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Auto blog

Highlights and standouts from the 2015 LA Auto Show

This year's LA Auto Show has been packed with interesting debuts and fascinating industry trends. The Autoblog team is on the scene to examine all the new metal, and Senior Editor Greg Migliore has some show highlights for us in the video above. In particular, the new Fiat 124 Spider and Honda Civic Coupe stand out as important debuts. The Fiat is based on the excellent Mazda Miata, with a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine and revised styling. The Civic Coupe is a striking redesign of an extremely popular and important model for the company. And the restyled Ford Escape looks more like its bigger brother, the Explorer. There's this an much more in our video above. Watch it and let us know what you think – and look for more LA Auto Show coverage coming soon.

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.

22,000 Honda Shadow 750 motorcycles recalled [UPDATE]

Update: Honda's statement on the recall is now embedded below. The Basics: Honda will recall 22,142 examples of its 2010-2016 VT750 Shadow motorcycles, including the 2012-2014 VT750CA, VT750C2 and VT750C2F; 2011-2016 VT750C; 2013-2016 VT750CS; 2010-2016 VT750C2B; and 2013-2014 VT750C2S. The Problem: Engine vibration can cause a wire for the bank angle sensor to rub against the joint connector on the wire harness. This can eventually cause a loss of the signal, and the engine could stall. Injuries/Deaths: None reported. The Fix: Dealers will replace the bank angle sensor and move the joint connector. If You Own One: Honda expects the recall to begin February 19. More Information: Documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (as a PDF) report Honda received five warranty claims and five field reports about this issue as of December 14, 2015. Related Video: RECALL Subject : Engine Stall from Loss of Sensor Signal Report Receipt Date: DEC 23, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V874000 Component(s): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Potential Number of Units Affected: 22,142 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) HONDA VT750 2010-2016 Details Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) SUMMARY: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 VT750CA, VT750C2 and VT750C2F, 2011-2016 VT750C, 2013-2016 VT750CS, 2010-2016 VT750C2B and 2013-2014 VT750C2S motorcycles. Engine vibration may cause the bank angle sensor wire to rub on the wire harness joint connector, resulting in a loss of the sensor signal. CONSEQUENCE: Without the bank angle sensor signal, the engine may stall while riding, increasing the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will relocate the joint connector and replace the bank angle sensor, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Honda Motorcycle customer service at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is JW7. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. American Honda Statement on VT750 Recall Honda has issued a Safety Recall of some 2010-2016 model-year VT750 motorcycles. It is possible that long term exposure to engine vibrations may cause the bank angle sensor wiring to break, or be damaged, which could cause the engine to stall and increase the risk of a crash.