4) The American 3 do not build technologically advanced cars.
Ford SYNC uses
As stated in my previous posts, the D3 produce cars that are competitive in terms of quality and fuel economy. Well they also produce products that are competitive in terms of technology. Some of these technologies are already out, while others will be out in the near future.
Ford released it’s SYNC in-car communications and entertainment system on 12 models for the 2008 model year. SYNC, co-developed with Microsoft, allows portable digital music players and Bluetooth enabled phones to be operated with simple voice commands. It can also receive text messages and read them aloud. The SYNC system was ranked #4 on Popular Mechanics magazines’ Top 10 Most Brilliant Gadgets of 2007. It was also recognized by Popular Science magazine with a “Best of What’s New” Award for 2008.
Ford has announced several new technologies that it will be releasing in the near future. Blind spot monitoring and collision awarness are two technologies design to help reduce the number of collisions that occur each year. A technology they call MyKey allows parents to set limits on variables like top speed, radio volume, etc. to help keep teenage drivers from getting into trouble while driving.
In 1995 GM developed OnStar, a subscription-based system that provides in-vehicle communications, security, turn-by-turn navigation, and even remote diagnostics. Drivers and passengers can use an in-vehicle audio interface to contact OnStar representatives for emergency services, vehicle diagnostics and directions. The vehicle can also contact OnStar in the event of a collision, even if the driver is non-responsive. The system also allows users to take and place telephone calls hands free, by using voice commands to spell out the phone number.
GM is currently working on a car called the Chevrolet Volt, that has been the talk of the auto industry for the last two years or so. It is currently a concept that uses a gasoline engine as nothing more than a range extender (the gas engine is not used to drive the wheels directly.) Instead, the car has batteries that drive electric motors to propel the car. The Volt will be able to be charged at home overnight, and provide 40 miles (GM est.) of electric driving before the gas engine ever turns on, and when it does, it’s only used to recharge the batteries. The reasoning behind this vehicle is that most people commute less than 40 miles every day, meaning that their drive could be entirely free of using gas. While this technology is still a way off (the Volt is scheduled for a late 2010 calendar year release) GM has made several public statements that they have test mules driving around their proving grounds capable of driving 40 miles on electric power alone.
Chrysler is now offering uConnect, an in-vehicle internet enabling technology that allows drivers and passengers the ability to access information, entertainment and technology while on the go. Five major areas are touched upon; music, gps, phone, studios and internet. Chrysler also recently announced that they have 3 different electric vehicle concepts that they are testing with the hopes to have them on the market in 2010. The concepts range from a minivan to a 2 seat sports car.
As you can see, each automaker is pushing the envelope with emerging technologies, to make our cars safer, more entertaining, easier to use, and more environmentally friendly. There are technologies here that even the foreign automakers are now starting to copy, meaning that the American 3 still have an edge in the technology department.
Tags: Chevrolet Volt, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, GM, Myths, OnStar, Sync, uConnect
2 Responses to “4) The American 3 do not build technologically advanced cars.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
March 26th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I would like to mention that GM was the first manufacturer to factory install a passive security system (Passlock and Passkey) across the board (except for the very bottom of the line vehicles) in the 1990s. It was seldom mentioned in the press, including “Consumers Reports”. If Toyota or Honda had done that, there would have been parades and flags waved (in the press).
March 27th, 2009 at 8:12 am
I couldn’t agree more. GM, Ford and Chrysler had a number of firsts, including catalytic converters, full independent suspensions and more. It’s a shame the even the media is so biased against the American manufacturers. Thanks for your comment, spread the word about the site to everyone you know!