Lynn Walford

iOS 8.1 Bluetooth and in-car infotainment fixes for iOS 8 hands-free?

ios81stagecolorAs many of our readers know, there have been iOS 8-8.02 Bluetooth issues with in-car infotainment systems from almost every car maker including BMW, Audi, GM(Chevy, GMC, Cadillac, Buick), Mercedes-Benz, VW, Mazda, Lexus, Fiat, Hyundai and more. An AUTO Connected Car News commenter summed it up this way, “Apple blames the car makers and the car makers blame Apple.” Hopefully, the update to iOS 8.1 will help users connect their iPhones with their automobiles.

New automotive cyber security options ASDL, ECUSHIELD, IPS with DPI

arguscyberthreaThere have been new cyber security initiatives for the automotive industry with an alphabet soup of acronyms,  standards, algorithms and protocols. ASDL comes from SBD and NCC Group while IPS based on DPI comes from the Argus Cyber Consulting. ECUSHIELD (pronounced E.C.U. shield) from TowerSec  offers intrusion protection (IPS) and firewalls.

Telsa S super connected car is a giant iPad on wheels?

pcbmotherboardTeslaIHS is known for tearing down smartphones and tablest to find out how much they cost to make and analyse  its suppliers.

IHS recently tore apart a 2013 Telsa Model S, and found that the Tesla S is more like a giant iPad than traditional vehicles

Volvo ends pedestiran headaches & engine noise with Bayer elastic engine hoods

polyurethaneshieldnoiseBayerMaterial Science worked with Volvo and its parts suppliers to create  dual system polyurethane hoods that help protect pedestrians and reduce engine noise.

People traveling on foot in traffic live dangerously, especially in Europe, where the European Commission reported about one-fifth of all traffic fatalities in Europe involve pedestrians.

Tesla D & autopilot hands-free driving coming down the road

teslsautopilotElon Musk and Tesla revealed the next generation “Tesla D” and the upcoming autopilot feature.

The Tesla D stands for all-wheel drive and dual motor, that are upgrades to the “S” line with deliveries in February.

New car buyers want connected cars for Internet, safety, productivity and entertainment

nielsenconnectedcarstudyNielsen likes to study the reasons why people use media and their buying intentions. Recently, the company studied the features used and wanted by connected car buyers.

Safety Major Value

  • Safety is a major value among car buyers, it is the highest-ranking features for future buyers, 79% said they believe a vehicle’s safety features will make them feel safe.
  • Users of connected car technologies like the value of crash notifications (64% very important).
  • Internet-enabled navigation was found to 58% very important.
  • Safety alerts were ranked at 51% very important.
  • Connected car consumers also rated these same features as most important in their car-buying decision-making processes.

MirrorLink apps ready for Samsung Galaxy Note 4/Edge

The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC),  announced that the new Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge are MirrorLink-enabled. They also announced apps that work with MirrorLink.

MirrorLink-enabled apps that were on display at the Paris auto show include:

Autonomous & connected cars come to CES International

250px-DieterZetscheIAA2009It seems like everyone wants to get into the connected car autonomous vehicle act.  The Consumer Electronics Association announced today that Dr. Dieter Zetsche from Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars will give a CES keynote about autonomous vehicle technology because cars are the ultimate mobile devices.  The keynote will also debut a new concept car on January 5.

Mod Smartphone Terminal adds wireless charging, antenna & NFC to console

Continental Wireless BoxContinental announced a new box for consoles or dashes to hold occupants smartphones with built-in wireless connections.

The Continental multifunctional smartphone terminal combines wireless charging of the smartphone, wireless antenna coupling, and near field communications (NFC). The features do not require a cable. A modular design allows car makers to decide which features they want to offer. It looks like it can fit in standard dash and console areas of the cockpit.