The Car Tech blog

(Credit: Visteon)

With touch-panel technology, Visteon is doing away with buttons and knobs in car dashboards. These new dashboards, on display at CES 2009, look like opaque, blank panels, but when you put your hand near the surface, a proximity sensor lights up button areas. Visteon has mapped standard car controls onto its touch panel, such as climate control and audio. The panels use haptic technology so you can feel it click. The company had a few other innovations on display, including a 3D navigation display and a driver alertness monitor.

See what dashboards in future cars will look like with our photos.

The Blaupunkt New Jersey integrates Internet radio stations.

(Credit: Blaupunkt)

CES is all about convergence, and one of the more interesting examples is Internet radio station aggregator miRoamer and car stereo maker Blaupunkt. The result of this union is two stereo head units from Blaupunkt that receive and play Internet radio, giving you over 16,000 choices for streamed music while you drive. The first hurdle with a system like this is getting the Internet stream to the car. The Blaupunkt miRoamer system uses the data connection for a paired Bluetooth phone, connecting to the miRoamer server. Obviously you will need a phone with a data plan, preferably unlimited.

The Hamburg is a smaller Internet radio head unit.

(Credit: Blaupunkt)

Blauplunkt will release two stereo head units, the single DIN Hamburg and the double DIN New Jersey, with miRoamer integrated later this year. Because so many radio stations are available, the interface in the head unit isn't designed for users to search through stations. Instead, you create a profile on the miRoamer Web site with your favorite radio stations. When you get in the car, the head unit logs into miRoamer and shows your radio stations as presets.

At this time, we don't know how good the audio quality will be, or if the streams will come through largely uninterrupted.

2010 Lexus RX 450h

(Credit: Lexus)

Elsewhere, editor Wayne Cunningham has covered the new styling and cabin features of the 2010 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h. So I'll comment on the drivetrain and chassis changes.

Let's just say that, at Lexus, "The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection" is not merely advertising hype.

Lexus has obviously been doing something right with its RX, as the midsize luxury crossover is its most-popular vehicle, and the one that defines the midsize luxury crossover segment. But there was room for improvement in both the chassis and powertrain departments. The two previous generations had suspension tunings best-described as "middle-aged, middle-of-the-road American"--soft for comfort, and with plenty of body roll in even moderate cornering. Steering was a touch on the light side, too.

Maybe a generation growing up in sport-compacts is making a difference. Lexus does at least as much customer clinic research as anyone, and changes products accordingly. And the new RX has a much better suspension tuning than its forebears, for improved handling and a better driving experience with no reduction of comfort. The rear suspension change, from struts to double wishbones, may get some credit--as well as extra credit for less intrusion into the cargo area and so greater cabin space--but revisions in spring and shocks rates and careful matching of all suspension components and use of speed-sensitive electric power steering results in a vehicle that is as responsive as many a sports sedan, with very quick turn-in and minimal body roll even when requested to do an IS-F imitation. No, really! No harshness, no thumpiness, no fuss, no muss...and handling response is also a very important safety factor. The crash you can avoid is one you don't have.

Improvements in aerodynamics from the new styling and careful management of underbody airflow--those really aren't skid plates underneath the RX, that sheet metal is there for the same reason race cars don't have lumps hanging out underneath, air management--help reduce wind and road noise, and asphalt sheeting and plastic materials strategically placed and tuned to cancel out resonance at those spots help reduce road noise even more. Polyester felt fender liners eliminate pings from rocks thrown up into the wheel wells. Details, details...must be a Lexus.

And so the interior, in addition to being stylish, ergonomically wonderful, and comfortable, is also relaxingly quiet. The trackball-like controller for the navigation, information, and audio systems is the polar opposite of the counterintuitive devices found in German luxury cars. If you've ever used a computer mouse or trackball or video game controller, no explanation is necessary and no recourse to a 100-page manual.

Drivetrains of both the gasoline V6 RX 350 and gasoline-electric hybrid RX 450h have been upgraded. The 350 gets a bit more power out of its namesake 3.5-liter engine--five more horsepower and seven more pound-feet of torque--but that now goes through a six-speed automatic transmission. Lower first- and second-gear ratios improve acceleration, while closer third through sixth ratios and a higher overdrive in sixth improve driving characteristics and fuel economy. It's quiet and comfortable on the road, as expected. But when the road gets challenging or there is a need to change direction quickly, the new RX just follows orders, with no excessive roll or resistance to directional change.

More impressive was the RX 400h with the newest version of the Lexus Hybrid Drive. It's handling was, if anything, even better than the 350's, despite an extra 300 pounds of mass. The previous RX Hybrid had sometimes inconsistent and nonlinear throttle response resulting from changes in power mode. There was a noticeable jolt when the gas engine came on after being stopped at a light or in traffic, and the addition of electric motor assist during acceleration sometimes provided more power than anticipated by throttle movement. None of this was serious, or even as bad as the non-response of an old precomputer era "slushbox" automatic or long-lag turbo from the '80s, but it did preclude the Hybrid from being a true driver's vehicle.

Not any more. Because the thumps and jolts are gone. If anything, the Hybrid is smoother than its gasoline-only sibling. And noticeably more powerful as well as more fuel-efficient. X amount of pedal travel gets y amount of acceleration, consistently. No surprises.

What's changed? If the basics of the Lexus/Toyota hybrid system are the same, all details are next-generation and mostly lighter, smaller, and more efficient.

The engine is a derivative of the 3.5-liter V6 in the RX 350, but it runs on the Atkinson cycle (like the Toyota Prius), not the Otto cycle of the old RX 400h. That's more efficient, and further efficiencies come from new exhaust gas recirculation and exhaust heat recovery systems that allow quicker warmup and eliminate the need for fuel enrichment to cool the catalytic converter. The heat recovery system allows the engine to be shut off sooner after a cold start, and more often, too.

An improved flywheel damper is the secret to the smoothness of mode transitions in the system. A two-step torque-absorbing mechanism reduces shocks from engine start-up to a negligible amount and is the chief contributor to the RX 450h's driveline refinement.

Power for the hybrid is up, from a combined 268 to a combined 295 horsepower. That bests the RX 350's 275. Both come in front- or all-wheel-drive form, but AWD systems are different. That on the RX 350 is a new electronically activated on-demand system that is lighter and more efficient than previous mechanical systems. As before, the AWD hybrid uses a separate rear motor-generator unit to provide power to the rear wheels when needed.

The RX 350 goes on sale in February, with the hybrid following a couple of months later. Prices have not been announced at the time of writing. Expect to see the enhancements to the hybrid system in upcoming Toyota and Lexus hybrids as well.

(Credit: Automotive News)

GUANGZHOU, China--BYD is a small automaker here but a major producer of lithium ion batteries for cell phones.

The company wants to use its expertise in batteries to make practical plug-in hybrids.

At the Detroit auto show, BYD will show its F3DM plug-in hybrid, which is on sale in China in limited numbers.

BYD President Wang Chuanfu told Automotive News China that U.S. sales are possible in 2011, but he has not spelled out specific plans.

In September, BYD received a $232 million investment from American billionaire Warren Buffett.

BYD also plans to show another plug-in hybrid, the F6DM, and the E6, a seven-seat electric van.

Another Chinese automaker, Shenyang Brilliance Jinbei Automotive, will display four models in Detroit: the BS6 mid-size sedan, the BS4 compact car, the BC3 sporty coupe, and the FRV hatchback.

Brilliance plans to sell cars in the United States but has provided no details about its distribution and dealership plans.

One company source expects Brilliance to attempt U.S. sales in about 2011.

The company is reworking the BS6 and BS4 so both can meet stringent U.S. crash and emissions standards. Brilliance hired Porsche AG to work on the crash engineering of the BS6 and BS4. FEV, a U.S. engine technology company, will redo the cars' emissions engineering.

In China, Brilliance operates a joint venture with BMW AG that produces BMW cars.

(Source: Automotive News)

(Credit: Honda)

Although automakers face tough times, Detroit is still alive and kicking, with several new launches set for the 2009 auto show. Honda and Toyota duke it out with their respective hybrid vehicles, while GM shows off a new direction for Chevrolet. Ford has an impressive new muscle car, plus its stable of hybrids and high-tech luxury Lincoln cars.

See photos of a few of the new cars slated to launch at the 2009 Detroit auto show.

Ford Sync 3.0 offers turn-by-turn directions.

(Credit: Microsoft)

We've been pretty impressed by Sync's Bluetooth phone and MP3 player connectivity, but Version 3.0 of Sync gains a whole new dimension with an array of connected services that includes navigation, traffic conditions, business search, weather, and other information sources. To use these services, you hit the voice command button in a Sync-equipped car and request services. The system uses your Bluetooth paired phone to connect with a server where you can request, by voice, directions, traffic conditions, a local business search, and other services.

The really innovative aspect of this system is that Ford can easily add new services, because they are loaded into a centralized server. For new services, car owners may need to update their version of Sync, but that can be as simple as downloading an update file from Ford's SyncMyRide Web site, putting it on a USB drive, and hooking it up to the car. However, this new version of Sync requires a GPS chip, which wasn't installed with earlier versions of Sync, so there won't be backward compatibility.

Sync can use this simple monochrome display for a variety of services.

(Credit: Microsoft)

The system doesn't require an LCD screen or factory navigation system, either. When you request directions to an address, Sync uses the GPS chip to send your location to the server, which computes your turn-by-turn directions and sends them to the car. If you get off the route, you can ask the system to update the directions, and it will send down a new set based on your current location. Likewise, with business search, you can request a business type by saying florist, or hardware, and it will find the nearest business of that type and send it to the car. With the traffic conditions feature, the system will advise you of any bad traffic on your route, and then suggest an alternative.

Ford will make this new version of Sync available on almost all 2010 Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln models. There is no subscription fee for the first three years of ownership. Ford will determine any future fees at a later date.

You can choose a music guide from your collection.

(Credit: CBS Interactive)

Imagine having your favorite recording artist talking to you from your dashboard, recommending new music that you might like. Now imagine the music available to you in your car extending to just about every track ever recorded. Let's take it a step further and say you can use your car stereo like an instant messenger, where you can recommend songs and playlists to people on your buddy list. Gracenote CarStars does all of this, and its slated to become available in a 2011 model car, with a release date sometime in 2010, although Gracenote currently isn't releasing details about which car company.

If you know about Gracenote, you're probably into music. This company maintains a database of song information, from ID3 tags to actual song signatures created by analyzing a track's waveform. Gracenote partnered with Voxonics, which does speech mapping, to create its recording artist guides. Choose your favorite artist, as long as Gracenote has created a profile for them, and you will hear their voice suggesting music you might like, in whichever language you choose.

The MusicStation lets you play music from a vast library.

(Credit: CBS Interactive)

Gracenote also partnered with Omnifone, a company offering a mobile music subscription network, to create a feature called MusicStation. Pay the monthly fee, and you have access to music from every major and many indie labels. In your car, you can search for new artists or browse others that aren't in your immediate collection. MusicStation also has a social network, which lets you maintain a buddy list, so you can share your music.

Find our more about Gracenote CarStars by checking out our photos.