Infotainment Updates Jazz Up New Cars at Philadelphia Auto Show

From navigation to communications and entertainment options, today’s cars provide more information to help drivers and entertain passengers.

One of the most intriguing new innovations is Chevrolet’s Teen Driver app in the 2016 Chevy Malibu, which allows parents of teen drivers to electronically set speed limits for the vehicles and shut down the vehicle’s sound system until the driver and passengers are buckled into their seat belts.

The system collects and saves speed and other information while a teen driver is operating the car and prevents teen drivers from manually shutting off vehicle safety systems, such as lane departure and forward collision warnings. The system gives parents a report card advising when speed limits or other guidelines are violated. The system works through the Malibu’s MyLink stereo system using a special key fob that must be carried by a teen driver.

Fiat is bringing back a beloved nameplate with its all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider two-door, two-seater sports car that has the spirit of the earlier generations of the 124 line while integrating a modern drivetrain and body. The inside of the 124 Spider looks like no earlier 124 ever did, with a 7-inch touch-screen display that is operated through a one-knob controller that lets users switch between navigation, music and other systems. The upcoming 124 Spider is built on Mazda’s existing MX-5 platform along with all-new sheet metal designed by a team in Italy.

The latest Chrysler Pacifica minivan gets an “Are We There Yet?” app in its in-car entertainment system that works with the vehicle’s GPS system to show passengers where they are in real time as well as the vehicle’s route and estimated time of arrival. The app can help turn a long trip into a mapping and tracking adventure for young passengers by involving them more directly in the journey. “Are We There Yet?” works with the headrest-mounted displays available to second-row passengers. Those displays are now larger 10-inch units that also have touch-screen capabilities for the first time. Also new is wireless streaming direct to the displays from personal tablets or smartphones that are tethered to the system, giving users a wider range of entertainment options.

The all-new four-door Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifiglio has an integrated navigation, radio, media, phone and APS system that gives drivers control over communications and entertainment in this luxury sports sedan. The car is a sports sedan heading to North America in the second quarter at a price starting around $70,000.

Starting at $184,500, the 2016 McLaren 570S boasts a vertically mounted touch-screen on the dash to save space and includes apps, a Web browser, navigation, smartphone connectivity, weather information, streaming Bluetooth radio and Google Maps capabilities. The integrated Iris Infotainment System is designed by McLaren. The 570S is an all-new mid-engine sports coupe.

All of Porsche’s latest 911 series sports cars include the company’s new Porsche Communication Management System in-car services, which feature navigation, Apple CarPlay, Google Maps, Google Street View and more. The system uses a 7-inch, multi-touch, dash-mounted display that can be linked to a smartphone.