Consumer Electronics Daily News

2015 Hyundai Genesis Wins Best Of Consumer Electronics Show Award From The Editors Of TechHive And PCWorld

The staffs of TechHive and PCWorld selected the 2015 Hyundai Genesis as one of their top products from the 2014 International CES show. The Genesis won in the Best Car Tech category.

Thousands of developers and hardware makers attend CES every year, bringing thousands more products with them. The editors of TechHive and PCWorld staked out the sprawling show floor to find the best that CES had to offer.

"Apps are the thing for cars at CES this year, and the 2015 Hyundai Genesis takes the trend further than anyone else," said Melissa Riofrio, senior editor, PCWorld. "The car will sport the latest version of Hyundai's Blue Link^® telematics system, and its basic functions will be accessible via a browser, a smartphone, or the central display. But what I really love is how the Blue Link system can dig into local sources like your phone and calendar, and external sources like traffic reports, to recommend the best departure time for your next errand. Now that's service."

"Customers told us they want Blue Link to work like their smartphone and we've worked with Google, Covisint and Station Digital Media to deliver this level of functionality," said Barry Ratzlaff, executive director, Customer Connect and Service Business Development, Hyundai Motor America. "Blue Link subscribers now have access to Google's accuracy and massive database when they search for destinations. Plus our engineers have developed a variety of new features aimed at delighting our customers."

GENESIS INTELLIGENT ASSISTANT APP

The Genesis Intelligent Assistant is a proactive app for automobiles intended to save the driver time and provide an even higher level of convenience. The app combines Blue Link features, data from the vehicle, the owner's smartphone and the internet with multiple layers of intelligence. This allows the Genesis Intelligent Assistant app to send proactive notifications and recommendations to the Genesis owner in preparation for their drive.

Genesis owners will no longer need to remember to remote start their car on a hot or cold day. The Genesis Intelligent Assistant app will remind them to do it through their smartphone.

Genesis Intelligent Assistant Functionality:

• By providing commute information and access to their smartphone's calendar, owners can have the app automatically estimate appropriate departure times and send reminders for any upcoming appointments that require a drive.
  • Departure reminder messages are determined by up-to-the-minute commute times from the user's current location to the destination, accounting for traffic.
  • Temperature outside the vehicle is determined via zip code prior to the estimated departure time. If the temperature is above or below the default level, the user will receive a notification, asking if they would like to remote start their vehicle to heat it up or cool it down.
  • Recommendations for gas stations are provided, allowing the user to select a station and send the location to the vehicle's navigation system.
• Vehicle health status will also be communicated through the user's smartphone when an action is required. This will allow the customer to schedule car care for their Genesis directly from the app.
• Many additional Blue Link features are included within the app, making it a single, integrated solution for all driver's vehicle needs.
• The Genesis Intelligent Assistant app is a framework for the future with additional proactive functionality becoming available over time to provide the customer with the ultimate luxuries of time and convenience.

  Blue Link Enhancements

• Destination Search powered by Google – users will be able to take advantage of Google's powerful destination search via the Blue Link button (voice recognition) and  navigation display, or through myhyundai.com and the Blue Link mobile app to send a destination to their car
• Remote Start – now includes an engine timer (1-10 min.), remote stop, remote climate control and remote defroster
• Automatic Collision Notification (ACN) and SOS Emergency Assistance –includes user-selected emergency contacts notification via SMS and e-mail.

Visteon to Acquire Automotive Electronics Business of Johnson Controls for $265 Million in Cash

In a move that will create one of the world's three largest suppliers of vehicle cockpit electronics, Visteon Corporation has agreed to purchase the automotive electronics business of Johnson Controls in a cash transaction valued at $265 million, subject to adjustment. The acquisition is subject to certain regulatory and other consents and approvals and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2014. 

The acquisition will enhance Visteon's competitive position in the fast-growing vehicle cockpit electronics segment by strengthening its global scale, manufacturing and engineering footprint, product portfolio and customer penetration. The combined business will be a $3 billion global electronics enterprise with a No. 2 global position in driver information and above-average growth rates for the segment, supplying nine of the world's 10 largest vehicle manufacturers.

In the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2013, the business to be acquired by Visteon generated approximately $1.3 billion in revenue and about $58 million in EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization). This EBITDA includes a deduction of approximately $12 million for corporate allocations that will not transfer with the transaction. Visteon will assess the necessary addition of resources at its corporate center to support this operation. The transaction offers opportunities for long-term margin expansion through economies of scale, with estimated annual cost synergies reaching more than $40 million by 2017. The transaction will not impact the company's previously announced $1 billion share repurchase program, for which $875 million remains authorized.

Visteon President and CEO Timothy D. Leuliette said the transaction reinforces Visteon's commitment to cockpit electronics as one of Visteon's two core businesses, along with Halla Visteon Climate Control, the world's No. 2 automotive climate control supplier.

"We look forward to continuing on our path of value creation for customers and shareholders by integrating this highly regarded business into the Visteon Electronics family," Leuliette said. "This is a strong strategic fit with our existing electronics portfolio and gives us the worldwide scale and cost efficiencies needed to support vehicle manufacturers' global platforms and programs. It also diversifies our electronics customer base, solidifies our already strong global footprint, and brings new technologies, capabilities and outstanding engineers to help grow our business."

The business to be acquired from Johnson Controls provides automakers with driver information, infotainment, connectivity and body electronics products. The transaction involves about 4,800 employees, including about 1,000 engineers, electronics specialists and designers at seven research and development centers in Europe, North America and Asia. The business has a diversified customer base, with BMW, Honda, Renault-Nissan, PSA Peugeot-Citroen and Ford representing about 72 percent of its annual revenue.

By leveraging the combined strengths of the businesses, Leuliette said, Visteon will create a new global electronics market leader, capable of growing profitably as an enterprise that is "ideally positioned at the intersection of consumer electronics and the connected automobile of today and tomorrow."
 
Martin Thall, president, Visteon Electronics, said the transaction will allow Visteon to better serve vehicle manufacturers through its expanded global scale and customer base, and accelerate growth and market expansion objectives.

"The combined business will result in market and technology leadership in major cockpit electronics technologies, as well as opportunity for entry and fast growth into new product lines," Thall said. "The size and scale of our integrated research, development, and engineering will solidify Visteon as the 'go to' global innovation partner for automakers who require rapid development cycles and fast time-to-market.

"Visteon and Johnson Controls are committed to maintaining complete business continuity and providing excellent customer service while completing this transaction and driving a successful integration," Thall added.

Advising Visteon on the transaction are Rothschild Inc. and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

Visteon Electronics, a division of Visteon Corporation, is a leading supplier of automotive cockpit electronics that delivers innovative in-vehicle user experiences through solutions in user interfaces, connectivity and open architectures. Supported by a global network of 16 manufacturing facilities, four technical centers and 11 customer centers, Visteon Electronics currently employs approximately 6,500 people in its consolidated operations.

Visteon to Showcase Innovations Enhancing the Connected Car Experience at 2014 International CES

Visteon Corporation, one of the original automotive suppliers represented at the International CES®, will mark its 15^th year at the consumer electronics event in Las Vegas by unveiling several new concepts and industry partnerships focused on a new automotive user experience.

Drawing on innovations from the consumer electronics world, Visteon will display advanced cockpit electronics technologies that deliver a wider choice of information and applications to the driver and passengers while requiring less physical interaction, thus mitigating potential distractions. The Visteon Electronics display will be in Central Plaza #20.

"With our rich automotive heritage and global innovation capability, Visteon is ideally positioned to manage the intersection of consumer electronics and the automobile, which has essentially become the world's largest mobile device," said Timothy D. Leuliette, Visteon President and CEO. "2014 will be an exciting year for Visteon Electronics as we begin to deliver the technologies for the connected car. We look forward to showcasing our capabilities at CES, which has become synonymous with technology innovations." 

Highlights of Visteon Electronics' display at CES include:

• Advanced vehicle cockpit concepts exploring:
  • A unique user interface controlled by the driver's eye gaze and head direction coupled with image attribute tracking;
  • The use of gesture recognition, interacting with advanced camera technology, to replicate a virtual display of the driver's hand motion;
  • A new connectivity gateway, designed to securely connect all aspects of the vehicle to the user and Cloud computing.
• The first presentation of Visteon's cockpit electronics experience developed for a new connected car project, which includes autonomous driving features, in collaboration with a European car manufacturer.
• Advanced connectivity and infotainment solutions based on open architectures and delivering a new experience of services and applications to drivers and passengers.
• Next-generation user interface products and concepts with advanced instrument display and touch technology, including reconfigurable, high-resolution color displays, offering clarity and graphics quality considered unrivaled in the automotive market.
• The unveiling of Visteon's new premium audio and infotainment, as well as instrumentation, brands.

"Innovation benefiting the driver and passenger occurs when an automotive supplier, consumer electronics companies, and ecosystem partners successfully collaborate to be on the forefront of the technology industry," said Martin T. Thall, newly appointed President of Visteon Electronics. "Consumers' demand for media access and seamless connectivity solutions is changing the face of automotive electronics and Visteon has the technology and capabilities to drive this evolution."

The 2014 International CES will feature more than 3,200 exhibitors unveiling the latest consumer technology products and services across the entire ecosystem of consumer technologies.

TK Wrap Designs Teams up with Mimaki to Demonstrate Car Wrapping at SEMA

An interview with Tyler Krasel, CEO, TK Designs Inc. by Consumer Electronics Daily News staff writer Paul Harris.

Harris: TK Wrap Designs will be teaming up with Mimaki and 3M at this year’s SEMA show next week in Las Vegas for a live wrap demonstration, is that right? 

TK: That is correct. We will be taking advantage of the newly enhanced Mimaki JV400LX latex printer and 3M substrates to print a 12-foot-plus piece of vinyl, take it directly from the printer because no degassing is required, laminate it and apply it to a sports car. Everyone will be able to see just how smoothly this product conforms to every area of the vehicle, saving them hours of production time and money.

Harris: Being in a small town like Mooresville, N.C., what is your main customer base and what brought your business from the west coast to the south?

TK: Mooresville is a small town, but we are called Race City U.S.A. for a reason. Many NASCAR drivers reside here, such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon, while many of the major teams keep and maintain their cars and haulers in the race park where our shop is located. This opens the doors to do work for a variety of race teams and commercial transport companies. We also supply custom helmet designs and wraps for all the local drivers and racetracks. Racing is big in Mooresville, so being in an industry that works hand in hand with NASCAR contributes to a huge part of our success.

Harris: What do you like about the Mimaki JV400LX latex printer that is different from any of the other brands of printers that you have previously owned?

TK: The newly developed LUS-200 latex inks are amazing. Not only can we take advantage of white ink, but we also can take advantage of orange and green ink for a wider color gamut that allows for a lot more design options. The colors are much more vibrant, there’s no gas out time, amazing color match capabilities, and the ability to print solid colors with no band marks or pixelation. We also appreciate the outstanding tech support. Knowing you can reach someone when you need them provides us with a lot of peace of mind, especially if you’re running 24/7.

Harris: What types of wraps or techniques do you see as being hot in 2014?

TK: We think custom printed wraps on specialty films, such as metallic printed wraps, will be the biggest thing for car customizing. We also are testing a way to emboss logos into graphics to give different effects and textures to a wrap.

Harris: To what do you attribute your company’s success? 

TK: Having over 15 years experience in the industry is definitely one reason. Having great support from companies like Mimaki and 3M is the other. Knowing you can depend on them to stay ahead of the curve with new technology and products is reassuring to our bottom line and pleasing our customers.

For more information, visit booth 12953 at SEMA, go online to www.tkwrapdesigns.com, call 704-360-2055 or email [email protected].

 

SEMA Debut for PASSPORT Max HD Radar Detector

 ESCORT Inc. (ESCORTinc.com), designer and manufacturer of the world's only High Definition PASSPORT^® Max™ radar & laser detector, is announcing its SEMA Show debut of the all-new record setting PASSPORT Max™ HD radar & laser detector. Using advanced military technology, PASSPORT Max™ delivers high definition performance with ultra-fast signal processing and unprecedented noise filtering. 

ESCORT engineers designed PASSPORT Max™ around advanced high speed digital signal processing (DSP). For drivers this means an entirely new level of response time and increased awareness.

With DSP, PASSPORT Max™ searches for threats 50 times faster than any other radar detector – this dramatic increase in speed delivers a corresponding leap in detection capability and range. 

In a new product test overseen by independent authority Speed Measurement Labs (SML), PASSPORT Max™ set three new benchmarks for longest range, fastest response time and greatest sensitivity. And PASSPORT Max™ filters true radar gun alerts from unwanted false alerts, such as automatic door openers and motion sensors that competitor radar detectors cry 'wolf' to repeatedly. PASSPORT Max™ reports with an accuracy that exceeds any other technology ever driven.

A high definition OLED (organic LED) display allows drivers to choose up to four different colors for displaying critical driving information such as posted speed limits, over speed alerts, driving speed and more.

Using ESCORT's patented GPS Location Awareness technology, PASSPORT Max™ alerts to red light and speed cameras, speed traps and future threats as they unfold. Internet ready, Max™ includes a mini-USB port for software expansion, data base updates and more.  

PASSPORT Max™ works with ESCORT's multi-award winning ESCORT Live™ ticket protection app.  Rated Best New Product at SEMA 2012, ESCORT Live™ helps customers drive safer through threat and information sharing among networked drivers in real time. 

PASSPORT Max (retail $549.95) and ESCORT Live™ are available now at ESCORTinc.com or direct at 800.433.3487, and will be on display in the ESCORT booth (North Hall, 11739) at the 2013 SEMA show in Las Vegas.

For more information about the new PASSPORT Max HD Detector, view ESCORT Inc on youtube, visit ESCORTinc.com or call the company direct at 800.433.3487. 

 

Kia Motors to Host NYC Pop-Up Concert as Lead-in to YouTube Music Awards

By Tara Neal and Paul Harris
Consumer Electronics Daily News Staff Writers

Kia Motors is hosting a pop-up music and comedy concert in New York City that will lead up to the first-ever YouTube Music Awards on November 2 and 3. The Kia Motors event will be held on November 2 and will be live-streamed on YouTube. Kia says that the concert, called “Soul Live,” will be featuring some of YouTube's biggest talents in addition to the 2014 Kia Soul.

"As a presenting sponsor of the YouTube Music Awards, Kia has the opportunity to tap into the world's largest online music destination and a new media property that aligns well with our brand's youthful spirit as well as our marketing pillars of music, pop culture and connected life," said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of marketing & communications, Kia Motors America. "The first-ever YouTube Music Awards will be a truly unique music experience, and our activities around the sponsorship, including the 'Soul-Live' event, are designed to engage and entertain music-loving audiences across the globe."

“I'm fitting this in between a housewarming and a Day of the Dead party,” said music superfan Abeer Abi-aad. “It's going to be huge. I'm really excited.” Streamed concert events at global venues around the world will start live-streaming at 5 a.m. ET on November 3, with a live awards ceremony held on New York City's Pier 36 and live-streamed on YouTube starting at 6 p.m. ET on November 3. Arcade Fire and Lindsey Stirling are among those who will be performing in the concert events.

Among the nominees for the YouTube Music Awards Artist of the Year are PSY, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Rihanna. Artist of the Year nominees were based on total number of views, likes, shares, comments and subscribers for music videos posted on YouTube. Winners will be selected from online voting at YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/youtube.

Fan Stephanie Tinnelly of Tucson, Ariz., will be rooting for Rihanna in that category. “The only one I like on the list is Rihanna,” she said. “I'm not a fan of the other artists, and I really enjoy most of her songs.”

Among those in the running for YouTube Breakthrough, which recognizes the biggest breakout acts on YouTube, based on artists with the highest growth in views and subscribers over the past year, are Passenger, Rudimental and Naughty Boy as well as Kendrick Lamar and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
Fans can vote on their favorite artists in six categories: Artist of the Year, YouTube Breakthrough, Response of the Year, YouTube Phenomenon, Innovation of the Year and Video of the Year, until the show starts. Visit www.youtube.com/musicawards to vote.

Related articles

Kia Soul urban unveiled for the YouTube Music Awards

Rear View Safety Encourages College Students To Use Backup Cameras

Rear View Safety is an online retailer specializing in the manufacture and sale of backup camera systems for drivers of any age and temperament. Units can be affixed to cars, trucks, and utility vehicles of all shapes and sizes. Young drivers preparing to embark on their first road trip with their college friends are encouraged to use the technology to promote driving safety and well-being.

Blind spots are distracting to all drivers, but especially so for people sharing their car with a group of friends. Drivers can ensure everyone in the car and those sharing the road on such a long journey remain a bit safer by adding an affordable rear view camera to the vehicle.

"Going on your first road trip with brand new friends is an extremely exciting experience. Whether you're hauling yourselves across state lines to follow your favorite band, or just driving a few hours out into the wilderness for a camping excursion, using backup cameras will ensure it is a safe and fun trip for everyone," said David Newman, an Account Manager from Rear View Safety.

The RVS-770613 is an optimal rear view camera system with a simple one camera setup. The unit includes a 7" Digital LCD monitor easily mounted to the dashboard, along with a 130 degree backup camera that is both water- and shock-resistant with a 100G shock rating, the highest rating in the industry. It can be purchased for $249.99 and will greatly increase the safety measures available to all vehicles.

Zapper's Scan-to-Login Makes e-Commerce More Convenient

Zapper™ announces a new web service to make e-Commerce more user-friendly: Scan-to-Login™. Easy to implement and compatible with major site builders, a quick scan creates an authenticated "handshake" to quickly, accurately and securely pass user details to the website backend. Scan-to-Login makes registration, login and checkout pages as simple as scanning a code with your phone.

"Website owners understand that anything that helps their customers make a purchase is a tremendous advantage," said Maurice Karpes, Product Manager at Zapper. "Scan-to-Login was designed to enhance e-Commerce, helping customers move quickly once they've made the purchase decision. We've been getting great feedback on it," he added.  

Secure with a strong combination of two-factor authentication, integrated 128-bit encryption, optional password protection, e-Vendors can offer customers an impeccable purchase experience with Scan-to-Login.  

Once integrated into a website, Scan-to-Login places an encrypted QR Code alongside the registration, login and payment fields. When scanned with the associated Zapper app on the user's mobile phone, the required details are instantly and securely passed to the website, without a keystroke being made.

Learn more at http://www.zapper.com

PRNewswire

New Sensor Puts Robot Vision Within Reach

Pixy is a small camera about half the size of a business card that can detect objects that you "train" it to detect. Training is accomplished by holding the object in front of Pixy's lens and pressing a button. Pixy then finds objects with similar color signatures using a dedicated dual-core processor that can process images at 50 frames per second. Pixy can report its findings, which include the sizes and locations of all detected objects, through one of several interfaces: UART serial, SPI, I2C, digital or analog I/O. Pixy can detect hundreds of objects from seven different color signatures.  As part of a Kickstarter campaign, Pixy is available by contributing $59 or more.

See http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/254449872/pixy-cmucam5-a-fast-easy-to-use-vision-sensor for more information on the Kickstarter campaign, which began on August 15 and ends September 14, 2013.

Pixy is a partnership between Carnegie Mellon University and a small Austin-based company, Charmed Labs. Pixy is the latest version of the CMUcam, a popular line of vision sensors.  The goal of Pixy is to provide a smart camera sensor that is easy to use and priced low enough, so that it can be used by a wider audience, including educators and hobbyists that currently use microcontrollers such as the popular Arduino. Pixy can connect directly to the Arduino with a simple cable. Since Pixy has its own processor, it does not bog down the Arduino's CPU with processing images.  And since Pixy has several communication options, it can talk to practically any microcontroller, or even simple devices such as relays, servos or lights. 

"We tried to make Pixy as easy to use as possible. We think this will make it popular with the robotics and maker communities," Anthony Rowe, CMU faculty member said.

"We've opened up the design by using the Open Source Hardware licensing model. You get source code, schematics, board layouts, everything," said Rich LeGrand, Charmed Labs President. Use of the Open Source Hardware licensing has been growing in the field of DIY robotics. "We expect almost everyone to use Pixy as-is, but we also hope that by opening up the design, others will be able to easily build on Pixy for their application," he added.

Pixy in action-- wig and glasses optional.

 

Ding Dong, Now You Know Who it is With iDoorCam!

A message from iDoorCam:

iDoorCam, a digital lifestyle gadget company, launched an Indiegogo campaign for its new WiFi-enabled doorbell. The iDoorCam doorbell enables users to answer the front door from their mobile device. iDoorCam uses cutting edge technology to make answering the front door convenient and easy.

The beautifully designed iDoorCam device replaces a current doorbell and connects to a home’s WiFi network. When a visitor pushes the button, the device sends an alert to a user’s smartphone or tablet and they can choose to ignore or answer the call. If answered, the user will see, hear and speak to the person at the front door. The call from the digital doorbell is routed to the mobile device over both WiFi and cellular networks.

iDoorCam is perfect for parents, frequent travelers, on-the-go professionals, senior citizens, or anybody who wants to stay connected with their homes.

“iDoorCam began with a single mission: to create technology that improves our everyday lives and helps people stay connected to their homes. As a busy executive who travels often, I am constantly on the go and needed a way to ‘be home’ even when I wasn’t. Being able to keep tabs on the house while traveling, brought me peace of mind,” said Desiree Mejia, co-founder and CEO, iDoorCam. “When it comes to connected gadgets, people are seeking simplicity, and iDoorCam is easy to install and easy to use. iDoorCam gives everyone exactly what they want -- anytime, anywhere connectivity to their home.”

No other doorbell device offers an advanced feature set that includes:

●     Multiple users: allows for unlimited users on an account so an entire family can receive alerts when a visitor rings the doorbell

●     User initiation: users can initiate communication with the front door through their mobile device, even if the visitor doesn’t ring the bell

●     Patent-pending motion sensor technology: primes connection and starts call before button is pressed, resulting in faster connections and reduced delays

●     Night vision with infrared LED camera: captures video in total darkness

●     LED indicator: notifies user when WiFi connection is lost

●     Automatic updates: updates device without having to sync or plug into a computer

●     Secure connection: provides an unparalleled level of encryption and SSL for bank-level security

●     2-Way Voice – 1-Way Video: homeowner sees and hears visitor; visitor hears homeowner

“Our goal was to bring the highest quality, WiFi-enabled doorbell to market at an affordable price point,” said iDoorCam Co-founder Andrew Paul Thomas. Additionally, all manufacturing and production of the iDoorCam is done in the USA.

The Indiegogo funding goal is $100,000 USD and aims to facilitate the development, production and distribution of iDoorCam to people around the world. The first 50 backers can buy the device at a reduced price of $99 and all backers will buy at a discount and will get their devices before the general public. Click here to visit iDoorCam’s 5-week Indiegogo campaign. iDoorCam will be available to the general public at www.idoorcam.com for a retail price of $164.95 and is expected to ship in time for the holiday season.