1999 Limousine Suv Cadillac Ascalade 200inch on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Bosch builds an infotainment system that just might not suck

As far as we've come with in-car infotainment and interfaces over the past decade or so, we still have a long way to go — as most current systems show. Whether it's high-end brands like Mercedes-Benz with its kludgy COMAND system, which we hope will be replaced with the MBUX platform revealed at CES, or more mainstream vehicles like Hondas (with their frustrating, knobless Display Audio interface), getting the kind of content and ease of use in the car that we're used to having on other connected devices is far too complex and sometimes costly. While Apple and Google have tried to ride to the rescue with CarPlay and Android Auto, respectively, they're limited solutions. No automaker or tech supplier has been able to deliver an easy, economical, flexible and non-distracting infotainment solution. But Bosch could be closing in on this elusive goal, given the digital cockpit concept demo I recently received at CES. Displayed in a Cadillac Escalade, the concept featured five interconnected color screens: one in the instrument cluster, two in the center console, and two more in the front-seat headrest for second-row passengers. The digital cockpit concept demo had cool features such as haptic-feedback touch-screen controls that created an edge-like feeling similar to a physical button, facial recognition to confirm driver credentials, and the intelligence to know the location of a phone in the car to lock it out to keep the driver from texting. The most significant aspect of the Bosch digital cockpit concept wasn't visible — but shows the company's vision for a future of seamless, convenient, cost-effective and safe in-car infotainment. It's powered by a single electronic control unit (ECU) that can simultaneously run multiple operating systems and also separates vehicle and infotainment controls for critical safety and cybersecurity reasons. Most modern cars can have as many as 100 separate ECUs, Philip Ventimiglia, product manager for Bosch Car Multimedia North America, explained at CES, and several just for infotainment functions. "The goal is to reduce that to about 10 so that we can save cost throughout the vehicle and enable new technologies," he added. "OEMs want to put more technology into cars, but it costs money," Ventimiglia said.

New Takata problem results in recall of 414 GM vehicles

An airbag-inflator rupture discovered by Takata during testing has resulted in a new recall affecting 414 vehicles from General Motors, including 395 of them in the US. This latest campaign covers 2015 model-year examples of the Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain. There are no reported breaks in any of these vehicles on the road, and the company estimates only one percent of them actually have the faulty parts. According to documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (as a PDF), one side-airbag inflator failed a cold test at -40 Fahrenheit "releasing high pressure gas and propelling the separated components apart." The supplier told GM about the failure the next day. In these vehicles, the safety device might not only burst but the bag could inflate incorrectly, as well. GM and Takata say that a cause is not yet known, but they are "conducting an investigation." GM will begin notifying affected owners via overnight mail on Oct. 19. Dealers will replace the side airbag modules on all of the affected vehicles with new components outside of the suspect lot. All of the removed parts will also be collected for further study. Takata's faulty front airbag inflators have resulted in a serious scandal for the supplier. Initial figures indicated 34 million US vehicles are need of repair, though more recent figures have knocked that down to 23.4 million bad parts in 19.2 million automobiles. GM was already among the dozen automakers with models to fix, and some of its pickups were affected, along with the Saab 9-2X and Pontiac Vibe. GM Statement: General Motors is recalling 395 cars and crossovers in the U.S. because one of the front seat side air bags inflators may be defective. In the event of a deployment, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. GM is unaware of any incidents involving vehicles with these components, which were part of a lot in which one inflator failed acceptance testing at the supplier. Dealers will replace the side air bag module or modules in affected vehicles. Including Canada, Mexico and exports, the total population of the recall is 414, GM estimates 1 percent of the recalled vehicles may have the defect.

2020 Cadillac CT6 losing the 3.0-liter TT V6?

In April we learned Cadillac would no longer offer the 2.0-liter four-cylinder on the CT6. The same day we heard the news, the CT6 configurator showed that engine option gone, leaving three engines on the menu. That menu could lose another option come 2020, according to a report in AutoVerdict. The site says it got an order guide for the 2020 CT6, and the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 won't make it to the new year. That engine was once the top-tier choice, since eclipsed by the detuned 4.2-liter twin-turbo Blackwing V8 imminently available on the Platinum trim. AutoVerdict also read in the order guide that the horsepower figures haven't been finalized for next year's model. As it stands, the entry-level 3.6-liter six-cylinder makes 335 horsepower and 284 pound-feet of torque, the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 produces 404 hp and 400 lb-ft, and the 4.2-liter V8 ginning up 500 hp and 574 lb-ft when it arrives. Retiring the middle option ostensibly puts a big ol' gap in output and pricing between the two models left. Right now $24,200 separates the entry-level Premium Luxury from the Platinum. However, since the present Platinum uses the 3.0-liter, it's safe to guess that the 4.2-liter V8 will cost more, creating a larger gap. The Sport model in between uses the 3.0-liter, too. Perhaps that goes away, or maybe it stays and gets further cosmetic upgrades to give it more edge and a higher price. Another change coming to the 2020 CT6 is its induction into Cadillac's metric-unit torque-based badging system. This, remember, converts pound-foot torque into Newton-meters, then rounds up to the nearest 50. That means the 3.0-liter V6 will wear a 400 badge, the 4.2-liter V8 gets an 800T badge - the T standing for turbo. The year's been full of engine rationalizations at General Motors. Theories about the CT6 dropping the 2.0-liter figured it might have been about making space above the CT5, or guaranteeing supply for other GM models that use the engine, like the Cadillac XT4. The folks at AutoVerdict suspect the 3.0-liter TTV6 could be making the move to the CT5, and to the hot-headed CT4-V we'll be getting a look at come the end of this month. Related Video: