Hasta La Gadget!

Thought the Chevy Volt’s OnStar apps were impressive? You may not have to buy a Volt to get them. General Motors says it would like to extend such infotainment beyond its flagship plug-in hybrid, and has partnered with a undisclosed tech firm to help make it happen. Speaking to CNN Money, OnStar president Chris Pruess teases that we could see some of Volt’s features — remote locking, charging and perhaps air conditioning options — on other OnStar automobiles, or even other ventures (the exec says they’re looking “beyond automotive”) the auto manufacturer might decide on. The big question, of course, is whether this mysterious partner might restrict smartphone functionality to a particular handset or carrier — after all, when we think of cell phone manufacturers who’ve both worked with GM and recently acquired automotive assets, one in particular comes to mind.

[Thanks, Jub]

General Motors partners with mystery organization to bolster OnStar technology originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 May 2010 10:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Autoblog  |  CNN Money  | Email this | Comments

Remember Robonaut2, the gold-headed robot that first flexed its biceps back in February? He’s been called up — way up. NASA has given him a one-way ticket to the International Space Station aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on a departure that’s currently scheduled for September. It’s not entirely clear what he’ll be doing up there beyond making awe-inspiring poses like the one shown above, but he is slated to help during spacewalks and will be the first humanoid robot to leave the atmosphere. We just want to know whose shirts he’ll wear.

Update: Thanks to Joe at the Johnson Space Center we now have a video commemorating this achievement after the break.

Continue reading NASA and GM’s humanoid Robonaut2 blasting into space this September (video)

NASA and GM’s humanoid Robonaut2 blasting into space this September (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 07:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  The New York Times  | Email this | Comments

We’ll confess — the Segway did a lot of damage to urban mobility as a whole, but General Motors (of all companies) might have just mended a wound we thought un-mendable. Unveiling today in Shanghai, the two-seater EN-V concept is a play on last year’s altogether riveting (albeit forgotten) P.U.M.A., and yes, it seems as if some of those design cues have worked their way into this one as well. The Electric Networked-Vehicle was engineered to “alleviate concerns surrounding traffic congestion, parking availability, air quality and affordability for tomorrow’s cities,” and they’re also fully capable of transforming this place we call Earth into a next-generation Epcot. A trio of designs made their debut — Jiao (Pride), Miao (Magic) and Xiao (Laugh) — and we’re told that twin electric motors and “dynamic stabilization technology” allow ’em to turn on a dime and operate autonomously (!) using integrated GPS. The Li-ion batteries can be juiced from a conventional wall outlet, and the expected range is around 40 kilometers on a single charge. Best of all? There’s built in wireless of some sort, enabling your fellow EN-V owner-friends to keep track of your late-night escapades if you so allow. We know — you’d buy one of each if these were available today, but mum’s the word on when (or if) they’ll ever hit the production line; meanwhile, expect something called a “Malibu” to remain in the product pipeline for the better part of next decade.

GM’s two-seater EN-V concept makes ‘urban mobility’ hip again originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  General Motors  | Email this | Comments

About a decade ago, two of our favorite government entities, NASA and DARPA, paired off to create the robotic astronaut of the future: Robonaut. He had a cool copper helmet and some faux-muscly arms, but ultimately never made it to space. Now, 10 years on, NASA’s back with Robonaut2, created along with General Motors, who hopes to enslave poor R2 in its assembly plants. The details of exactly what has changed in this iteration are slim, but R2 is said to be more dexterous than its predecessor and stronger too, able to lift a 20lb dumbbell without getting all red in the face. It also seems to have lasers in its knuckles for some reason we can’t quite figure out, but we’re digging the look nevertheless. R2 is said to be helping NASA into a “bold new era of space exploration,” and while we don’t know exactly when that bold new era begins (now?), we do have a particularly menacing video of the original Robonaut included below, as well as one two of the fit and trim new model.

[Thanks, Adam]

Continue reading NASA and GM’s Robonaut2 allows human astronauts to feel the fear of obsolescence (video)

NASA and GM’s Robonaut2 allows human astronauts to feel the fear of obsolescence (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  NASA  | Email this | Comments