Car Tech

High-tech for Volvo S80, V70, XC70

Five new high-tech features will be available on Volvo's S80, V70 and XC70 models by the end of the year, the company announced Tuesday.

The Swedish company joins the ranks of several automakers who are bringing high-tech features to even the most budget models.

Volvo's most interesting feature may be a new take on monitoring driver behavior.

Driver Alert Control, as Volvo calls it, uses a camera and sensors to monitor a car's general behavior in terms of speed and staying in lane, not the driver's behavior within a cockpit. If, through a combination of factors, … Read more

GM chairman to keynote CES

General Motors Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner will be a keynote speaker at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show, the Consumer Electronic Association announced Monday.

This will be GM's first keynote at the trade show, which is known for attracting celebrities eager to see the latest in high-tech gadgets, as well as the world press.

Wagoner joins technology leaders Bill Gates of Microsoft, Paul Otellini of Intel, and Panasonic's Toshihiro Sakamoto, who have also confirmed as speakers for the international trade show that takes place annually in Las Vegas.

While Wagoner might seem like a stretch for a … Read more

2008 Cadillac CTS: Race ready?

The word "performance" seems to be thrown around a lot in the automotive world these days. With increasing expansion and competition within the luxury sport sedan category, manufacturers are eager to drop statistics about horsepower, torque, zero-to-60 speeds, and other numbers to woo (and maybe even slightly intimidate) potential buyers. But specifications alone can't convey the true spirit of a car; as Aristotle said, the whole is more than the sum of its parts. So it makes sense that the ideal road test subjects the car to a wide range of variables: twisty turns of varying camber, … Read more

Microsoft Streets & Trips 2008 tracks traffic, gas prices

In advance of Labor Day weekend and its inevitable coast-to-coast traffic jams, Microsoft is releasing Streets & Trips 2008 software. Among the new features in the deluxe edition are live traffic updates, information on nearby gas prices, and estimates of what filling up along the journey will cost for that Hummer, Prius, or whatever else you're driving. It also hooks up to Live Search maps that you can mark up, and which chart businesses including hotels, snack spots and camping areas.

Despite such helpful features, this product seems like an odd fit in the market when you can get … Read more

Volvo C30 to get 52 mpg

Looks like the 2008 C30 from Volvo will offer more to entice young consumers than just an impressive sound system, a hatchback with room for Ikea packages and a wonderfully quirky Web site.

Volvo announced Monday that an "Efficiency" version of the 2008 C30 with a 1.6-liter turbo diesel engine will get about 4.5 liters/100 km (52 mpg).

Additionally, Volvo said that its Volvo C30, S40 and V50 with the 2-liter turbo diesel engine will have a new "Powershift" gearbox that will reduce overall fuel consumption by about 8 percent.

The Volvo C30 … Read more

Pop goes the presidential SUV

Need to take out a book depository? This U.S. Secret Service Urban Assault SUV should do the trick.

The GMC-mounted mini-gun accompanies the presidential cavalcade, at least here at home. Apparently it's not a welcome guest in some host countries. England, for instance, asked the prez to leave his miniguns at home. Note the rotating turret.

Bill Clinton to test-drive electric SUVs at Lake Tahoe

Security will be crawling at Lake Tahoe on August 17 as bigwigs such as U.S. Senator Harry Reid and former president Bill Clinton along with his wife (who has some sort of government job) attend the Lake Tahoe Summit.

(Update: Arnold Schwarzenegger was listed as a possible attendee. But apparently he can't make it now, according to his press office.)

And one of the highlights, at least in my mind, will be the test-drives of the all-electric SUV from Phoenix Motorcars. Phoenix's car can go 130 miles on a single charge and hit 100 miles per hour. (… Read more

Cars in '08 to be most wired ever

A survey released today says the 2008 model year will yield the highest percentage of gadget-filled cars in history.

The study, conducted by Telematics Research Group (TRG) and based on 100 cars announced for the 2008 model year, says almost 70 percent of cars for sale in North America will offer voice-activated, hands-free Bluetooth phone support. Navigation systems will come standard in 80 percent of announced MY08 models.

Portable music player support will also be at an all-time high. According to TRG's Technology Availability Index, 50 percent of cars will have direct iPod connectivity, and 90 percent will have … Read more

Audi announces iPhone support

Not to be outdone by its Teutonic rival, Audi has followed BMW's lead in announcing that its cars are now fully compatible with the Apple iPhone. Those lucky souls who own both an Audi and an iPhone will now be able to connect the two for Bluetooth hands-free calling, while those even luckier souls with an A5, A6, A8 or Q7 can use Audi's optional AMI music interface to play music via the phone's iPod function.

If you own neither an Audi nor an iPhone, you can still take some solace in the free Audi-inspired ringtones that … Read more