Auto Innovation Takes a Page From Home, Office Technology

by Todd R. Weiss

Subaru’s in-vehicle connected-car system, StarLink, gets a redesign for 2015, and is being offered in the Subaru Impreza and Crosstrek vehicles for the first time this year. StarLink improvements include easier smartphone pairing capabilities using Bluetooth.

For 2015, Toyota has added Qi wireless smartphone charging pads in its Camry cars, making it easier for drivers and passengers to charge their compatible smartphones as they drive. The charging pads are located in the dash in a special compartment, shown here.

GMC’s Yukon XL Denali SUV gets 4G LTE and in-car passenger WiFi capabilities for the first time in its 2015 models. Also new in the Yukon XL Denali is a wireless smartphone charging pad (in foreground).

Most Chevrolet cars and trucks will include built-in 4G LTE for 2015, which also means that passengers can take advantage of in-vehicle WiFi. The first vehicles to get the feature are Malibu passenger cars.

Drivers of the new 2015 Cadillac CTS VSport luxury sports car can customize their dashboards using various templates to match their style and desired features. Users can, for instance, add a navigation screen to the center of their vehicle speedometer to bring desired functions together.

The 2015 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 includes a 9.2-inch display screen with optional navigational capabilities, as well as standard Bluetooth connectivity. The car also includes a built-in sensor that’s designed to monitor carbon dioxide levels in the car and add venting if needed.

The innovative 2015 i3 includes Bluetooth for hands-free calling, as well as a 6.5-inch high-resolution in-dash display screen and phonebook-downloading capabilities so drivers can carry their contact information with them in their cars.

With a tablet-like touch-screen in the center console, drivers of the upcoming 2016 Volvo XC90 R-Design crossover can operate their vehicle and access a range of Internet and cloud-based products and services. The vehicle also includes voice activation integration.

With InControl, Jaguar drivers can access a wide assortment of specialized apps in their cars and then add them to their smartphones so that they can get seamless access to the apps on their mobile devices even when they get out of their cars. Drivers can then control their cars from afar.

Fiat unveiled its retro-styled 2015 Fiat 500 1957 edition car, which mixes 1950s styling with 2015 technologies and safety. The dash looks like an old car, but it includes Bluetooth hands-free communications and streaming audio, as well as USB ports and more.