Once Android 11 rolls out, the list of phones that can use wireless Android Auto will grow considerably. Google has updated Android Auto’s FAQ page (as spotted by 9to5Google) to add that almost all devices installed with the upcoming mobile OS will get the capability to connect to compatible in-car entertainment systems without a wire. The updated page also notes that your phone must support 5GHz WiFi for wireless connection to work.
Earlier this month a U.S. appeals court reversed a lower-court decision against Qualcomm, which makes technology for connecting devices to mobile data networks. The court also vacated an injunction that would have required Qualcomm to change its patent licensing practices.
"These are new growth initiatives that could create a lot of value for the company," Farley told Reuters, after Ford announced that he will succeed Jim Hackett as the automaker's fourth CEO since 2014. In addition to Ford's work on self-driving vehicles, "these are concrete areas that will change Ford," Farley said. In the meantime, Farley, 58, must wrestle with a painful restructuring of Ford's global operations amid the ravages of the coronavirus crisis that has saddled the No. 2 U.S. automa
In the automotive world, low-latency 5G is often trumpeted as a way to put more safety and entertainment features into the car. Samsung-owned Harman is one of the companies working on bringing the next-generation mobile broadband to your commute, and it has identified other potential uses for it, including teaching your car how to diagnose its own problems and instructing it to warn its owner if it detects an issue.
"5G can improve vehicle analytics. The car will be able to listen to wave forms or vibrations that can be analyzed on-board and uploaded to cloud-based systems," Roger Jollis, Harman's director of product management, told Autoblog. He added the technology can warn a motorist or a fleet operator when a part is about to fail, which would save time and money. It can even make an appointment with a dealer to get the problem fixed.
Humans already do this. When your engine sounds like it's about to leap out of the car, you think "that's not good," pull over, and pop the hood. And, this technology is commonly used in the aerospace sector (notably in the helicopter world), so it's not 100% new, but 5G would play a key role in automatizing it and allowing the car to communicate with a repair center in real-time by letting it send a vast amount of data in a matter of seconds.
Bringing this technology to production would require putting together a library of what common failures (like a wheel bearing, for example) sound like. Engineers would also need to strategically place sensors around the car so they can monitor what noise the timing belt makes without interference from the stereo. None of these obstacles are insurmountable; what remains to be seen is whether there is a demand for this feature.
Jollis stressed making vehicle diagnosis more accurate is merely a potential use case his team identified for in-car 5G, and Harman is not actively working on bringing it to production. It has other priorities, like helping BMW launch its first 5G-compatible car (the production version of the electric iNext SUV) before the end of 2021. Samsung announced its partnership with the Munich-based company at CES 2020. Details about what they plan to achieve remain vague, but they hinted at zero-delay streaming which opens the door to in-car gaming (including virtual reality-based experiences) and movie streaming at resolutions up to 4K. The partners also cited the ability to download high-resolution maps and to unlock vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology as advantages.
The creators of SnowRunner, the long-awaited sequel to the off-roading simulator MudRunner, released a four-minute trailer that shows what the game has in store for adventure-seeking gamers. It's even more realistic than its predecessor, it gives players a wider choice of vehicles, and it takes them to new places on the virtual map.
The plot hasn't drastically changed, meaning the goal is still to complete different missions while tackling treacherous terrain like mountains, rivers, axle-deep mud, blizzards, and bridges that are past their prime. The tasks include towing vehicles out of mud pits, building the infrastructure, and making long-haul deliveries in 11 open-world maps set in Michigan, Alaska, and a particularly cold part of Siberia named Taymyr.
This isn't the kind of game you can beat by driving flat-out. Focus Home Interactive, the French publisher that created SnowRunner, explained it went to great lengths to take factors like vehicle weight, tire spin, and water currents into account. You may need to lock the rear differential or shift into the granny gear to complete a job, and you'll get swept into a river if you don't choose the right vehicle to cross it with.
Players will have no less than 40 off-roaders to choose from, and they're all licensed from their respective manufacturer. The trailer shows a Hummer H2T, an early International-Harvester Scout, a Chevrolet C/K 1500, numerous semi trucks, plus odd-balls like a Lada Niva dropped on a generously lifted suspension. Each car can be customized with add-ons like snorkels, tire chains, and bull bars that help them venture further off the trail.
SnowRunnerwill be released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on April 28, 2020. Additional content like new vehicles, maps, regions, and activities will be added to the game in the months following its release.
Common driver-assist technologies like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist are meant to keep vehicle occupants safe, but a new study finds that they also make distracted driving more likely — especially with drivers who are more familiar with the technology.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that drivers who use both safety technologies were more likely to be distracted — by their mobile phones, adjusting the car stereo or other controls, or simply taking their eyes off the road — when they were accustomed to the advanced driver-assistance systems than those who were using them for the first time. The study authors say the disparity could reflect “a lack of trust in the automated systems.”
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute combed through data from two previous studies. In one, researchers observed 30 people driving their own personal vehicles for the equivalent of one year's worth of data. In the other, they gave 120 participants a study vehicle and observed each of them driving for a month. All the vehicles featured adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance systems. They were also equipped with video cameras and sensors to collect data about the driver and other information.
Drivers in the former group with their own cars were 50% more likely to engage in secondary tasks and 80% more likely to engage in visual or manual distractions when using the semi-autonomous systems, researchers found. They also took more frequent and longer glances at non-driving-related tasks and kept their eyes on the road less.
Participants in the other group were less likely to be distracted while adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist systems were engaged than they were during manual driving. But these drivers, who received leased vehicles and some training on how to use the systems, were slightly more likely to speed when both systems were active than the drivers who used their own vehicles.
The researchers theorize that people may become over-reliant on automation features the more familiar they become with them. They also note that the group of drivers who operated their own vehicles did not receive the same training on the safety systems, despite ostensibly receiving some information about them before or after purchasing their vehicles.
The study adds new wrinkles to what we know about distracted driving, which accounted for 3,166 fatalities in 2017, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the emergence of semi-automated driving systems. Earlier this year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety issued a study in which it found that, while usage of phones while behind the wheel dropped, more people were using them for texting or other messaging while driving.
Porsche is launching a pilot program to offer online sales of new and used cars for the first time in the U.S., reflecting changing consumer preferences and taking digital retailing about as far as it can go under current dealer franchise laws.
Porsche says it has already launched the program as a joint pilot with 25 of its 191 U.S. Porsche dealers, with a wider rollout possible if all goes well. It will allow customers to move beyond using the web merely for researching vehicle specs and prices and let them view inventories, calculate payments and trade-in value, get approved for credit and sign up for financing and insurance options through Porsche Financial Services. They can also upload photos of their personal documents for ID verification and of their car for trade-in valuation. Dealers will then prepare final paperwork for customers to come in and sign before taking delivery.
The program means buyers need visit the dealer only once to collect their Porsche, with the ability to do all the other paperwork from their computer or mobile device. “For our dealerships, who are at the core of our strategic initiatives, we think this blend of digital and physical interaction with customers will only strengthen their business,” Klaus Zellmer, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, said in a statement.
A Porsche spokesperson said the participating dealers have installed and launched the service on their dealership websites over the past month, so the program is already live. Porsche is also launching a similar program in Germany.
Automakers have been exploring new ways to overhaul the car-buying experience as customers express dissatisfaction with the traditional automotive dealership model. Tesla most notably employs a direct retail model, bypassing dealer franchises altogether in favor of company-owned stores and online retailing, but that leaves it unable to sell its vehicles in many states with strict franchise laws. Porsche also offers a subscription service called Porsche Passport in select markets that starts at $2,000 a month and includes unlimited ability to switch models.
“We do not benchmark but instead develop new programs based on how we can best exceed customer expectations,” a Porsche spokesperson told Autoblog.
The new pilot covers all new and pre-owned vehicles in a dealership’s inventory.
Miami is experiencing a sort of sports venue boom right now. Just a few years ago, the Miami Dolphins unveiled a renovated Hard Rock Stadium, David Beckham is in the process of bringing a new MLS soccer arena to the city (supposedly), and now Millennial Esports says it's building what it claims to be the world's first dedicated esports racing arena in South Beach.
Esports have been exploding in popularity over the past 10 years, but any time there's been a massive event like the Fortnite World Cup or the FIA Gran Turismo Championship, it takes place in a preexisting event space or sports venue. The 2019 League of Legends World Championship, for example, takes place at at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France. Millennial Esports wants to shift that trend.
In partnership with Florida-based racing simulator company Allinsports, Millennial Esports Corporation will build a 12,000-square-foot arena in the Wynwood entertainment district in Miami. For reference, a football field is roughly 57,000 square feet, so it's not huge. Based on the photos, it sort of looks like a live set for a TV show with massive screens up front.
The company plans to use the space for local and global esports racing leagues and competitions as well as general esports events. Furthermore, the building will also serve as a training academy facility for digital drivers. The space will feature 30 racing simulators, and professional drivers will have the option to install full-size simulators.
Millennial Esports has plans to build numerous dedicated facilities around the globe as the sport and industry continues to expand. The Miami facility is scheduled to open in 2020.
🌴🏎 The world’s first dedicated esports racing arena will be built by Millennial Esports Corp in Miami with the state-of-the-facility scheduled to open in 2020! ➡️ Read more at: https://t.co/dEfTgh9cP3pic.twitter.com/jSDrmHLRKE
— Engine Gaming & Media (Nasdaq: GAME) (@EngineMedia) October 3, 2019
My father rented a Hyundai Kona this morning for a road trip along the Oregon Coast. It's a base SE model in Surf Blue that typically starts at $21,085. As my parents were leaving, I explained that the Kona comes standard with Apple CarPlay, and then showed my dad how he can use Google Maps through the car's standard touchscreen and USB port. Just plug in your phone, press the Apple CarPlay button prominently displayed on the home screen, and voila! Yes, you have to "unlock" your iPhone the first time, but never again thereafter.
OK, now let's contrast this experience with the $102,895 2020 BMW 740i I've been driving the past week. To use Apple CarPlay, I had to …
Connect my phone to the car's Bluetooth system, which means interacting with both the phone and finding the appropriate menu with BMW's iDrive interface.
Make sure I'm allowing for Apple CarPlay to be used with that Bluetooth connection and not just interacting with iDrive.
Confirm the Bluetooth PIN is correct on my phone and the BMW, and then agree to some other things.
Assuming your phone and car are now paired (an iffy assumption as you'll soon see), you must now find Apple CarPlay in iDrive.
To do so, press the Media menu button on the center console, twirl the iDrive knob down the various media types: Presets, Sirius XM, FM, AM, some other stuff, and then Apple CarPlay.
Great, press that icon. Congratulations, you can now use Apple CarPlay.
So, that is quite obviously a pain in the ass, but it does allow you, in theory, to use Apple CarPlay without plugging in your phone. You can therefore leave said phone in your purse, for instance, or keep it charged on the standard wireless charging pad, freeing the cabin from the unsightly iPhone wire that gets in the way of the cupholders.
That's all excellent, plus you'd only have to do that Bluetooth song and dance once, right?
Wrong. I had to do it constantly, both in the BMW 740i as well as the BMW M850i and BMW X7 that have recently passed through my garage. Sometimes it would just take an interminably long time to re-establish the Bluetooth connection. Sometimes it would never re-establish it at all. My phone would indicate it's connected to the car, but the car wouldn't respond in kind. In the 740i, I would connect it once as described above, it would work as it should, then it would essentially forget the next time I drove the car. It's a Groundhog Day of annoyance.
Now, the car would remember my phone if I initially set it to pair with Bluetooth only, no CarPlay. I could still play things through the car, but would have to control my phone with my phone. So at least there's that.
As an added bonus, all of these BMWs claimed that my "USB device (was) not supported" when using the non-Apple lightning wire I use successfully in every other manufacturer's car. The white Apple wire, by contrast, worked fine to successfully charge my phone.
Now, I did not attempt any of this using a different iPhone other than my 6s, so this is a less-than-scientific inquiry. However, my phone is fully updated and I never have these problems with the cars of any other brand that require a hardwire for CarPlay connection. Furthermore, Senior Editor Alex Kierstein reports having similar BMW-CarPlay connectivity issues in an X2 and 3 Series, with inconsistent behavior and an inability to connect his iPhone 6 without deleting and re-connecting via Bluetooth. The 330i also froze his wife's iPhone, forcing a hard restart. According to BMW, the system requirements for Apple CarPlay to function are "an iPhone 5 or newer running iOS 9.3 or higher." That would include both of our phones.
However, there's a kicker to all this: BMW offers Apple CarPlay as a subscription. Oh sure, it's standard on the 7 Series and other high-dollar models for a year like Sirius XM is, but after that trial period, you're paying for it constantly. Once again, CarPlay is standard on a $21,000 Hyundai Kona and cars even cheaper than that. At the very least on other cars, it can be a one-time option charge or included in a package or upper trim level. None of this subscription business. Just plug in a cable and go.
Quite simply, this is unacceptable. If I spent my own money on any of these BMWs, I would be furious. Actually, I didn't spend my own money, and as an X7 full of friends can I attest, I was still furious. Even when I actually could maintain a connection to Apple CarPlay, the interaction between the system and iDrive is still suboptimal relative other car companies. While there are obvious functional benefits of connecting to Apple CarPlay through Bluetooth, that connection clearly doesn't work well enough. That BMW charges you extra for it is absurd. It should be standard, and it should work. Or you should at least be able to bypass the Bluetooth-CarPlay dance entirely with a cable connection.
Then again, it could be worse: Several of our editors have Android phones. Android Auto isn't available on any BMW. On the $21,085 rented Hyundai? Standard.
Once Android 11 rolls out, the list of phones that can use wireless Android Auto will grow considerably. Google has updated Android Auto’s FAQ page (as spotted by 9to5Google) to add that almost all devices installed with the upcoming mobile OS will get the capability to connect to compatible in-car entertainment systems without a wire. The updated page also notes that your phone must support 5GHz WiFi for wireless connection to work.
Earlier this month a U.S. appeals court reversed a lower-court decision against Qualcomm, which makes technology for connecting devices to mobile data networks. The court also vacated an injunction that would have required Qualcomm to change its patent licensing practices.
"These are new growth initiatives that could create a lot of value for the company," Farley told Reuters, after Ford announced that he will succeed Jim Hackett as the automaker's fourth CEO since 2014. In addition to Ford's work on self-driving vehicles, "these are concrete areas that will change Ford," Farley said. In the meantime, Farley, 58, must wrestle with a painful restructuring of Ford's global operations amid the ravages of the coronavirus crisis that has saddled the No. 2 U.S. automa
