Chevy Volt Will Connect To Blackberry And iPhone Apps

Taken from GM-Volt.com


It is GM’s intention to make the Chevy Volt a very wired and connected high-tech car.

We have already known that charging will be programmable at least from the dash.  Driverswill be able to set the car to charge, for example, after midnight to take advantage of lower utility rates.  Another powerful set of real-time connected features will stem from OnStar system which is expected to be able to download to the car, among many other things, electricity rates from utility companies.  Nissan has previously announced their plan to make an iPod app that drivers could use to turn on or off their car’s charging and get text messages from their car.

GM it turns out has similar plans too.

Brent Dewar was the VP of Chevrolet when he showed a few flashy slides at the LA Auto Show last week while presenting the  the Volt and US Cruze, and the Volt’s paint color winner.  Yesterday Brent was removed from his position by the axe-weilidng Ed Whitacre just 5 months after taking it from Ed Peper.  Dewar will “retire” as of April 1 2010 and is being replaced by Jim Campbell.  Anyway, I digress.  Dewar had quickly flashed a slide across the screen revealing GM’s intention to develop mobile phone applications for controlling and interacting with the Volt. I captured the image and it is posted above.

GM sources have indicated that there will be applications at least for the iPod and the Blackberry.  These will soon be unveiled along with their potential functions.  Besides controlling when to charge the car, I could see these applications receiving signals from the car as well, indicating when charging is completed and if the driver forgot to plug it in at some time interval after arriving home.  Having forgotten to plug in my MINI E several times, I can assure you this function will be useful.

What functions would you like to see in a Volt mobile phone application? We might just have a chance to influence it.

GM-Volt: Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

Ward's Announces 10 Best Engines Awards for 2010

Engines employing new technologies to deliver both fuel economy and performance dominate North America's only engine award program

Ward's 10 Best Engines, North America's only award program honoring engine excellence, have been announced for 2010. The list symbolizes the auto industry's swift movement toward downsized engines to attract consumers who now are making fuel efficiency a top priority.

Highlights: Two turbodiesels (one each from BMW AG and Volkswagen AG) and two hybrid-electric vehicles (from Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp.) made this year's list by achieving fuel economy of nearly 40 mpg (5.8 L/100 km) in the VW Jetta SportWagen TDI and up to 55 mpg (4.2 L/100 km) in the Toyota Prius in real-world driving.

This year's winners and the applications tested:

• 2.0L TFSI Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Audi A4)
• 3.0L TFSI Supercharged DOHC V-6 (Audi S4)
• 3.0L DOHC I-6 Turbodiesel (BMW 335d)
• 2.5L DOHC I-4 Hybrid (Ford Fusion Hybrid)
• 3.5L EcoBoost Turbocharged DOHC V-6 (Ford Taurus SHO)
• 2.4L Ecotec DOHC I-4 (Chevrolet Equinox)
• 4.6L Tau DOHC V-8 (Hyundai Genesis)
• 2.5L Turbocharged DOHC H-4 (Subaru Legacy 2.5GT)
• 1.8L DOHC I-4 Hybrid (Toyota Prius)
• 2.0L SOHC I-4 Turbodiesel (Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI)

"This year's list embodies how the industry is responding to demands for higher fuel economy and lower emissions without shortchanging performance," Ward's AutoWorld Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter said. "Auto makers are using innovative designs and advanced technology to boost horsepower and torque while downsizing engines and increasing efficiency."

To be eligible for the competition, each engine must be available in a regular-production U.S.-specification model on sale no later than first-quarter 2010, in a vehicle priced no more than $54,000, a price cap indexed to the average cost of a new vehicle.

Throughout October and November, six editors of Ward's Automotive Group tested 34 vehicles from 13 auto makers in their normal driving cycles in metro Detroit. They scored each engine based on horsepower, torque, refinement, technical relevance and comparative data. Each engine was evaluated because it was all-new, offered significant technology upgrades or was a returning winner from last year.

The awards will be presented at a Jan. 13 ceremony in Detroit during the North American International Auto Show. A full story on the Ward's 10 Best Engines is now available on Wardsauto.com.

Ward's Automotive Group is a world-leading provider of auto industry news, data and analysis, having served the industry's information needs for nearly 80 years. Ward's AutoWorld is a monthly magazine serving more than 68,000 automotive professionals. The twice-monthly newsletter Ward's Engine & Vehicle Technology Update provides analysis of engineering advancements and technical issues. WardsAuto.com is an online subscription service delivering virtually all the industry news, data and analysis compiled by Ward's Automotive Group, the world's leader in automotive industry information. A Southfield, MI - based division of Penton Media, Inc., Ward's Automotive Group also publishes the weekly industry newsletter Ward's Automotive Reports, the monthly magazine Ward's Dealer Business, and offers a wealth of other automotive information services including reference annuals, online databases, and customized data reports.

Remote Start And Heated Steering Wheel From Ford

READY FOR WINTER? FORD ADDS NEW REMOTE START FEATURE, HEATED STEERING WHEEL TO WARM CUSTOMERS

* Ford responds to customers' desire for warmth in colder months with new factory-installed remote start system and heated steering wheel for the 2011 model year
* Ford's remote start system, when combined with automatic climate control, will gauge the temperature and quickly achieve a comfortable cabin environment. Heating, heated seats and defrost activate on colder days; air conditioning, cooled seats kick in when the weather is warm
* Ford engineers calculate that using a remote start system could help reduce hydrocarbon, CO and nitrogen oxides emissions by up to 75 percent, since it preheats the catalyst on cold starts (where up to 95 percent of emissions typically occur), prior to those first few accelerations 
* Ford's remote start factory option quickly will be offered across the entire Ford, Lincoln and Mercury lineup after launching on the 2011 Ford Super Duty next spring; the heated steering wheel option debuts on the 2011 Lincoln MKX

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 3, 2009 – Ford, responding to increasing consumer demand, is heating up its vehicle lineup with winter-weather options including a factory-installed remote start system and heated steering wheel. 

The remote start system will debut on the 2011 Ford Super Duty next spring and eventually will be offered across the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury lineup. Also next year, Lincoln will begin offering customers a heated steering wheel option, which will be available first on the new 2011 Lincoln MKX. 

Ford has been offering a dealer-installed remote start kit since the late 1990s that has proven popular with customers. The kits rank as one of the top three Genuine Ford Accessories sold nationally for the past five years. In the past year, sales have increased 40 percent since Ford started installing the dealer remote starter kits at modification centers located near assembly plants.

The new factory option comes in response to strong customer demand. A recent J.D. Power Emerging Technology Study found 90 percent of customers would prefer remote start systems be factory-installed.

"What was once a feature only available on luxury cars or in the aftermarket is now becoming a factory-installed option for Ford customers," said Michael Kan, research and development engineer with Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD). "Customers want the peace of mind that comes with a factory-installed option; now Ford is meeting this demand with a high-quality, affordable solution."

The new factory-installed remote start, when integrated with the available automatic climate control system, measures the temperature and quickly creates a comfortable atmosphere with heating or air conditioning, heated or cooled front seats, and the front and rear defroster if needed.

"When you jump in a Ford car or truck, no matter the weather, it's ready to go," said Lisa Boran, a technical expert with Ford Body and Security Electronics. "We've been able to integrate these two features to improve upon the traditional remote start system." 

Improved emissions performance
Customers can also feel good about their decision to preheat or precook their ride, says Ford powertrain engineers and emission experts. Although remote start systems have been given a bad emissions rap in the past, it's not true that leaving a car at idle pumps more hydrocarbons, CO and nitrogen oxides into the air.

John Shanahan, manager, Ford Powertrain Feature Calibration, explains: "The vast majority of a vehicle's emissions are made during the drive-away after the car is started. Once the catalyst is warmed up, it will convert up to 99 percent of the engine-out emissions into less harmful gases. With remote start, along with getting the passenger compartment comfortable, you're warming the catalyst while the vehicle is in neutral with lighter loads on the engine. We employ engine control features that maximize the catalyst warm-up, even if the engine is only idling. This will result in a more active catalyst when you drive away."

That warmed-up catalyst can represent up to a 75 percent emissions reduction, depending on how cool the catalyst is and how hard the driver accelerates those first few times after a typical engine start.

Hot wheels
The heated steering wheel option coming to the Lincoln lineup is also about responding to customer needs, said Cole Buccafurri, Ford's feature and branding manager. "Market research told us that a heated steering wheel was something our target Lincoln customer was definitely interested in," he noted. 

Throw aside the market research, the biological fact is that the human body functions better when it's warm. The body's initial response to cold is to preserve heat by reducing the blood flow to the hands and feet. For those who live in a winter-weather area, it's that familiar tingle or numbness felt when hands and feet start getting cold.

That reduced blood supply equates to reduced dexterity in the fingers and hands, for example, which can hinder performance of simple tasks, such as screwing in a light bulb, opening a door or steering a vehicle out of a tight parking spot. A warm interior and a toasty steering wheel may also eliminate the need for heavy gloves while driving, which can further reduce tactile sensitivity and dexterity.

Warm my ride
Ford currently offers two dealer-installed remote start options: a one-way system, which will remotely start the vehicle from a key fob from up to 1,000 feet away; and a two-way, bidirectional option, in which the vehicle transmits a signal back to the fob verifying the start-up.
Launching later this month is an optional system that's compatible with the Intelligent Access with Push Button Start system available on the 2010 Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS, soon followed by the factory-installed system.

The 2011 Lincoln MKX will be first to offer the heated steering wheel option, and when combined with the factory-installed remote start system, it will also activate the heat on the steering wheel for that warm-to-the-touch winter morning welcome. 

"Ford's vehicles are constantly becoming more advanced," said FCSD's Kan. "So we're always adapting and changing our product to keep up."