3rd Row, Nice on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Honda and Acura add garage door control to Apple CarPlay, Android Auto

You’ll soon be able to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in your Honda or Acura to open and close your garage door. ItÂ’s a new feature made possible through a partnership with the Chamberlain GroupÂ’s myQ Connected Garage service. Honda says that all of its 2023 and 2024 model year vehicles will be compatible with this new tech, but it also says that “millions of older Honda and Acura models supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also have compatibility.” ThatÂ’s especially great to hear that the convenience is not just going to be limited to brand-new models. As for how it works, the system is fairly straightforward. You can set a geofence that will automatically prompt you with a system notification when you get within a certain distance of your garage. Follow the onscreen instructions to open, and your garage door will do as you command. The same can be done to close your garage door. For this tech to work, Honda says that youÂ’ll need a compatible garage door opener, but thereÂ’s a good chance you already do because myQ is compatible with most openers on the market today from LiftMaster and other Chamberlain brands. If your opener is already myQ enabled, then you wonÂ’t need to do anything. However, if you have an older style, Honda says you can use a “myQ Smart Garage Control device” to upgrade it into one. Honda is offering everybody one for free if you sign up for its 30-day demo subscription of the service, so donÂ’t worry about having to buy one. However, if you do wish to continue beyond that 30-day free trial, a three-year subscription costs $129, while a five-year subscription will run you $179. The real benefit to this system is that youÂ’ll be able to open and close your garage door from anywhere, not just within the range of where your opener or car-linked button will work. Of course, myQ has a phone app that will do the same, but this allows you to do the task directly through the carÂ’s interface without needing to yank out a phone. Honda says this tech is functional as of today, so go ahead and try it out if you have all the necessary garage door tech in place.

2024 Acura Integra Type S is official, looks like a luxurious Civic Type R

Rumors have flown about an Acura Integra Type S since the Integra Prototype was revealed last year, and today, Acura confirms those rumors. The Integra Type S is real. It’s under development, and itÂ’s coming in summer 2023. Photos of a camouflaged test car are what we get for visuals right now, and it looks decidedly more aggressive than a regular Integra. The front end is completely different. Camo is hiding a hood bulge of sorts. On the side, much wider fenders play host to massive tires. Visually, it looks like itÂ’s rocking the same size wheel and tire setup as the new Civic Type R with its big 265-section-width tires. In the rear, the Type R wing is replaced by a subtle lip spoiler. Plus, the Integra gets an entirely different rear bumper with some diffuser vanes on either side. Framed by this lower valence is a tri-tip center-exit exhaust. YouÂ’ll notice that all three tips are the same size, unlike the Type R that has two smaller tips and one extra-large one. This suggests the Type S will get a unique exhaust system, similar to how the regular Integra has a unique exhaust versus the Civic Si. Details from Acura are thin, but suggest the Integra Type S will essentially be a Civic Type R thatÂ’s been given a dose of luxury in a new body. ItÂ’ll be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes “over 300 horsepower.” This is surely the Type RÂ’s engine. A six-speed manual transmission is the exclusive shifting option, and just like the Type R, the Integra Type S is fitted with a limited-slip differential. Acura says it will provide “ultimate street performance and driver engagement.”  More details beyond the above will have to wait until a later date. Acura says the Type S is coming for the 2024 model year and set to go on sale in the summer of 2023. Related video:

Acura introduces a sleeker self-driving test car

As we creep ever closer to an autonomous-car future, one thing is for certain, most of the driverless cars we see being tested look hideous thanks to all the sensors strapped to the roof. Today Acura introduced its second generation Automated Acura RLX Development Vehicle with updated sensors and a more pleasing aesthetic. Gone is the spinning LIDAR system replaced with a more compact and robust version of the light detection and ranging technology. It's also got updated RADAR, camera, GPS and higher performance GPUs and CPUs as well as what Acura is calling "more intelligent software algorithms to support more complex testing scenarios." Acura and its parent company Honda have been testing autonomous cars at its GoMentum Station in the Bay Area since last year with a specially outfitted RLX (shown in the video above with the spinning LIDAR system). This new car will replace that vehicle. This article by Roberto Baldwin originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. Green Acura Honda Transportation Alternatives Technology Emerging Technologies Autonomous Vehicles Videos Sedan transportation gear