 or nitrogen) while the part is being formed achieving many benefits. On he side of manufacturing, lower cost injection molding machines can be used and more parts per hour can be created thanks to reduced cycle times. As for the finished product, the gas injected during formation embeds millions of ultra-tiny bubbles that positively affect the part weight. Ford estimates the 2013 Escape instrument panel created through the MuCell injection molding process weighs more than a pound less than compared to conventional plastic producing processes. The 2013 Ford Escape will be the auto industry’s first use of MuCell processed parts for interior components

EcoBoost Power

Without doubt, Ford Motor Company’s trend-setting EcoBoost powerplant will be an integral part in the newest compact utility vehicle. Ford has pledged that the 1.6 and 2-liter EcoBoost engine will both be found on the 2013 Ford Escape. The new Escape will become the first vehicle in the automaker’s stable to feature two powerplants from turbocharged, direct-injected EcoBoost family. With the 1.6 liter powerplant underneath the 2013 model year Escape‘s hood, Ford boasts fuel economy will surpass the current Ford Escape hybrid. More specifications for the 1.6 liter and 2-liter EcoBoost engine should be expected with the official 2013 Ford Escape’s presentation in Los Angeles.

Hands-free Power Tailgate

Debuting on the 2012 Focus-based Ford C-Max, the 2013 Escape will become first sport utility vehicle to be made available with a power liftgate that can be operated by a gentle kick under the bumper. Several times implying that the kick only needs to be ‘gentle’, the hands-free opening system is programmed only to respond to the kicking motion of a human leg. This available power tailgate on the 2013 Ford Escape can also be adjusted to deploy to a height desired by the customer.

Among all the advanced technology mentioned (without excluding the enhanced MyFord Touch), all individual features collected in this article will be presented in the brand-new 2013 Ford Escape set for official November 16th.

Information source: Ford Motor Company, Trexel
Photo source: Ford Motor Company

Related posts:

1. New 2013 Ford Escape Arrives at LA Auto Show
2. 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup Car Makes Debut in Charlotte
3. Ford Transit Van to Replace E-Series in US for 2013

Sunny days keeping the clouds away. For almost every youngster of the past 40 years, these words are instantly assessed from memory as the cheery opening to the popular educational/entertainment program Sesame Street. Based on teachings that have led us down a direct path during childhood, how would you like having your favourite Sesame Street guide you through the real world destination? Thanks spirit of cooperation demonstrated on Sesame Street, Locutio Voice Technologies with The Sesame Network provides TomTom customers long-time muppet friends Bert and Ernie as a downloadable voice guide.

Perhaps catering predominantly to parents who want to amuse their children during the trips to schools or other obligations, the Bert and Ernie voice download for TomTom could also be suited individual who wants to reconnect with their simpler childhood (I‘ll never judge). Part of an ongoing ability to bring character to once-faceless voice of a GPS unit, Locutio Voice Technologies has been involved in offering downloadable celebrity voices compatible with the products of Garmin and TomTom. Locutio Voice Technologies most recent collaborations have provided Star Wars universe’s Yoda and Darth Vader as well as the world’s most beloved dysfunctional father Homer Simpson.

Unique with the Bert and Ernie voice download is both characters share the turn-by-turn instruction duties. Making for what could be one of the most entertaining audio shows ever the come out of a TomTom GPS unit, some of the chatter expected from the navigation device through the Bert and Ernie download includes Ernie saying “U-turn ahead, Bert.” only for Bert to question “Just me turn?”. Resolving the confusion between the muppets, Ernie clarifies “All of us Bert.” Another Bert and Ernie sound sample “after 300 meters (that’s 3-0-0) we have reached our destination” followed by the playful laughs of the Sesame Street characters.

Costing $12.95 US, the Bert and Ernie voice download can be purchased through the TomTom website. Capable of installation when a compliant TomTom device is connected to your home computer, Bert and Ernie should join your daily driving routine as easy 1-2-3.

If you are considering the download for your TomTom device or if you need convincing to buy a navigational system ahead of Thanksgiving and Christmas, maybe a special presentation from the Sesame Street duo can persuade a parent. Promoting the new Bert and Ernie voice download, TomTom has released some behind the scenes footage as the characters themselves are recording their messages. Uploaded to Youtube by the GPS unit provider, over two and a half minute clip is brought to you by the letter H; the letter H standing for hilarious. Judging the computer literacy rate of young children, the moment the pair breaks into their friendly bickering a parent will be hard pressed to not fork out the $12.95 US for Bert and Ernie to join car rides.

Information and photo source: TomTom

Related posts:

1. No D’oh! TomTom Adds Homer Simpson to iPhone App
2. For Garmin GPS, Jedi Master Yoda Voice App is Prepared!
3. Darth Vader’s Dark Side Comes to Garmin GPS

Supplying 21st century with once-unobtainable access to a vehicle, a dizzying assortment of smartphone and tablet apps provides the driver with an out-of-car experience. Over the course of the past two years, virtually every automaker is now engaged with a brand-specific mobile application making their automotive products more accessible than ever before. Managing fuel consumption, connecting car breakdown cover companies or customizing a virtual car to the liking of a potential buyer, today’s merger of automotive and computer technology has spawned multiple apps worth highlighting.

OnStar RemoteLink

Developed as one of the early widespread adopters of vehicle telemetric technology, General Motors launched OnStar on 1997 model year Cadillacs. Becoming a technology that would be credited for saving lives in crashes and recovering vehicles through Stolen Vehicle Tracking, OnStar handed smartphone users their own free app designed to work in conjunction with existing plans.

Working on most Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles equipped with OnStar, their RemoteLink mobile app feeds real-time information including fuel tank contents, oil life and tire pressures. Also available on the OnStar RemoteLink app is the ability to remotely lock or unlock a vehicle from anywhere within phone signal. For Chevrolet Volts, the OnStar RemoteLink app allows the user to monitor battery capacity and dictate electric charging times. A new feature available through the OnStar RemoteLink app relates to navigation. A mobile app use of OnStar RemoteLink can refer a destination to the OnStar center and will receive directions immediately on an in-dash navigation system or through the OnStar Turn-by-Turn service.

Rolls-Royce Ghost App

While even this so-called entry level Rolls-Royce Ghost’s six-figure price tag is beyond the means of many motorists, an Apple app allows practically anyone to bask in the glow of excess glamour. Designed for use on the Apple iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad, the Rolls-Royce Ghost app operates as a sales tool for the lucky of us who can even consider the super-luxury sedan. Providing a photorealistic virtual model of exterior as well as interior surfaces that can be tailored to an assortment of available colours and materials, the magnificence of Royce-Royce’s Ghost sedan is obtainable for all in the app world.

BMW i DriveNow and MyCityWay

A bold undertaking for the Munich, Germany automaker BMW, their radical sub-brand will become an epicenter of innovation. Presenting distinctive electrified vehicles to the marketplace by 2013, BMW i is also involved in spearheading several indirect ventures. The mobile apps DriveNow and MyCityWay fit into the planning for rethinking the way people commute.

Operating only in Munich and Berlin at this time, DriveNow is a vehicle by-demand service that allows users to quickly rent a car. Similar to several drive-sharing services set up in major cities, the BMW i supported business of DriveNow uses the mobile app to direct customers to available BMW and MINI products. Drivers will be billed by the minute for vehicle usage through the service.

MyCityWay is a comprehensive mobile application providing a complete collection of information relating to specific city areas. Merging as many as 50 Apps or more, MyCityWay provides mobile users everything from locating the nearest public restroom to the hippest events in town. Transit, weather and traffic alerts are also part of this extensive mobile app intended to minimize time traveling between destinations. Available for 40 cities at the end of 2011 on continents in Asia, Europe and in the Americas, MyCityWay is preparing for greater expansion in the near future along with the DriveNow service.

Ford Mustang Customizer App

Introduced in mid-September, Ford conceived a fun and interactive way for the tech world’s young citizen to relate to a vehicle that caused such uproars in the mid-1960s. Appearing first as a web-based program for desktop and laptop computers, the Mustang Customizer experience has migrated to the an app available through iPhone and Android supported devices. Providing an assortment of exterior dress-up equipment, 2012 Ford Mustang products (including the Boss 302 edition) can be customized to countless colour and factory available accessories.

Audi Roadside Assistance App

Designed to work with Audi Roadside Assistance coverage packages, the new service app available on Apple iPhones, Android and select Blackberry phones is free for use by covered motorists. Providing expedited breakdown coverage, owners in need of jump-start, fuel delivery or tire repair will have help arrive even in hard to distinguished locations thanks to a phone’s GPS capability. A great companion with Audi’s breakdown insurance plans, the Audi Roadside Assistance App can also allow owners of the luxury brand vehicles find the closest service center.

MyFord Mobile App

Prepared for the upcoming Ford Focus Electric vehicle, the MyFord Mobile App was devised to help future owners navigate with their zero emissions lifestyle. Relaying information pivotal for allowing users to optimize the capacity of the lithium-ion battery pack, MyFord Mobile App provides a driver the ability to calculate routes in relations to the available battery power storage. Recording your recent driving, the MyFord Mobile App allows you to download your vehicle’s data. Users can also share ownership milestones over social media networks Twitter and Facebook. Other basic features presented through MyFord Mobile App also includes door lock/unlock capability as well as GPS location of the Ford Focus Electric vehicle.

Information and photo source: Audi AG, BMW, Ford Motor Company, General Motors

Related posts:

1. Mobile Apps Deter Distraction While Driving
2. GM and OnStar App Allows Drivers to Phone it in
3. Acura Roadside Assistance Steers into App World

If you’re like me and bought a car before an iPod/mp3 jack became standard or bought a current car from a late adopting manufacturer, you want a decent way to connect your iPod to your car stereo. Enter the products from Grom Audio. I checked them out based on a recommendation from a Mazda3 forum that I frequent and liked what I saw on their website. I decided to get the Grom Audio USB/iPod interface adapter with the optional iPod control cable. On the site, they have installation instructions via pdf so you can see what it takes to install the adapter in your vehicle.  They also have step by step picture guidance and links to installation videos for about 20 different cars. Luckily for me, they had a link to a Mazda3 video someone created that outlined the steps I needed to follow.  The shipment arrived quickly and after viewing the video for my vehicle, I prepared for the installation.

Simple Installation

My plan was to install the interface inside the dash near the radio using velcro tape and run the cables out through my center console to my cup-holders where my iPod usually resides. After removing some trim and the factory radio, I inserted the adapter cable into the plug on the back of the stereo where an external CD changer would normally plug into. The interface itself has two plug holes, so I hooked up both the iPod cable as well as the 3.5mm cable that was standard with the adapter in case I want to run something else through the stereo like a GPS or phone. All in all, installation was remarkably easy although I will qualify that I am pretty handy and am comfortable taking a car apart. If you are not or if the installation instructions seem a bit overwhelming, you may want to find someone who is or throw a few bucks at a car audio installer for installation.

Easy To Use

The adapter interface for my particular car, 2006 Mazda3, allows the user to control the iPod using the steering wheel controls for the audio. While I can only change tracks up and down, it is a big upgrade compared to previous vehicles I’ve owned with a factory AUX plug that required manual iPod navigation. This feature may or may not be available for your car, so check Grom Audio’s website. Plugging the iPod into the optional iPod cable also charges it.  To play the iPod, I just switch my input mode on my car stereo to EX and the iPod starts right where I left off listening to it prior to getting into the car. When I switch the car off or change the car stereo input, the iPod pauses on the song I was last listening to.

Final Words

Having used both factory and other aftermarket interfaces before, I have to say that this is a great product. Grom Audio now has additional options for Bluetooth adapters and kits where you can plug in a USB Memory stick with MP3 music on it. If you are looking for an audio adapter to connect your music to your car stereo at a reasonable price take a look at Grom Audio.

Related posts:

1. 5 Easy Steps for Buying a Sports Car
2. Livio Provides 45,000 Station Choice on Car Internet Radio
3. Tokyo Traffic Control Center

Ford Motor Company has been riding high on their ability to embrace new realities of 21st century motoring. An auto company that has been a forerunning architect not just for motoring but general human culture since the Model T, Ford Motor Company main advantage has been integrating technology at just the right time. From the creation of Ecoboost engines to the wide adoption of their SYNC technology across Ford and Lincoln vehicles, the pattern to embrace this latest era where mastery of software as well as hardware dictates success.

Introduced in select 2011 model year vehicles including the Edge crossover, Ford buyers have been acquainting themselves to a premium infotainment system called MyFord Touch. Employing touchscreen and voice activated wizardry for simple tasks such as adjusting cabin temperature or stereo controls, MyFord Touch enhances SYNC features such as navigation. Much like the trend with the latest Apple electronic products, MyFord Touch is ready to launch a new, improved version providing users with more capabilities. Unlike the latest phone or tablet however, current ownership of MyFord Touch insure

A series of changes based upon the input from customers a new, faster MyFord Touch was created on the recommendations. In the newest upgrade of MyFord Touch, the graphic appearance has been improved for better readability. Featuring bigger, bolder fonts, the 8-inch touchscreen will also cast a crisper overall presentation of over 1,000 screens. Ford has pinpointed older motorists and passengers will benefit with the enhanced screen graphics most. Along with the better display of MyFord Touch, customer opinions drive the reengineered software to more quickly detect and react to touchscreen interaction.

Beyond the improve touchscreen interface, MyFord Touch’s Nuance powered voice recognition technology is also designed for faster response. Music and navigation voice searches are now simplified with the enhanced software supplying a more user-friendly experience. For sports fans, the new MyFord Touch awaits your voice-activated cheer. Through the new service Sirius Game Finder, a command can automatically locate a satellite radio broadcast of your favourite team or sport.

MyFord Touch technology expands to support two new media experiences. While the current MyFord Touch recognizes popular smartphones and media players including the iPhone, the upgraded software will now allow interactivity with tablets such as the iPad through USB connection. Added to the new MyFord Touch, drivers will have the opportunity to listen to audio books with Audible.com support. Other advancements Ford customers will note with the MyFord Touch is better hands-free phone experiences. Prompter automatic Bluetooth connectivity and improved noise cancellation are features that more engaged chatters would appreciate as they safely drive their Ford product. Navigation services through the new MyFord Touch will also receive an updated database that includes better imagery.

Arriving installed on the all-new Ford Escape, Flex and Taurus for the 2013 model year, owners of vehicles already equipped with MyFord Touch can expect a special delivery in the new year. During the early part of 2012, Ford Motor Company will mail a USB flash drive to United States customers with the key software enhancements. Simply needing to plug the USB device into the corresponding port on the vehicle, MyFord Touch will be updated. Ford also offers less technologically inclined owners the option of taking their vehicle to a dealer service center for the software installation.

Allowing updates for MyFord Touch is the second significant time that the Ford Motor Company has taken it amongst themselves to enhance their vehicles post-sale. In the second half of last year, the automaker invited buyers of the 2011 Ford Super Duty back to the dealership for a no-cost power boost made possible through a modification to the engine‘s electronics. When most previous times an auto company notifications would involve recall or other service requests, Ford is providing an interesting way in preserving owner’s interest in their products.

Information and photo source: Ford Motor Company

Related posts:

1. MyFord Touch, Car Computers Just Get Cooler
2. The Midas Touch: GeigerCars Shelby GT640 Golden Snake
3. Supercar Reloaded: 2012 Nissan GT-R

There are a few reasons why I write. Mainly because you, the readers, can give me any voice you’d like in your head- I hope you think I’m British, because I’d like to talk that way all the time. Also, I write because I have a face for radio.

However, I will now shatter that facade, at least part of it anyway. I was given the opportunity to conduct a unique interview with some of the folks from Pennzoil Motor Oil. Other than letting you hear my voice, you get to see and hear these gentleman explain how their newest products can keep your engine cleaner than Mobil 1.

The role of motor oil has changed a lot over the past few decades. It has morphed from a way to reduce friction and heat in the engine to restoring life and cleaning internal components. I won’t go so far as call the oil formulations a “fix all in a can,” but they sure are getting there.

So, sit back and watch Ian Shannon, Global Lead in the R&D Department for automotive products, and Chris Hayek, Director of Global Brand Marketing, as they wrestle with my North Carolina twang and answer some questions we all have about the state of oil.

Related posts:

1. Interview With Stunt Driver Urs Inauen
2. In The Same Boat: Infiniti V-8 Engine and Classic Chris Craft