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Major Alexa deal will bring Amazon services into more cars

Amazon and its personal assistance service Alexa are partnering with HERE Technologies to create a new connected mobility service powerhouse. Alexa will integrate with HERE's navigation and location services to offer what the two companies are calling a "true voice-first-navigation experience." Alexa will come pre-integrated with HERE navigation on-demand, which the automakers can then enable, which should help cut down on development time. One of the biggest features from this partnership is how directions could be offered and delivered using HERE's Open Location Platform (OLP). Currently, the OLP uses data from several car manufacturers to provide insights into real-time location and traffic. But on Alexa, this could be used to provide directional context. For example, Alexa could say, "Turn right after [such-and-such a building]" rather than just, "Turn right." Amazon has been testing the automotive waters throughout the past decade. Its home-based Alexa-enabled devices are already offered with connections to several manufacturers. To various degrees of integration, it can already pair with Ford, Genesis, Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai and BMW vehicles. At the end of 2018, Amazon took things a step further when it introduced the Echo Auto, a Bluetooth-connected Alexa assistant device that can be physically kept in a car. Currently only available by invitation (its production and distribution have been delayed), the $25 device is essentially a voice service that works together with smartphones and connects to a car's speakers. Users can command it to do a variety of things, including playing music, setting navigation, opening the garage door, finding local stores, making calls, setting reminders, and thousands of other "skills." According to The Verge, nearly 1 million people have already ordered the device. Some (well, probably few) may know HERE Technologies from its maps on Windows Phones. We all know how that turned out, though. Today, HERE has expanded into a multi-function suite that is available in multiple mediums, including many automotive applications. HERE Automotive's connected vehicle services include real-time traffic, parking, weather, fuel prices, hazard warnings, traffic sign integration, and even EV charging stations. These all incorporate and extend the use of HERE's location and tracking programming. HERE is already partnered with BMW, Audi, Daimler, Intel, Mobileye, NVIDIA, and has investments from Bosch, Continental and Pioneer.

Hyundai Motor heir Euisun Chung takes over from father after 20 years in waiting

SEOUL — Hyundai Motor Group appointed Euisun Chung as group chairman on Wednesday, cementing his succession from his octogenarian father in a move likely to give impetus to the world's fifth-largest automaker's push into electric vehicles and flying cars. In the first generational handover at the South Korean automobile giant in 20 years, Chung, 49, said he hoped to lead change at South Korea's second-biggest conglomerate as it battles to stay ahead of the pack in a time of rapid technological innovation in the global auto industry. "Carrying on their bold and innovative legacies, I feel privileged, yet also a sense of great responsibility for opening a new chapter of Hyundai Motor Group," Chung said in his inauguration speech to employees. Chung identified autonomous driving, electrification, hydrogen fuel cell, robotics and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) — industry jargon for flying cars — as his initiatives for the future. Hyundai Motor shares were trading up 0.3% after rising as much as 2.5% after the appointment, while the wider market was down 0.6%. Kia Motors and Hyundai Mobis fell 1.6% and 1.1%, respectively.   Legacies Hyundai Motor Group earlier on Wednesday said Chung had been promoted to chairman from executive vice chairman, replacing his father, Mong-Koo Chung, who was made honorary chairman. Key affiliates of Hyundai Motor Group, including Hyundai Motor, endorsed his inauguration unanimously. The appointment makes Chung the latest third-generation leader to take over one of South Korea's family-led conglomerates, which have been credited with lifting the war-stricken country out of poverty since the 1950s. His father took the wheel of the group in 2000 and transformed the company, once mocked for poor vehicle quality, into the world's No.5 automaker. The 82-year-old has been stepping back from frontline operations in recent years, and gave up his board seat in Hyundai Motor earlier this year. Euisun Chung has played an increasingly visible leadership role since September 2018 when he was promoted to executive vice chairman. Hyundai Motor Group invested $1.6 billion in a self-driving technology joint venture with U.S. Aptiv, forged a partnership with Uber on electric air taxis and invested in ride-hailing firm Grab. In July, Chung set a goal to win more than 10% of the global market for battery EVs by 2025.

2017 Hyundai Santa Fe and Sport reveal facelifts in Chicago

Hyundai needs crossovers. With the national average cost of gas at just $1.71 as of this writing, (short-sighted) consumers are charging back to dealers demanding new high riders. That's bad news for car-heavy manufacturers like Hyundai, and good news for brands that have embraced CUVs, like Subaru. Consider this: Hyundai sold 181,725 crossovers from its roughly 800 dealers in 2015. In that same period, the Subaru Forester alone racked up 175,192 sales, and that's with a dealership network 25 percent smaller than Hyundai's. At the 2016 Chicago Auto Show, Hyundai is showing off updated versions of its two-tier Santa Fe range. There's a new, more pronounced and rectangular grille; sharper, less organic headlights, and LED running lamps in front. But there are also a bunch of new gizmos and gadgets that Hyundai expects to elevate the Santa Fe's safety rating. A backup camera is now standard and you can now snag adaptive cruise control with a stop-start mode. There's also a raft of new safety features, including lane departure warning, automatic high beam assist, and auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection. It's partially because of that last item that Hyundai thinks the new Santa Fe will score an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating. The company hasn't explained what changes will allow it to improve on 2016's Moderate rating in the small-overlap test, though. But if Hyundai is correct, it'd be a serious coup – the Santa Fe hasn't been honored by the IIHS since its redesign for model year 2013. It'd also put the Santa Fe in a rarefied class of ultra-safe mid-size CUVs. Only the Honda Pilot and Nissan Murano have scored TSP+ ratings. Prices increase by $400 on naturally aspirated models and $450 for the top-of-the-line turbocharged trims. The new Santa Fe is arriving at dealers now. View 12 Photos 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LINE-UP FEATURES ENHANCED DESIGN, INFOTAINMENT, LED LIGHTING, CONVENIENCE AND SAFETY Comprehensive Product Improvements Combine to make New Models even more Appealing in every Facet of the Ownership Experience CHICAGO, Feb. 11, 2016 – The award-winning Hyundai Santa Fe lineup continues to dramatically improve for the 2017 model year. The improvements span everything from fresh exterior design and LED lighting signatures to additional infotainment, convenience and safety technologies and new Drive Mode selection with Sport, Eco and Normal settings.