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GM shows off 'digital vehicle platform' enabling more in-car tech and OTA updates

It appears to have dropped the sobriquet "Global B," but General Motors' new electrical architecture has bowed in drawings and video. This is the "digital vehicle platform" GM president Mark Reuss spoke to Reuters about in 2015, saying it would move a great deal of a vehicle's computer work to the cloud and enable over-the-air updates. Reuss took the microphone for the debut, too, saying, "Our new digital vehicle platform and its eventual successors will underpin all our future innovations across a wide range of technological advancements, including EVs and expanded automated driving." The system will go into production later this year, appearing in dealerships first either on the 2020 Cadillac CT5 or the mid-engined 2020 Chevrolet Corvette. Yes, these are the same electronics cited for delaying the launch of the C8 Corvette over excessive draw, security and getting the more-than-100 computer modules to communicate seamlessly. When Car and Driver asked about that, GM replied with "No comment." Volkswagen's having the same issues with the Mk8 Golf right now, though, so GM isn't alone, and this will be the new normal among OEMs for a while. What's certifiable is that the new architecture is robust enough to handle 4.5 terabytes of data per hour, which is five times what GM's current wiring can handle. And thanks to Ethernet connections of 100 Mbps, 1 Gbs and 10 Gbs, communication within and without the vehicle happens much faster. The advances mean better screen resolutions, better battery management for hybrids and electric vehicles, the capability for over-the-air updates and "functionality upgrades throughout the lifespan of the vehicle." Cadillac's Super Cruise has already been lined up as a leading candidate for constant improvements in the driving assistance suite, a key part of GM's "vision for a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion." And whenever GM decides to take the plunge, it will mean a 48-volt electrical system. More than 300 specialists worked on the digital platform, and security was a huge part of the task. We've already heard that GM consulted with Boeing and military contractors on how to prevent hacking. The carmaker has an internal Product Cybersecurity group that reached out to the research community, and created a "bug bounty" program to crowdsource uncovering any flaws.

Buyers ditching expensive European sedans to buy expensive American trucks

The New York Times ended the automotive week with a story that adds numbers and context to a range of other stories, from the crossover craze to the increasing median price of a new car to ever more grandiose pickup trucks. The NYT piece reveals that the shift to larger vehicles isn't merely about the average U.S. buyer swapping the midsize sedan for a Ford Edge. Luxury buyers are migrating from plush sedans to plush SUVs and trucks that creep close to six-figure prices, and the Detroit Three are running Treasury presses because of it. From 2013 to 2017, the truck category — everything from pickups to minivans — climbed from 30 percent of the market to 41 percent. In January of this year, trucks claimed 66 percent of new vehicle sales. At the milk-and-honey end of profits, GMC alone accounted for 11.3 percent of all vehicle sales over $60,000, not just trucks. That puts the luxury truck maker behind Mercedes-Benz and Ford, The Blue Oval's feasting on Lariat, King Ranch and Raptor versions of the F-150, which make up more than half of that pickup's sales, putting it ahead of Chevrolet, Porsche and Lexus on the high-dollar sales list. The average transaction price of a GMC in Denali trim last year was $56,000; it's easy to see why, when one dealer told the NYT he just swapped a 2012 BMW 550i for a $71,000 GMC Sierra Denali. That truck starts at $52,900. The NYT started its story with a buyer who took home a Ford Raptor instead of an Audi A6, and optioned that $50,020 Ford Raptor close to $80,000. Over at Lincoln, the new $72,055 Navigator — the one so popular that Ford will increase production — crossed hands for an average sale price of $77,000 in January. And a Jeep dealer told the NYT that the two $93,000 Trackhawks he had on his lot "won't be here more than a few weeks." While trucks head up in sales volume and price, cars are headed so viciously in the opposite direction that "the Detroit Three and even some foreign manufacturers acknowledge they are now losing money on many of the cars they sell." So ... get ready for a lot more crossovers and trucks. Related Video: Find out what vehicle is right for you. Give our Car Finder tool a try.

2021 GMC Canyon AT4 Off-Road Performance Edition is ready to hit the trail

GMC introduced a more capable Canyon AT4 named Off-Road Performance Edition that gains modifications like skid plates and a beefier suspension. It can venture further off the beaten path, but it won't get there faster. Based on the AT4, which is already better suited to venturing into the woods than the standard Canyon, the Off-Road Performance Edition gains a taller suspension and loses its sizeable front air dam to offer a 30-degree approach angle. GMC knows adventurers will be tempted to put that figure to the test, so it also added skid plates made with 5/32-inch aluminum to protect the radiator, the front differential, the steering gear, and the oil pan. Full-length rock rails on both sides shield the rocker panels from expensive encounters with boulders and other obstacles. Finally, the Off-Road Performance Edition stands out from the AT4 with specific 17-inch wheels painted in gloss black, black AT4 logos, and black exhaust tips. 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler tires come standard. Changes in the cabin are limited to floor liners. Out back, the cargo box receives a spray-in liner. Don't look for Ram 1500 TRX-like performance, because it doesn't sound like GMC made any major mechanical modifications to the Off-Road Performance Edition. Power comes from a 3.6-liter V6 that sends 308 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque to the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission and an automatic locking rear differential provided by Eaton. AT4 buyers can order a 2.8-liter Duramax turbodiesel four-cylinder with 181 horsepower and a stout 369 pound-feet of torque on tap for an additional $4,375, but there's no word yet on whether this fuel-saving engine will be available on the Off-Road Performance Edition, too. GMC's 2021 Canyon AT4 Off-Road Performance Edition will go on sale later in 2020, though pricing information hasn't been announced yet. For context, the standard AT4 costs $39,395 in its most affordable configuration.