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GM shows off 'digital vehicle platform' enabling more in-car tech and OTA updates

It appears to have dropped the sobriquet "Global B," but General Motors' new electrical architecture has bowed in drawings and video. This is the "digital vehicle platform" GM president Mark Reuss spoke to Reuters about in 2015, saying it would move a great deal of a vehicle's computer work to the cloud and enable over-the-air updates. Reuss took the microphone for the debut, too, saying, "Our new digital vehicle platform and its eventual successors will underpin all our future innovations across a wide range of technological advancements, including EVs and expanded automated driving." The system will go into production later this year, appearing in dealerships first either on the 2020 Cadillac CT5 or the mid-engined 2020 Chevrolet Corvette. Yes, these are the same electronics cited for delaying the launch of the C8 Corvette over excessive draw, security and getting the more-than-100 computer modules to communicate seamlessly. When Car and Driver asked about that, GM replied with "No comment." Volkswagen's having the same issues with the Mk8 Golf right now, though, so GM isn't alone, and this will be the new normal among OEMs for a while. What's certifiable is that the new architecture is robust enough to handle 4.5 terabytes of data per hour, which is five times what GM's current wiring can handle. And thanks to Ethernet connections of 100 Mbps, 1 Gbs and 10 Gbs, communication within and without the vehicle happens much faster. The advances mean better screen resolutions, better battery management for hybrids and electric vehicles, the capability for over-the-air updates and "functionality upgrades throughout the lifespan of the vehicle." Cadillac's Super Cruise has already been lined up as a leading candidate for constant improvements in the driving assistance suite, a key part of GM's "vision for a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion." And whenever GM decides to take the plunge, it will mean a 48-volt electrical system. More than 300 specialists worked on the digital platform, and security was a huge part of the task. We've already heard that GM consulted with Boeing and military contractors on how to prevent hacking. The carmaker has an internal Product Cybersecurity group that reached out to the research community, and created a "bug bounty" program to crowdsource uncovering any flaws.

The GMC Hummer EV could spawn a smaller electric truck

Over 90,000 motorists have reserved a GMC Hummer EV, and the truck's relative popularity has convinced executives to consider launching a smaller and presumably more affordable model. While nothing is official yet, the Hummer EV's smaller sibling could be a midsize pickup. Citing "people familiar with the matter," Automotive News reported a smaller Hummer EV exists in the design studio that General Motors operates in California. There's no word on what it looks like yet, though it presumably borrows at least some of the rugged-looking styling cues that characterize the controversial, 9,200-pound truck. Interestingly, the smaller model could bring the Hummer name to Europe. It's too early to provide technical specifications. The model hasn't received the proverbial green light for production but Automotive News added that it's a "priority project" and that it has "a good chance of going into production." If and when it does, it's reasonable to assume the truck will use the Ultium battery technology found under the full-size Hummer EV, among other electric models from General Motors. GMC hasn't commented on the report, and it hasn't announced plans to launch a second Hummer-branded electric pickup. If the report is accurate, the baby Hummer is at least a couple of years away from hitting showrooms. First, the Hummer EV SUV will enter production. We've been here before: a downward expansion is exactly how the now-defunct Hummer brand was born. The military-bred H1 spawned the H2 for 2002 and the H3 for 2006. An even smaller off-roader previewed by the 2008 HX concept was planned but ultimately canned. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2022 GMC Acadia gets small changes, price hike

GMC put conspicuous effort into the 2020 Acadia, adding a few more embellishments this year. For 2022 the Acadia gets another nuanced rework, the most important change being the elimination of both the base SL trim and the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The Acadia SLE, the next trim level up from the SL, this year offers the 2.5-liter four-cylinder and 3.0-liter V6 in front-wheel-drive guise. Next year, the only engine available for the front-driver SLE will be the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The spec rearrangement jacks up the Acadia's barrier to entry to $35,995 for the new base model, a $5,000 increase over 2021. There's some give-and-take in the details to even out the exchange. Buyers this year needed to step up to the SLE in all-wheel-drive trim to get access to the 2.0-liter, which started at $38,295, and keeps that price for next year. But SLE pricing only goes up by $900 to swap the 2.0-liter for the 2.5-liter, not much money for a lot more power. The 2.5-liter produces 193 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque, the 2.0-liter makes 230 hp and 258 lb-ft. One more cut sees the Acadia AT4 with the five-passenger cabin struck from the menu, six- and seven-passenger seating the only choices. And one more swap sees the $495 Red Mahogany Metallic premium exterior paint replaced by the $495 Light Stone Metallic. Upgrades include new 18- and 20-inch wheel designs, and all 2022 Acadias get the Pro Safety Plus package standard. That installs driver assistance features such as Automatic Emergency Braking, IntelliBeam headlights, Front and Rear Park Assist, Forward Collision Alert, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. And Traction Select, GMC's name for road surface and terrain modes, is also standard across the lineup.  The 2022 Acadia entered production at GM's Spring Hill, Tennessee plant at the end of last month, the configurator is live now. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.