Karl on Cars
Car Audio and Technology
October 20, 2009
"Oh...um...sorry to bother you...disembodied OnStar voice. Hope I didn't interrupt any truly important calls."
That's my first reaction whenever I hear that OnStar "ding" followed by "OnStar Ready" in a GM vehicle. And that's why my apprehension level goes up when I see that OnStar button under the rearview mirror.
See, I like to think of myself as relatively self-sufficient. Sure, I'll ask for help but I have to really need it first. However, on a semi-regular basis, when I'm in an OnStar-equipped car I find myself unintentionally activating the system, which in turn causes tremendous guilt because I feel I'm bothering an OnStar employee who could be helping another driver, maybe even someone with a true emergency.
I'll give you a few examples:
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- Karl Brauer October 20, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Buick, Cadillac, Car Audio and Technology, Chevrolet, GMC, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
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- OnStar GM
September 22, 2009
If you've been paying attention to the news over the past week you likely heard the tragic story of a California Highway Patrol officer, along with his wife, daughter, and brother-in-law, being killed in a car crash. You may have even heard the chilling, 49-second 911 emergency call from inside the car that leads up to the final moment of impact.
Unlike typical automotive fatalities involving alcohol or a high-speed chase, this accident appears to be the direct result of a jammed accelerator pedal (likely involving the floor mat).
If you're like me, you're probably wondering how a CHP officer, undoubtedly trained in the art of car control, could fail to avoid such a tragic outcome. But after my initial shock I began analyzing the specifics of the situation. Turns out it might not have been so avoidable after all.
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- Karl Brauer September 22, 2009, 3:00 AM
- Categories:
- Car Audio and Technology, Lexus, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Lexus Crash Technology
April 14, 2009
As I write this I've just driven home in a brand new, 2010 Volvo XC60 featuring the new "City Safety" system. This is a system that will completely stop the new Volvo crossover's forward motion, independent of driver input, if you are traveling at less than 20 mph and show no sign of stopping yourself before hitting a solid object (wall, fence or another vehicle). The idea is that even the best of us can have a lapse in judgment or attention, but the car will turn an otherwise costly at best (and potentially deadly at worst) low-speed collision into a non-event. I've tried the system out, and it does indeed work. It can't discern a pedestrian- or motorcycle-sized object, yet, but Volvo says a later version of City Safety will.
This experience comes three weeks after driving a Bentley Continental GTC Speed from Napa to Los Angeles. The Bentley features adapative cruise control, allowing it to match the speed of vehicles in front of it regardless of the speed set in cruise control. These systems have been around for a couple years, but it took that 400-mile jaunt for me to fully realize the extent of its powers. Basically, you can set the speed at just about any velocity (say, 85 mph) and then use surrounding traffic to modulate your speed -- all without ever hitting the brake or gas pedal. Once you get confident in the system's ability (it took me about 100 miles of freeway driving) you realize how much easier it makes long-distant travel. Basically, you just have to steer -- at least until Bentley or someone else comes up with a fully-automatic lane-guidance system. Then you won't have to do anything.
Finally, this afternoon I saw a press release for the new Mobileye Accident Avoidance System. This is an aftermarket modification that can be added to any vehicle for approximately $1,000. Once installed it provides much of the same features listed above, including forward collision warnings and lane departure warnings.
It's clear we're rapidly moving into a world where cars will not only possess advanced radar systems (effectively letting them "see" as well or better than the driver), but they will also make decisions for the driver based on these systems.
Today's question: Is this technology making us better or worse drivers?
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- Karl Brauer April 14, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Driving, Future Vehicles, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Driving Technology Safety
March 17, 2009
One of my friends is ready to buy a new car. As you might imagine, when you're in my position and a friend or family member is ramping up for a car purchase the phone often rings (or, as in this case, the "New Email" folder goes bold).
My friend currently owns a 2005 Acura TL, which he purchased because of its combination of luxury, technology and quality. He's a successful lawyer, and financially capable of buying a much more expensive car, but he puts a lot of value on...well, value. When he asked me about the TL four years ago, and told me what his priorities were, I said, "The TL will absolutely serve your needs." He bought it and has had no regrets. But his driving habits rack up the miles quickly, and after four years his TL is pretty worn out.
So he's ready for a new car, and the just-redesigned 2009 Acura TL would be the obvious choice. After all, it still offers all the luxury, technology and quality of the previous version. However, in my friend's words, it is "quite ugly."
His girlfriend drives a 2006 Lexus RX, which he really likes except for one characteristic -- he HATES how the navigation system goes dead once the car is in motion. So he asked me in his email, "You're the car expert. Can you tell me if the new 2010 Lexus RX navigation system can be used while in motion or is it a completely useless upgrade like it has been to this point?" To which I replied, "Lexus=Toyota, and Toyota=nanny-ism. In other words, NO USING NAV WHILE DRIVING!"
This made him very unhappy and put him in a state where I can't reprint his next reply. It also made him write a no-nonsense letter to Lexus; a letter that generated a very corporate response. Follow the jump to read it.
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- Karl Brauer March 17, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Acura, Car Audio and Technology, Honda, Lexus, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota, Traffic Safety
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- Toyota Honda Lexus Acura Navigation System Nanny
December 2, 2008
There are no more "bad cars" on the market. Sure, there are clearly "better" or "worse" cars in any given segment, but even the "worst" new 2009 cars aren't truly "bad" (yes, that holds true for the Dodge Caliber too...barely).
So, if there are no more bad cars, how do you decide which one to buy? Put pictures of new vehicles on a wall and grab some darts?
Actually, if you simply wanted to avoid a bad car that would work. But if you're looking to find the best car for you, that's where a site like Edmunds comes in. We get to filter out and identify the "better" cars from the simply mediocre models, and one of the many areas we analyze is on-board vehicle electronics.
It is my sincere belief that only two areas remain to truly differentiate modern cars from one another. One is exterior styling, the other is ergonomics/features. Basically, if a car looks good on the outside and has the features you want on the inside, you'll buy it. That first area is pretty tough to define, as vehicle styling remains a highly personal judgment.
But the second area is one we're happy to tackle in terms of testing and evaluation, and as such we've just launched our new Car Audio and Electronics Center.
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- Karl Brauer December 2, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Car Buying Advice, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Car Audio & Electronics
June 19, 2008
If you live in the states of California or Washington you probably (hopefully!), already know this, but in about 10 days you won't be able to hold a cell phone while driving.
I raise this issue not because I assume every reader of this blog lives in one of those two states, but because this is a growing trend and if you don't already face these laws, you likely soon will. California and Washington join New York, New Jersey and Connecticut in having such laws, with Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana and North Carolina looking to fall next. As such we've just posted a new article on hands-free laws and the devices that can help you address them.
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- Karl Brauer June 19, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Traffic Safety
May 12, 2008
Our long-term 2008 Ford Focus isn't the most loved car in the long-term fleet, but I've spent the last several days driving it (despite several other options) for a simple reason: SYNC.
It's no secret that the "new" Ford Focus is basically the latest version of an aging chassis long past its sell-by date. Many have flatly stated that SYNC is the only thing the Focus has going for it in the ultra competitve economy-car segment. After playing with the system for several days and watching it talk to my iPhone I've decided...they may be right. Not because the 2008 Ford Focus is really that bad, but because SYNC is simply that cool.
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- Karl Brauer May 12, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Ford
February 29, 2008
Not that this technology is exactly new or cutting edge, but I do appreciate a good FM modulator. I purchased a Kensington digital FM transmitter at the local Apple store shortly after getting my iPhone last December, and it's proven to be a lifesaver.
As you can see in the photo, I was able to "iPod my BMW" despite it being our 2002 M3 long-term car (with no iPod interface or auxiliary input). It's true that FM modulators aren't the best way to go from a sound quality perspective. First, assuming you can actually find an FM frequency that isn't being used (good luck in L.A.) there's typically a an occasional crackle of static and the volume level often must be turned up to equate to other audio sources like CD or satellite radio.
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- Karl Brauer February 29, 2008, 7:00 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology
January 2, 2008
I never really understood the hype surrounding the iPhone. Its claim to fame, as far as I could tell, was being a cell phone that could play music and video. I've had a Treo 650 for a few years, and with some simple Google searching and a couple downloads costing less than $30 my Treo can make the same claims.
I've watched most of the new Battlestar Galactica series during air travel on my Treo's 320x320 screen, and I've listened to many hours of MP3s as well. Plus the 650 fully syncs with my Outlook's email and calendar, giving me instant and coordinated feedback between it and my desktop. So why did I just buy two iPhones?
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- Karl Brauer January 2, 2008, 7:00 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology
November 9, 2007
Sorry if you've already seen this, but it's definitely worth a look.
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Mean Automakers Dash Nation's Hope For Flying Cars
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- Karl Brauer November 9, 2007, 7:00 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Future Vehicles
September 14, 2007
The concept of pairing an automotive company with an audio company is not new. Our 1999 long-term BMW 328i had a "Harman/Kardon" audio system (though it still played cassettes back then, and honestly didn't sound that great...). In 2002 Lexus decided to plug Mark Levinson components into its new SC 430, and today Mitsubishi offers a pumpin Rockford-Fosgate system in its entry-level Lancer.
But has anyone noticed the recent trend in non-audio agreements between major automakers. I guess the first on was BMW, when it offered to "iPod your BMW" back in 2005. More recently BMW and Audi have offered to iPhone their cars, while Ford is Sync'ing with Microsoft and Mercedes-Benz is Searching and Sending people via Google and Yahoo. BMW is also offering "ConnectedDrive" in Germany, which is basically a Google local search function. The all-new 2008 Cadillac CTS has a similar feature that works right here in the good old U.S. of A.
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- Karl Brauer September 14, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology
May 24, 2007
We just saw an in-person demo of Ford's upcoming Microsoft-powered Sync system. While much of the system essentially comes down to hands-free phone and music-player operation, there are some key features that make it truly unique in a world where hands-free operation is increasingly common. For example, if you connect an MP3 player to the system you can tell it to play songs by artist, title or genre. Vocal commans like "Play Genre Jazz" or "Play Artist U2" or "Play Track Hysteria" will get you exactly what you ask for. The system will also transfer your cell phone's contact list and allow you to make calls by vocal command like "Call Bob Lutz" (you do have his number in your cell phone, right?)...
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- Karl Brauer May 24, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Ford
April 12, 2007
If you are of the mind that modern cars are getting too high-tech then stay away from the Mercedes-Benz CL550. I could focus this entire blog post on the car's seat controls and still not cover the topic. You want adjustments? The CL gives you adjustments. Beyond the expected controls you can also tweak the seat-bottom bolstering, seat-back bolstering, shoulder support, lumbar support (height and angle), and seat-bottom-to-seat-back position. And after you're done you can set the seat to massage, with seven different massage modes. Don't forget that these seats also "actively bolster" you when you go around corners. You can turn this feature off, as I promptly did (I simply didn't know the CL well enough to allow such behavior).
Like I said, I could focus on the seat controls alone and still have a complete blog post. But there's more to the CL than its "fast and vigorous" front seats.
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- Karl Brauer April 12, 2007, 5:58 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Mercedes-Benz
March 14, 2007
A recent story in The Wall Street Journal talks about a complex challenge faced by many luxury car companies. The issue: overly complex cars and controls. That old saw about the average car possessing more technology than we used to land on the moon is quite accurate, but does that mean we have to feel like space travelers trapped in a high-tech capsule every time we get behind the wheel? There's no doubt that control systems such as iDrive and COMAND have contributed to the falling owner satisfaction scores of certain luxury brands. As The Wall Street Journal story notes, many Mercedes-Benz owners have complained about the automatic tilt-down exterior mirrors when they put their cars in reverse. These owners see it as a malfunction, not a convenience. I happen to agree with their opinion in this case, BTW, because my parking situations usually involves poles versus curbs, and the tilt-down mirror angle doesn't help me at all.
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- Karl Brauer March 14, 2007, 7:01 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology
February 22, 2007
On a day when most of California's politicians are debating how much money should be spent addressing L.A.'s traffic problems
an interesting article in the Financial Times
suggests a promising (yet troubling) solution. If you saw the 2004 movie I Robot
you've already seen this solution in action. It involves a complex technology system called Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) which, essentially, allows vehicles to drive themselves. We've seen elements of this system in everything from OnStar (GPS tracking) to Mercedes-Benz (adaptive cruise control) to Infiniti (lane departure warning). But the idea here is to standardize a wireless communication system that every car company utilizes. With such a system in place every vehicle could "see" every other vehicle, plus intersections, traffic signs and even the specific curve of the road. With the system fully in place you could just get in your car, select your destination, and go to sleep behind the wheel (insert your own joke about people already doing this here).
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- Karl Brauer February 22, 2007, 7:07 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Driving, Future Vehicles, Safety Systems
February 15, 2007
A fellow Edmunds-ite just bought a new GM product, so of course OnStar is one of its standard features. After purchase he signed up for the free OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics service
, and shortly after this he received an email that told him everything from the his tire pressure to the predicted date of his next service appointment -- all without going anywhere near a dealership. It's really not that big of a technical leap because most modern cars have a "black box" system to track almost every vehicle system and component. And hooking that black box into the OnStar satellite communication system isn't all that difficult...
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- Karl Brauer February 15, 2007, 7:05 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Safety Systems
January 3, 2007
In the past few days I've heard about two new in-car technologies that could have a major impact on the driving experience. The first is HD radio, which isn't really new but has had some new developments. Specifically, BMW just announced the first availability of multicast HD, which essentially means getting more than one channel from a single frequency. For instance, if you have HD television you already know that you can get multiple versions of a single channel...
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- Karl Brauer January 3, 2007, 9:53 AM
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- BMW, Car Audio and Technology
November 1, 2006
For those who might have missed it I wanted to point out this story
that just went up on Edmunds.com. It focuses on the trends and technologies that relate to car colors, and it was very interesting to read. This chart shows the popularity of various colors in the U.S. One of our freelancers wrote it and interviewed people from Bentely, Mercedes-Benz and DuPont. It's worth a look if you are as interested in car colors as I am.
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- Karl Brauer November 1, 2006, 8:23 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology
October 31, 2006
Considering that I just arrived in Las Vegas for the SEMA show it's fitting that this week's Talk Back Tuesday relates to aftermarket navigation systems. I've had the opportunity to use Magellan's Roadmate 2200T for the last few weeks, and I'm now convinced the days of the built-in navigation system are numbered. The major agrument for a built-in system is pretty obvious -- full integration with all vehicle systems.
But here are the arguments against factory nav systems...
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- Karl Brauer October 31, 2006, 8:40 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Talk Back Tuesday
September 26, 2006
If you're a techno-geek like me you're loving life these days. The latest version of HDTV (1080p) is available and dropping in price. TiVo is ubiquitous and, literally, changes your life (for the better). And now that Apple is working directly with companies like Intel and ATI you can get a killer Mac that runs PC software. Oh, and if you're as much an automotive geek as a techno-geek, you've got a whole new list of toys to play with this year. My personal favorite is the built-in hard drives making their debut in the Lexus LS460, the Infiniti G35, the Chrysler Sebring and the Jeep Wrangler...
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- Karl Brauer September 26, 2006, 7:59 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Talk Back Tuesday
September 6, 2006
I've been driving our long-term 2006 Hyundai Sonata
for a few days now, and I must say it really is a fine automobile. If you're not stuck on having "Honda" or "Toyota" on you car somewhere, this is a fully worthy family sedan candidate. (If you are
stuck on having those other badges, buy one of these and get your local Honda or Toyota dealer to sell you an emblem and some adhesive). However, I must say I'm disappointed in the AM radio reception...
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- Karl Brauer September 6, 2006, 8:24 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Hyundai
August 17, 2006
I drove a Volkswagen Passat recently and took special note of the car's blue-purple gauges. Some people like this Jimi Hendrix-like shade for dash lighting, while others prefer the more traditional cool white or light lime color. Then there's Pontiac's (and Mazda's) neon red gauges that, one might argue, could potentially contribute to road rage. So what is the best gauge color?
Me?..
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- Karl Brauer August 17, 2006, 7:52 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Volkswagen
August 3, 2006
I admit it -- the only "iPod" I have is the Shuffle. And that doesn't really count, does it? I keep thinking of getting one, but between satellite radio and local talk radio I'm adequately entertained during my drive time (which, at over two hours a day, is saying something). However, it appears the automakers are surrendering to the iPod stampede...
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- Karl Brauer August 3, 2006, 1:55 PM
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- Car Audio and Technology
December 22, 2005
Speaking of our new 3 Series long-termer, I just upgraded from a Treo 600 to a Treo 650 on Monday, and I subsequently made the pleasant discovery that our 3 Series has Bluetooth technology on Tuesday. I've known about Bluetooth for a couple years, but this is the first time I've experienced it personally.
LOVE IT! The obvious benefit is the hands-free deal, but other (likely lesser known) points include the superior clarity of using the car's audio components compared to a cell phone, as well as the integration with the rest of the car's audio system (meaning the radio automatically mutes when a call comes in, and you can answer by just hitting the "phone" button on the steering wheel, etc.)...
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- Karl Brauer December 22, 2005, 9:24 PM
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- Car Audio and Technology
