New gadget gets car infotainment up to speed at a stroke

 

Looking to fill up on auto news? We’ve clocked some miles traversing the Web for all things auto-related. Pull in, grab a coffee and digest some of the week’s most interesting news with us.

 

How to upgrade your ride to high-tech luxury-car status for $400,” Forbes

The very latest infotainment system can be added to your dashboard, and bring your vehicle right up to today’s high-tech standards, for just $400, thanks to a new gadget. Mapmaker Rand McNally is demonstrating its OverDryve tablet at the Chicago Auto Show, taking place this week, which provides “a full suite of the latest high-tech infotainment and safety features to older cars,” says Forbes’ Jim Gorzelany.

 

The seven-inch touchscreen and voice-command controlled tablet attaches to the dash to take over the car’s audio system, and besides a multitude of music, radio and navigation features, it includes a “smart assistant” for hands-free calls and text messages, and provides news, weather, traffic reports and gas price details on the go.

Read the full article in Forbes

 

Verizon’s Hum connected car gadget is now a teen driver’s worst nightmare,” The Verge

Younger generations don’t always have the upper hand when it comes to technology. Parents have another tool a their disposal to monitor their teen-driver children. Hum, the connected car add-on system from Verizon, has introduced functions to notify the car’s owner when “a vehicle leaves a pre-determined area or drives faster than a set speed,” writes Chris Ziegler for The Verge. The service consists of a module to plug into the car’s OBD port, a hands-free unit that clips to the visor, and a smartphone app.

Read the full article in The Verge

 

Top 5 debuts of the Chicago Auto Show,” AutoGuide

AutoGuide takes a look at the most significant debuts at the Chicago Auto Show, an event that focuses on “family cars and trucks rather than expensive luxury cars or exotics,” in contrast to the more flashy, high-profile reveals at the recent Detroit show. The all-new Kia Niro hybrid crossover is the big one, and “has a huge advantage because it’s the only subcompact crossover hybrid on the market, and will likely start a trend in its segment.” Kia is aiming for a combined 50 mpg from its newest eco-friendly effort.

Read the full article in AutoGuide

 

Here are the must-see cars from the 2016 Chicago Auto Show 2016,” Business Insider

While AutoGuide highlighted some unflashy Chicago debuts, Business Insider rounds up in pictures some of the more eye-catching special-edition and concept models at the show. Among them are the Nissan Pathfinder, Murano and Rogue on tracks; Ram’s Power Wagon super truck; the track-ready 1LE package for the Camaro muscle car; and two VW Beetle concepts.

View the must-see autos in Business Insider

 

See you next week for more automotive news. Drive safe.

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