Hasta La Gadget!

First came Cadillac (naturally), and now some of General Motors‘ other remaining brands are finally scratching the WiFi itch. Beginning next month, Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet dealers will all begin offering up Autonet Mobile‘s $499 WiFi router as a dealer-installed option, though it’s on you to pony up the $29 (or more) it takes to get said device online month in and month out. As always, you’ll also get a docking station to take it from one GM vehicle to another, though (at least initially) it’ll only be offered in SUVs, crossovers and trucks, which are whips most likely to be used by internet-addicted families. ‘Course, those looking to do a little retrofitting need only head to gmextras.com to snap one up themselves, but don’t say you heard it from us.

[Via Autoblog]

Filed under: Transportation, Wireless

GM to offer $500 Autonet Mobile WiFi option in select vehicles originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now you can use your iPhone or iPod Touch to kill the environment by firing up your car from afar and leaving the engine to idle whilst either warming or cooling your ride while you wait inside. This alternative to a scarf and gloves comes from Viper in the form of the SmartStart, a module which is wired into your car and lets you lock, unlock and start your car from any distance.

The remote unit isn’t new — Viper has sold the SmartStart for some time. The fancy part this time is the iPhone (or iPod Touch) integration, which comes by way of an iPhone app and a $300 add-on for your SmartStart device (you can opt for the $500 all-in-one if you are starting from scratch). This box has inside it a GSM cell radio, with which you communicate via the internet using the companion application.

Because it uses the cellular network, you’ll need to pay a $30-a-year subscription (year one is included in the cost of the device) and, because it has something to do with cars, you’ll have to pay somebody to install it — there is no DIY kit version. I guess only you, reader, can decide if it’s worth burning extra gas instead of just sitting in a cold car for five minutes. On the other hand, having the car report status info — triggered alarms, for example — direct to your phone is pretty handy stuff.

Product page [iTunes]

Product page [Viper]

BMW’s latest concept isn’t quite as far out as some of its earlier efforts, and the company has dubbed it SIMPLE, but don’t let that fool you. Joining Nissan’s Land Glider in a new trend toward leaning vehicles that have motorbike-like footprints, the “Sustainable and Innovative Mobility Product for Low Energy consumption” is said to have similar seating space to a BMW 3 Series coupe. Its space fighter appearance isn’t just for show either — with a drag coefficient of 0.18 and a weight of only 992 pounds, this bad boy is capable of harnessing a small internal combustion engine and electric motor to tear up the autobahn at up to 124mph. Zero to sixty in under ten seconds and 118 miles per gallon fuel efficiency fill out the sexy stat sheet, though sadly there are no productions plans as of yet. The concept is being exhibited in the BMW Museum in Munich, but if you can’t make it over to Germany right now, there’s a video for you after the break.

Continue reading BMW makes the awesome look SIMPLE with leaning three-wheeler (video)

Filed under: Transportation

BMW makes the awesome look SIMPLE with leaning three-wheeler (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One of the major disadvantages of electric vehicles, for petrolheads at least, is the lack of engine noise. How can you be proud of your beastly motor if it doesn’t roar? There are mundane considerations like pedestrian safety too, but that’s beside the point. Nissan seems to have uncovered an old copy of Blade Runner in its toolshed and decided that, yes, it might be a good idea for the Leaf EV to emit a whooshing sound inspired by the Philip K. Dick adaptation. If implemented, this will raise the car’s price somewhat, but wouldn’t you pay a premium to have your auto sound like a jet taking off? The Leaf is expected to arrive in the US in 2010, replete with its reputed 367 miles per gallon efficiency.

[Via Autoblog Green]

Continue reading Nissan’s Leaf EV will sound like a Blade Runner spinner, get better mileage

Filed under: Transportation

Nissan’s Leaf EV will sound like a Blade Runner spinner, get better mileage originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The future, kids — we’re living in it. Sensationalism aside, we are pretty jazzed to hear that Toyota’s long-awaited, much-teased plug-in Prius hybrid will be making its bona fide debut to the public next week. The image above is expected to be near-final, though we’re reserving judgment until we see if the actual model on stage is plastered with 80s era stick-on graphics. Of note, the Hybrid Synergy Drive system has been upgraded for this whip, enabling it to slowly rocket from 0 to 62 without using a drop of gasoline. Once there, it can cruise for up to 12.5 miles in electric mode, and should you need to juice it back up, it’ll take 1.5 hours when charged from a 230V source. Further details are expected to flow as Frankfurt heats up, though the whole “not shipping to retail until 2012” kind of puts a damper on our excitement.

Filed under: Transportation

Toyota’s plug-in hybrid Prius gets pictured, detailed further originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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