Volt Owners Could One Day Tap More Renewable Charging

OnStar and PJM Interconnection, a major electric transmission company, are teaming up to help make clean, renewable electrical charging easier for Chevrolet Volt owners.

Together, the firms have developed software that manages the use of renewable energy via the Volt's OnStar data connection. The software, which is still in beta testing, would notify Volt owners by about time-of-use energy pricing, identify new charging locations and manage the energy put into the Volt.

For instance, the software could inform Volt owners that peak wind generation typically happens between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., making charging at those times most advantageous. Customers can also indicate that they'd like to use renewable energy sources, and OnStar would regulate the charging by using only those sources. Furthermore, the software could track the demand for renewable energy sources by consumers, which would help companies like PJM with investment in the proper infrastructure.

The software is part of a greater effort to improve the sustainability and efficiency of our electrical grid by focusing more on information gathering, also known as smarting the grid.

Nissan Develops Self-Healing iPhone Case

You pay a lot of money for your iPhone, but normal wear and tear makes its case look old within weeks. What if those scuffs and scratches disappeared after an hour or so? 

In 2005, Nissan developed Scratch Shield self-healing paint, making shallow vehicle scratches disappear. Today, the paint is used on the Murano and 370Z and across Infiniti's lineup. The Japanese automaker recently announced the technology's first non-automotive application: the iPhone case.

The Scratch Shield iPhone uses the same gel-like, durable paint finish found on Nissan and Infiniti products, as well as rigid, high-strength plastic. As with vehicle scratches, a shallow scratch on the iPhone case will take around an hour to heal on its own; deeper scratches could take around a week to repair themselves.

The case is being developed in conjunction with the University of Tokyo and Advanced Softmaterials Inc. and is compatible with iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S models. Prototypes are being tested with a small group of customers and journalists. If the tests are successful and demand proves high, Nissan could sell the cases to the public later this year. 

CD Players Make Slow Exit From New Cars

Cars without CD players will become the norm in the next five years, according to Automotive News.

Around 331,000 cars will be sold without CD players by the end of this year, said to John Canali, an analyst for the research company Stratacom. Canali expects that number to jump to 12.1 million vehicles by 2018.

Why the change? Consumers are using their CD players less often and are instead opting to use their smartphones to play music. In turn, automakers want to get rid of optical drives because they're expensive and mainly appeal to older motorists, Canali says.

Mercedes to Update In-Car Connectivity Service

Mercedes-Benz's subscription-based telecommunications service, called mbrace, will get a major overhaul this spring.

The service will harness the power of its integrated 3G cellular connection to add more internet services and features to the system, allowing owners to access Facebook, Google, stock info, Yelp and news headlines via newly developed apps, as well as the ability to surf the web via an integrated browser.

Furthermore, mbrace will now have over-the-air updates. Most in-vehicle operating systems, such as MyFord Touch or Chevrolet's MyLink, require their multimedia systems to be updated manually, usually through a USB jump drive. The new mbrace system — technically called mbrace2 — is always online and will upgrade automatically as needed.

Brand Loyalty Declines; Shoppers Put Technology First

Bob Glanville runs a manufacturing company in Bristol, R.I. He just bought a diesel 2012 Volkswagen Jetta TDI wagon for its gas mileage, power and cargo room. Richard Pealer, a graphic designer in the Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pa., took the keys to a 2012 Hyundai Veloster for its sharp styling and nimble handling.
 
Two guys, two pretty different high-mileage cars. But Glanville and Pealer share one other thing: Neither has an affinity for a particular brand of car. Glanville last drove a Toyota Tacoma; Pealer used to own a Suzuki SX4.
 
Brand loyalty is declining across the board, and a new study suggests shoppers' desire for multimedia technology in their cars could be a key reason. And carmakers that can stay on top of tech trends may be able to keep more people coming back to their brands.

Nearly 250,000 Owners Will Get MyFord Touch Upgrade

As we reported earlier, Ford will upgrade the performance speed and usability of its MyFord Touch system and will deliver the upgrade via USB jump drive to existing customers starting early next year. The 2013 Ford Escape, Flex and Taurus will be the first new Fords equipped with the upgraded system.

We’re now learning that the performance upgrade will affect some 250,000 existing Ford owners — purchasers of the Ford Focus, Explorer, Edge and Lincoln MKX, according to the Los Angeles Times blog. MyFord Touch debuted more than a year ago, on the 2011 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX.

The jump drive will be mailed to owners, and Ford says the upgrade should take about 45 minutes to complete. If owners don’t feel up to upgrading the system themselves, Ford says you can bring your Ford to a dealership that will perform the upgrade for free. Another 200,000 Fords equipped with MyFord Touch were sold outside the U.S.; Ford is still deciding on how to upgrade the system for those owners.

The improvements come after intense customer and critic complaints that the system was confusing, slow and buggy. In fact, the prolific introduction of MyFord Touch over the year, apparently much to chagrin of Ford buyers, was enough to dramatically decrease Ford’s reliability and initial quality scores with Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates, respectively. Ford says that nearly 85% of people who own vehicles with MyFord Touch find it easy to use, before the upgrade.

No More Cutouts: Where Do Aftermarket Stereos Go?

Getting an aftermarket stereo used to be straightforward. Head down to the electronics store, pick a new unit, yank out your old stereo and install the replacement in a same-size dashboard cavity. Installation professionals could do it in a jiffy — and the resulting unit fit snugly, looked OK and brought you up to speed with the latest technology: a tape deck, a CD player and eventually an MP3 jack.

That's hardly the case today. Cars from the Ford Fiesta (above) to the Honda Accord integrate cutout-free stereos into ever-more seamless dashboards, but audio technology continues to improve faster than car companies update models. Market researcher NPD Group reports nearly a third of people already listen to music in their cars off a smartphone or MP3 player, and near-future systems boast complete smartphone integration. Today's new-car buyers don't have the easy ability to upgrade their stereos like they once did.

MyFord Touch Gets Upgrade

Ford has upgraded its MyFord and MyLincoln Touch systems to be faster and simpler to use, according to the automaker.

Prominent differences are simpler graphics and larger, bolder fonts used throughout the interface. We have images of the old and new screens below. It might be hard to judge if the newer versions are indeed an upgrade until people actually use them. What you can’t see is a noticeable jump in performance. The new software is at least two times faster than the current system, Ford says.

The upgraded system will launch early next year on the 2013 Ford Escape, Flex and Taurus. Existing owners of MyFord and MyLincoln Touch are eligible for upgrade at no charge.

Cars.com Launches Three New Pandora Stations

Cars.com has teamed with Pandora internet radio on three all-new stations for drivers and anyone who loves the open road.

"Road Trip" An eclectic mix of Southern and classic rock, with a little bit of country thrown in. Sample artists include George Strait, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots.

"Tailgate" Feel the energy of your favorite sports team with a mix of hip-hop, pop and rock. Sample artists include David Guetta, Kanye West, The Notorious B.I.G. and The Fugees.

"Car Songs" Imagine the best mix tape featuring songs about cars and driving. Sample artists and tracks include John Mayer ("Route 66"), Cake ("The Distance"), Chris LeDoux ("Cadillac Ranch") and Meat Loaf ("Paradise by the Dashboard Light").

Check out the stations, and let us know where you most use Pandora.

Smartphone on Your Dashboard? Don't Count On It

I'm staring at a dashboard display that's been removed from a car and mounted on a table for journalists, investors and engineers to sample. On it is an enlarged version of a Samsung smartphone home-screen, plugged right into the "car." There are applications aplenty, with touch-screen dragging, maps, email and more. I surf the web to CNN.com. The guy after me boots up Angry Birds and takes a flick. Wood pillars splinter and green pigs disintegrate.

Is there a day when you'll park your car, and all of this could happen on its dashboard? Yes. Is that what most consumers will choose to do? Probably not.