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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.

2016 Lexus GS F is a .22 in a .357 world, and that might not be a bad thing

In Max Brooks' zombie epic World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, the author envisions an apocalypse where the living dead necessitate a rethinking of societal behavior. One such change, among many, was the replacement of large-caliber, automatic weapons with smaller .22-caliber rounds and semi-automatic firearms that promise better accuracy when battling the undead. We're hoping Lexus used this as its inspiration when finalizing the numbers for its 467-horsepower, 4,000-pound GS F sedan. Lexus may not have brought a knife to a gun fight, but it's fair to say the firepower of its new GS F is lagging behind that of its German rivals. While BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and most recently, Cadillac, are playing with force-induced V8s and power figures that are well north of 550 ponies, Lexus' kiddy table approach belies a significant weight savings against some of its rivals. At just 4,034 pounds, the Lexus is some 350 pounds lighter than the BMW M5 and nearly 400 pounds lighter than the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic (that said, the Lexus is only about 100 pounds lighter than the 640-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V). We won't know if this weight advantage is enough for the 2016 GS F to outrun its competitors until we're able to drive it, though. Beyond that, Lexus has fitted the sort of tinsel typical of its high-performance models, with an even more wildly gaped fascia and vertically staggered rear exhausts. Meaty wheels and tires hide under flared wheel arches, while the cabin features far more aggressive sport seats and stylish upholstery. Take a look at our live images of the new GS F, fresh off is debut at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.

2013 Lexus ES earns five stars from NHTSA

The 2013 Lexus ES has earned a five-star crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The 2013 ES 350 and ES 300h hybrid earned the highest ratings in each of the government's crash evaluations, including overall driver safety, frontal crashes and overall side impacts, save one. The sedan only achieved a four-star rating in the NHTSA rollover protection test, but that fault wasn't enough to keep the vehicle from earning a five-star designation overall.
The announcement doesn't mention the recent Consumer Reports claim that the ES comes with a faulty emergency trunk release that can be easily broken in a panic situation.
As you may recall, the 2013 ES 350 carries an MSRP of $36,100, plus an $895 destination fee and offers buyers a 268-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 good for 248 pound-feet of torque, as well. The ES 300h, meanwhile, stickers at $38,850 plus the same destination charge.