banking on brisk demand for safety sensors with plans to offer a suite of new products for mass-market cars by 2016.
Denso is not just Toyota's supplier anymore - 0 views
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The new technologies will include autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist and full-speed adaptive cruise control systems
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And in a bid to diversify its customer base, the Toyota-affiliated parts maker will offer the new products to any automaker, not just its tried-and-true Toyota Group stalwarts.
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Mercedes-Benz's autonomous driving features dominate the industry -- and will for years - 0 views
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When Mercedes-Benz debuted its new Intelligent Drive package of safety and driving-assistance systems last fall, it raised the bar for the rest of the industry.
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The features on the 2014 S-class sedan are the most advanced in a production vehicle. And Mercedes-Benz appears likely to stay ahead of the competition for several years.
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When the S class debuted, I'd say they had a 30-month lead on the competition in terms of technology deployment,"
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Lincoln seeks styling edge with MKC liftgate - 0 views
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The wraparound liftgate on the 2015 Lincoln MKC is unlike those on most crossovers.
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Lincoln officials say the design required extensive collaboration among its design, engineering and manufacturing arms and supplier Amino North America.
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With the MKC, Lincoln is pushing into the fast-growing luxury compact crossover segment
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Redesigned Mercedes-Benz C-class sedan packed with new tech - 0 views
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The C class looks like a smaller version of the S-class sedan, and it has the optional $2,800 Intelligent Drive package of integrated safety features. They include adaptive cruise control, rear-end collision protection, Pre-Safe braking and steering, and cross-traffic and lane-keeping assist.
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With the frame and body structure made of aluminum, it will be more agile and handle better than today’s model,
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The C class will have Collision Prevention Assist Plus as a standard feature
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Mazda2 output begins in Japan - 0 views
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Mazda Motor Corp. began manufacturing the next-generation Mazda2 subcompact in Japan today
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The fourth-generation Mazda2, called the Demio in Japan, will go on sale here in the fall, Mazda said in a statement. It will hit American showrooms in 2015.
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It is the first Mazda2 to be equipped with the full suite of Mazda’s fuel-saving Skyactiv technologies, including new engines, transmissions, body, and chassis. It is the fourth Mazda nameplate to receive the Skyactiv makeover, after the CX-5 crossover and Mazda6 and Mazda3 sedans.
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Toyota's massive engine overhaul - 0 views
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Toyota Motor Corp., after long neglecting the humble internal combustion engine in favor of hybrids, is preparing a sweeping powertrain makeover.
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The automaker is designing common parts to spread costs across large numbers of engines. This will allow it to economically customize engines for specific vehicles with fuel injection, turbocharging and more.
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Toyota is seeking fuel economy increases of up to 30 percent and cost cuts on key components of up to 50 percent.
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BBC - Autos - Can the MKC save Lincoln? - 0 views
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Lexus has some fine choices, as do BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Acura, Infiniti and Volvo. Lincoln... Not so much. Until now, that is. The suave new MKC brings fresh lines – and fresh thinking – to a crowded segment.
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Lincoln gave the base MKC a 240-horsepower 2-litre EcoBoost engine. A 2.3-litre turbo four is optional, producing a healthy 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque. Notably absent (for now, at least), are six-cylinder gasoline, turbo-diesel and gasoline-electric hybrid options.
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Occupants are never reminded what sort of engine lies under the hood. On the road, the MKC delivers exemplary ride comfort and splendid control over bumps and around curves. All good news
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BBC - Autos - The month in tech: Google readies Android invasion - 0 views
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At its recent developer conference, Google launched its Android Auto system
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Android Auto allows drivers to access navigation, music and communications through voice commands and steering wheel controls.
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Google has partnered with roughly 30 automotive manufacturers to bring the system to market, relieving carmakers of development costs associated with creating their own infotainment system back-ends. Apple's CarPlay system, meanwhile, will be available in many carmakers' 2015 models, among them Hyundai, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz.
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Big chipmakers struggle to connect with automakers - 0 views
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Consider the new 2015 Hyundai Genesis, a luxury sedan brimming with semiconductors that handle everything from automatic braking and lane-keeping sensors to blind-spot detection. Other chips enable the car to open the trunk when it senses the owner’s arms are full, and to sniff for carbon dioxide to decide if the cabin needs more fresh air
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While the Genesis represents the forefront of the auto industry’s use of chips, only a handful of the vehicle’s thousands of semiconductors is provided by Intel. Qualcomm and NVIDIA don’t even make the list.
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The main hurdle is the industry’s safety and reliability standards, which far exceed those for computers or phones. Instead, most of the electronic components are provided by longtime suppliers, like Freescale Semiconductor Ltd., Renesas Electronics Corp. and STMicroelectronics NV, which have proven track records.
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Mitsubishi Electric rolls out FLEXConnect infotainment system - 0 views
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Electric Automotive America wants to put in-home wireless networks on wheels with FLEXConnect, an information and entertainment audio-video bridging system.
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The system includes 10-inch, 720-pixel screens for the front and rear passengers as well as a tablet remote control system. Passengers can share media including videos, games and photos from screen to screen. FLEXConnect is linked to the vehicle’s Ethernet network and supports Wi-Fi connectivity for multiple devices.
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The front passenger can control content on the rear screens. Rear passengers can also be monitored from the front seat via cameras installed above each rear seat screen.
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Mercedes to double downtown outlets as customers move to cities - 0 views
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Mercedes-Benz plans to double its downtown sales outlets worldwide by 2020 to serve the boom in city living with retailing that offers more technological wizardry and tasty treats than car models in showrooms.
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The world’s third-biggest maker of luxury cars opened its first Mercedes Me store today in Hamburg, a new format that features billiard-table-sized touch screens for configuring vehicles. The carmaker, targeting drivers who haven’t yet bought the brand’s cars, plans to increase the number of city-center retail sites from the current 20
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Audi, the most profitable brand at Volkswagen AG, said in mid-2012 that it plans a 20-site network worldwide of Audi City stores equipped with giant LED wall screens for customers to design their cars. BMW’s I sub-brand of electric and hybrid autos has a website enabling direct online purchases.
New Ford steering system needs fewer turns - 1 views
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Ford engineers, working with Japanese supplier Takata Corp., changed part of that layout
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In Ford’s system, the steering wheel activates an electric motor, which turns a gear on the steering shaft. The motor and gear turn the wheels with fewer rotations of the steering wheel.
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Similar steering systems are available on some BMW, Lexus, Audi and Infiniti luxury vehicles, but they are packaged differently from Ford’s system.
GM, University of Michigan extend r&d partnership - 0 views
5 cool innovations at Japan's SAE expo - 0 views
Bollore to invest $35 million in Indianapolis electric-car sharing service - 1 views
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French billionaire Vincent Bollore is setting up the largest U.S. car-sharing program for electric vehicles
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The program, beginning within eight months, will use as many as 500 of Bollore’s Bluecars and 1,000 charging stations
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The U.S. arrival of the Bollore Group, which makes its own lithium metal polymer batteries for its electric cars, is the latest development in an emerging segment led by Tesla Motors, maker of the premium Model S sedan, and the Nissan Leaf electric hatchback. Bollore is counting on U.S. drivers who want access to a low-pollution alternative to gasoline-burning cars. They can be rented for as little as $10 an hour.
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New GM system won't let car drive until front occupants buckle up - 0 views
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the new belt assurance system will be offered as an optional feature in select 2015 models, including the GMC Sierra and the Chevrolet Cruze, Colorado and Silverado. GM does not plan to charge extra for this feature.
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the company would like buyers who opt for the belt assurance system to provide feedback to help improve the technology before it becomes standard
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GM’s new belt assurance system does not use an interlock ignition, Ecclestone said. The new system taps into the sensing and diagnostic module used to detect passenger weights and turn airbags on and off. To apply it to seat belts, the SDM detects front seat passengers, and communicates with the brakes and transmission to prevent the driver from shifting the vehicle into gear before both front passengers are buckled up.