| Cadillac focuses on safety with vibrating drivers' seats, other accident avoidance tech (video) Mar 28th 2012, 12:42 To say General Motors' Cadillac division is taking safety seriously on its upcoming 2013 vehicles would be an understatement. The automaker recently announced its high-tech accident avoidance packages dubbed Driver Awareness and Assist, the earlier of which is set to debut this Spring on its new XTS model, moving along to the ATS by the summer. Driver Assist (set to release in the fall) packs goodies like Automatic Collision Preparation and auto-braking, while the Awareness version aims to help keep you in your lane and safe from blind spots, among other things. Despite the differing monikers, both sport many of the same systems such as Adaptive Forward Lighting that can shift 15 degrees based on your turn, radar-based adaptive cruise control and Rear Cross Traffic Alert so you don't get sideswiped while backing up. Most notable among both is the company's Safety Alert seat -- AT&T Labs may be testing a force-feedback steering wheel, but GM's gone and planted haptic feedback into the drivers' bottom seat cushion. Essentially, using the radar, cameras and sensors around the car, the seat can rumble on its left, right or all around, in order to "nudge" you in situations such as getting to close to another car or veering out of your lane. You can also opt for audio cues if you're not fond of vibrations, or use both together. Of course, there's a whole lot more too it, so if you're curious to see it all in action you'll find a duo of videos and more information in the press releases planted after the break. Continue reading Cadillac focuses on safety with vibrating drivers' seats, other accident avoidance tech (video) Cadillac focuses on safety with vibrating drivers' seats, other accident avoidance tech (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Clarion's Android-running Mirage IVI: a head unit that can play Angry Birds Mar 28th 2012, 11:40 Remember the Clarion Malaysia IVI that was teased back in December? The company's just unveiled the finished product, which you can call Mr. Clarion Mirage. The Android-running car stereo, head unit, erm, In-Vehicle Infotainment system is a hefty Double DIN unit, with a 6.5-inch display up front and plenty of tech packed inside. Intel's embedded systems division Wind River supplied the customized version of Froyo, Navigon offered up a navigation engine and industrial designers Plextex helped design the hardware. The Clarion Mirage as USB and AV-out ports, an SD card slot and is designed to be as flexible as a smartphone: capable of playing back music and video, running apps from Google Play or working as a display repeater with consoles. There's no official word on pricing or availability, but the scuttlebutt says it'll arrive in Q4 of this year. We've reached out and will update if we learn more. Continue reading Clarion's Android-running Mirage IVI: a head unit that can play Angry Birds Clarion's Android-running Mirage IVI: a head unit that can play Angry Birds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Apple offers refund over Australian 4G iPad confusion Mar 28th 2012, 11:06  Confused over Apple's liberal use of the 4G moniker? The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reckons you have a point and took those concerns to Apple Australia. The company has now responded to the country's federal court, offering to contact -- by email -- everyone who bought the retina-screened slab and promise a refund if they felt misled over its connectivity capabilities. Apple will also amend its point of sale details to explain that while it can connect to 4G (LTE) networks in the US and Canada, it won't connect to Australia's own next-generation network offered by Telstra. Apple also thinks that the existence of HPSA capability -- and its nebulous definition as either a third-generation or fourth generation network -- in the Land Down Under meant it could still hold onto those 4G credentials. Apple offers refund over Australian 4G iPad confusion originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  The Register | Email this | Comments | |
