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Safety group pans GM’s new Marketplace in-dash shopping

When it comes to our cars, is the Internet of Things a godsend? Or a hidden menace that will create more problems than it will solve? On the same day General Motors announced it will equip newer-model cars with its in-dash Marketplace e-commerce app, a prominent safety group was shooting it down. National Safety Council President Deborah Hersman tells Bloomberg the technology will only contribute to distracted driving and hurt efforts to stem the tide of rising auto fatalities, which grew 5.6 percent to more than 37,000 in the U.S. in 2016. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says distracted driving was responsible for 3,477 fatalities and 391,000 injuries in 2015, the most recent year for which it has data. "There's nothing about this that's safe," Hersman told Bloomberg. "If this is why they want WiFi in the car, we're going to see fatality numbers go up even higher than they are now." Marketplace, developed with IBM, will allow drivers — or more often, one hopes, their passengers — to order coffee or food, find gas stations and reserve hotel rooms from their dashboard screens. The technology is set to be uploaded automatically to nearly 1.9 million GM vehicles model-year 2017 and later that are equipped with WiFi hotspots and compatible systems. By the end of 2018, about 4 million Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles will be equipped with Marketplace. The app will debut with a limited number of participating retailers, including TGI Fridays, Shell, Exxon Mobil and Starbucks, with more likely to join later. Online retail giant Amazon is also partnering with automakers such as Ford to bring e-commerce capabilities inside the car through its Alexa personal assistant. While convenience is nice, one other thing is becoming clear as the IoT wedges its way into our cars: It's taking aim at some decidedly first-world problems.Related Video: Image Credit: GM Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC Technology Infotainment in-car entertainment marketplace e-commerce

2016 Chevy Silverado unveiled in full at Texas State Fair

It's State Fair time down in the Lonestar State, which means a lot of things to a lot of Texans: rodeos, cook-offs, country music concerts, big belt buckles, and even bigger hats. But it also means new trucks. Ford used the occasion this year to roll out its new F-Series Super Duty pickups, but the Blue Oval won't have the show all to itself as Chevy is also on hand to reveal in full its latest updates to the Silverado. The Bowtie brand gave us our first glimpse at its updated 1500-series pickup back in July, but has now revealed the revised truck in full – and not just in Z71 spec, either. Buyers will be able to choose between WT, LS, LT, LTZ, and High Country trim levels – to say nothing of the various cab, box, and powertrain configurations. The top three get all-LED exterior lighting. And while the Z71 adopts the color-keyed trim we saw previously, other models like the LT, LTZ, and (to a lesser extent) the top-of-the-line High Country still bring the chrome for those who want it. Whichever the model, the new Silverado boasts a more muscular-looking front-end and a more sculpted hood. Inside, the new Silverado gets an optional MyLink system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. The revised truck also benefits from added safety technology and convenience features. Engine options include a 4.3-liter V6 with 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque, a 5.3-liter V8 with 355 hp and 383 lb-ft, and a 6.2-liter V8 with 420 hp and 460 lb-ft. The news when it comes to powertrains is that the eight-speed automatic launched last year on the larger V8 is now being offered on the smaller 5.3 as well. 2016 Silverado: The New Face of Strong 2016 Silverado designed to build on Chevrolet's truck momentum 2015-09-24 - Bolder, more muscular look reflects Silverado strength, dependability - Expanded use of 8-speed transmissions; additional safety technologies - Available support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto DALLAS – The new 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 brings muscular designs and new customer-focused technologies to the most dependable, longest-lasting family of full-size pickups on the road. The new Silverados make their public debut today at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. "The new 2016 Silverado will build on the Chevy truck legacy of dependability," said Sandor Piszar, marketing director for Chevrolet trucks.

GM admits goal of 500,000 EVs by 2017 won't be met

After a little over four years of Chevy Volt sales, General Motors has a better handle on how many people it expects will buy cars with plugs. And it's less than the company thought back in 2012, when then-senior vice president of global product development, Mary Barra, said that GM expected to sell 500,000 "vehicles with electrification" by 2017. In a sustainability report released this week, GM says that half-million vehicle target will not be met but that it still, "believes the future is electric." In the report, GM says that, "For our commitment to electrification, our forecasted outlook currently projects us, along with the broader automotive industry, falling short of expectations for 2017. ... We continue to aspire to our stated goal." GM's electric lineup includes the Volt, the recently popular Spark EV, the slow-selling Cadillac ELR and upcoming Malibu Hybrid, CT6 plug-in hybrid and eAssist technology in the Buick LaCrosse and Regal. GM says it has 180,834 electrified vehicles on the road in the US today. In 2013, it had 153,034; 95,578 in 2012, and 39,843 in 2011. The company's next big plug-in vehicle will be the second-gen Chevy Volt, which is coming to market later this year, followed by the 200-mile Bolt EV coming, we think, in 2017. GM Employees on Mission to Transform Transportation Sustainability report outlines vehicle and manufacturing progress; sets new targets 2015-05-07 DETROIT – General Motors' just-released sustainability report chronicles efforts by the company's 216,000 employees to live out GM's newly defined purpose and values by earning customer loyalty, applying meaningful technology advances and improving the communities where it does business. These actions – led by CEO Mary Barra – further drive sustainability into the company's culture through building safer and smarter vehicles with less environmental impact. "GM will take a leading role in the auto industry's transformation as it undergoes an unprecedented period of change," said Bob Ferguson, senior vice president, GM Global Public Policy. "From GM's labs to its assembly lines, our people are driving the world to a better place through improved mobility." The company believes the future is electric, with billions of investment to support an all-in-house approach to the development and manufacturing of electrified vehicles. It now counts 180,834 on the road in the U.S – up from 153,034 in 2013.