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Valet mode captures joyride in red Corvette

A man in California is among the first to catch a valet behaving badly in his 2015 Corvette using a controversial built-in recording feature. Dan Cowles told KTLA 5 when he bought his dream car, a 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, he opted for the Performance Data Recorder. The Corvette PDR uses a high-definition camera mounted in the windshield header, a microphone in the cabin and a GPS receiver that record and track the sports car's movements and sounds. They work together to produce a video with telemetry overlay, so you can see acceleration rates, lap times and g-forces. The system can be customized to show extensive performance data, or simply video of your drive like a traditional dash cam. It also comes with Valet Mode, which locks the glove box, disables entertainment and records video. The audio recording feature ran afoul of several state's recording consent laws, but this video has no audio, indicating the fix may have been as easy as turning off the microphone. Cowles dropped off his hot red 'Vette with the valets at the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts in Costa Mesa, CA. When he got his car back he checked the PDR and discovered footage of the valet taking a short, but intense, joyride in the garage. In the video, the valet finds a straightaway in a tiered parking garage and pushes the car to 50 miles per hour in five seconds before quickly stopping. He then parks the car without incident. The valet then gets out of the car and takes one more admiring look at the front. The valet company has yet to commented on the video, according to Fox News, but valets everywhere should be on notice; that little red Corvette you have your eye on may have its eyes on you. Related Gallery Ward's 10 Best Engines of 2015 View 10 Photos Chevrolet Driving Classics valet parking

BMW, Hyundai score big in JD Power's first Tech Experience Index

While automakers are quick to brag about winning a JD Power Initial Quality Study award, the reality, as we've pointed out before, is that these ratings are somewhat misleading, since IQS doesn't necessarily distinguish genuine quality issues. JD Power's new Tech Experience Index aims to solve that problem. The new metric takes the same 90-day approach as IQS but focuses exclusively on technology – collision protection, comfort and convenience, driving assistance, entertainment and connectivity, navigation, and smartphone mirroring. It splits the industry up into just seven segments, based loosely on size, which is why the Chevrolet Camaro is in the same division (mid-size) as Kia Sorento and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class is in the same segment as the Hyundai Genesis (mid-size premium). It makes for some screwy bedfellows, to be sure. Still, splitting tech experience away from initial quality should allow customers to make more informed and intelligent decisions when buying new vehicles. In the inaugural study, respondents listed BMW and Hyundai as the big winners, with two segment awards – the 2 Series for small premium and the 4 Series for compact premium, and the Genesis for mid-size premium and Tucson for small segment. The Chevrolet Camaro (midsize), Kia Forte (compact), and Nissan Maxima (large) scored individual wins. Ford also had a surprising hit with the Lincoln MKC, which ranked third in the compact premium segment behind the 4 Series and Lexus IS. This is a coup for the Blue Oval, whose woeful MyFord Touch systems made the brand a victim of the IQS' flaws in the early 2010s. But Ford and other automakers might not want to celebrate just yet. According to JD Power, there's still a lot of room for improvement – navigation systems were the lowest-rated piece of tech in the study. Instead, customers repeatedly saluted collision-avoidance and safety systems, giving the category the best marks of the study and listing blind-spot monitoring and backup cameras as two must-have features – 96 percent of respondents said they wanted those two systems in their next vehicle. But this isn't really a surprise. Implementation of safety systems from brand to brand is similar, and they don't require any input from users, unlike navigation and infotainment systems which are frustratingly deep.

Someone has already test driven the 2016 Chevy Volt

Due to some well-placed connections at General Motors Canada headquarters in Oshawa, a senior member of the gm-volt.com forum with the handle "kickincanada" got about 30 minutes behind the wheel of a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. Kickincanada owns a 2012 Volt, and other than personal reservations over the styling of the new car, he came way nothing but impressed by the second-generation hybrid. He drove the Premier trim, posted his observations on the site, then answered questions for other owners desperate to find out what's coming. He said the interior materials are "more upscale," there is less hard plastic and better leather, the seats are more comfortable, and ergonomically, "Everything is beautifully laid out." Although obviously not as luxurious, the interior reminded him of the Cadillac ELR. Tech touches like a better display, Apple integration, a wireless charging area for the phone, heated rear seats, and a better rear console were also worth noting. As for driving, Kickincanada called it "incredible." The "much more luxurious drive" comes courtesy of a "firm and sporty" suspension setup, less NVH thanks to more sound insulation, quieter Michelin Energy Saver tires, and quieter operation of the genset ICE. He said acceleration from a standstill felt quicker because there was no delay between applying the throttle and the car taking off. He estimates owners should be able to get about 100 kilometers (62 miles) out of the electric mode alone on a full charge, and that the new Volt is "clearly improved in almost every way" (the car's official range, as determined by the EPA, is 53 electric miles). We look forward to finding out ourselves. Click through to gm-volt to read all of his thoughts and responses if there's a hybrid purchase in your future. Related Video: