Musician will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas — who is also a noted technologist, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist — discussed his work with Mercedes-AMG, why he attends the CES conference each year in Las Vegas, and his vision of the future. In 2022 he was asked by Mercedes to reimagine a vehicle. He loves pattern-matching, he said, and seeing how things align. After developing ideas with his team and auctioning off the working prototype WILL.I.AMG to raise funds for his inner-city education philanthropy, he went back to Mercedes with a simple but powerful pitch with a focus on audio. Continue reading CES: Will.i.am Discusses the Intersection of Music and Tech

During last week’s New York International Auto Show, visitors witnessed the promising early developments of self-driving vehicles demonstrated by a number of car companies. While a fully capable self-driving car may be years away from mainstream deployment, self-driving features that exist today impressed the crowds. Companies including Volvo, Cadillac and Audi unveiled an array of autopilot features that can control a car’s speed, brakes and steering while traveling up to 40 mph.  Continue reading Array of Self-Driving Features Impress at New York Auto Show

Google and Apple have been developing dashboard systems that would allow drivers to power the center screen of their automobile with the use of a smartphone. The systems have been designed to make driving safer for cellphone users. While neither company has confirmed when these dashboards would be available, there is speculation that they will arrive soon. More than two dozen car makers have reportedly agreed to support Google’s Android Auto, Apple’s CarPlay, or both systems. Continue reading Google and Apple Dashboard Systems May Arrive in Cars Soon

Consumers criticized Samsung for recording users through its smart TVs and sending the data to a third party, but other companies reportedly take a similar approach. Many of the audio recordings come from devices with voice recognition, like LG’s smart TVs or Amazon Echo. Such recording of unknowing users is not limited to the living room. Automobiles from companies such as GM and Chevrolet can record and send information about a driver’s speed, location, and their route to work. Continue reading Numerous Smart Devices May Now Be Secretly Recording Users

People in need of a ride may eventually get around by Google driverless car, instead of Uber, Lyft, or other recently launched ride-hailing services. Google has reportedly told Uber’s board of the plan to develop a ride-sharing app and launch its own taxi service. This could be devastating for Uber’s business if Google limits the company’s access to Google Maps. If Google can also implement driverless cars, the company might be able to lower prices to the point that Uber cannot compete. Continue reading Google is Building a Ride-Sharing App to Compete with Uber

General Motors released prices for its first vehicles equipped with built-in LTE 4G, essentially turning the cars into rolling Wi-Fi hot spots. The automaker will launch its 2015 models in the next month, and plans to release more than 30 new vehicles with LTE broadband connectivity, as well as numerous new communications, safety, and navigation services. The communications service will be provided by AT&T, and the cars will come with a free, three-month trial with three gigabytes of data. Continue reading GM Scheduled to Launch Cars Equipped with 4G LTE Service

A new app from Samsung was developed with the intention of keeping drivers off their phones while behind the wheel. Startling statistics indicate that text messaging while driving makes you 23 times more likely to get in an accident. More startling yet is that more than 77 percent of young American adults believe they’re able to text while safely driving. To combat that, Samsung’s new Android app, “Eyes on the Road,” turns not texting into a game with tangible rewards for safe driving. Continue reading Gamification: Samsung App Rewards Drivers for Not Texting

The Audi of the future is more than mere transportation. In a CES keynote presentation, Professor Rupert Stadler, chairman of the board of management of Audi AG, demonstrated how the “connected car” is redefining today’s automobile with an array of innovations that include piloted driving and “a new dimension of in-car entertainment.” Audi cleverly cast Kunal Nayyar of “The Big Bang Theory” to introduce and host the tech-heavy presentation. Continue reading Audi Connects with Future of Mobility in CES Keynote Address

The traffic app Waze is partnering with Universal Pictures in order to produce a celebrity voice navigation feature. The first celebrity to give directions is comedian and actor Kevin Hart. Waze essentially crowdsources traffic and navigation data, and friends and fellow travelers are able to post updates that provide a real time picture of road conditions. The app gained popularity after it was acquired by Google earlier this year for $1.3 billion. Continue reading Celebrities Now Give Driving Directions via Traffic App Waze

Google introduced this week the first integrations between its Google Maps for Mobile and the newly acquired Waze traffic app (Google purchased Waze for $1 billion in June). Obstacles such as construction, accidents and road closures reported by Waze users will now be available via the traffic tab on the iOS and Android versions of Google Maps. The Waze app will support Google search, while its map editors will have access to Google’s satellite imagery and Street View. Continue reading Google and Waze Integrate Their Mobile Maps for First Time

Most major automakers are developing more automated driving systems. Some of the features, such as cruise control that adjusts to the speeds of surrounding cars, blind spot radar and other collision avoidance systems, are already available. The push to deliver automated cars reflects the differences of automakers and Silicon Valley tech companies. Established car companies typically take a more incremental tactic than Silicon Valley, taking into account decades of manufacturing experience. Continue reading Google Drives Past Auto Manufacturers in Vehicle Automation