With 3D technology slowly making its way into homes and onto portable game consoles, it was just a matter of time before the tech filtered its way into cars. MasterImage, one of the companies that has pioneered glasses-free 3D screens, is reportedly on the verge of signing a deal with a handful of automakers and airlines to bring its wares to the transportation industry.
Roy Taylor, MasterImage’s executive VP, declined to tell the Hollywood Reported which OEMs and airlines it was in talks with, but confirmed that its patented displays could reach certain planes and cars in the coming years.
However, don’t expect your next sat-nav to get all Minority Report just yet – the 3D screens by MasterImage will be used for rear-seat entertainment, allowing passengers to download movies and games using next-generation mobile broadband technology to keep the kiddies distracted while on the road.
2012 Audi A7 – Click above for high-res image gallery
has announced that T-Mobile will supply wireless data for its growing line of net-connected vehicles, allowing drivers to access a range of Audi Connect services on the go. That’s the good news. And there’s a bit more.
The service will debut on the (with integration for the , , and Q5 Hybrid coming later) and allow drivers to access Google Local Search and Sirius Traffic data, which combined with voice-controlled Google Earth integration will provide drivers with topographical and satellite imagery – the first of its kind in the industry.
Other services include real-time news, weather data and fuel prices, and if your passengers have a WiFi-capable device, Audi Connect will turn the vehicle into a secure, rolling hotspot. All of this will be accessed directly through Audi’s MMI control system, with a T-Mobile sim card provided by the dealer, plugged into the dash and owners given a six-month trial period for the service. After that, you’ll have to sign up for a monthly plan, which Audi and T-Mobile have yet to announce pricing for. So… all good stuff. Now for the bad news.
Markus Putze, VW/Audi’s Senior Engineer on the program, told Autoblog from the CTIA Wireless show that Audi’s much-hyped implementation of 4G LTE connectivity won’t be coming anytime soon. “There are no automotive grade [LTE] modules available at this time,” says Putze, and because of that, integration of high-speed wireless broadband into Audi’s lineup isn’t due to arrive until 2015. At the earliest.
And before the naysayers jump in and say T-Mobile already offers 4G, we’ll stop you right there. According to the definition provided by the International Telecommunication Union, T-Mobile’s HSPA+ system doesn’t provide the speeds necessary to be defined as 4G – that’s at least 100 Mbps down and T-Mobile’s “4G” service only clocks in at 12 Mbps.
However, the agreement between Audi and T-Mobile is set for a minimum of eight years – plenty of time for the carrier to roll out its own real 4G LTE network – and if the deal with AT&T goes through (at least nine months to a year away), that could escalate the development of the service.
There are an endless amount of interesting tidbits to be found when browsing satellite images in and . Unfortunately, we have to keep in mind that the images are not in real-time, or even close too it. Most are 2-3 years old or more. That means whatever you see today is likely long gone by the time you’re looking at it.
Such is the case for the imagery of a sad little industrial park in Green Cove Springs, Florida, just south of Jacksonville. The Reynolds Industrial Park was once an airport where the U.S. stored mothballed aircraft. Recently, some people with stumbled across this image and came to the erroneous conclusion that the thousands of white vehicles parked on the airport’s abandoned runways were UN trucks, possibly being readied for an invasion of Disney World (our guess, not theirs).
In fact, the truth is nothing quite so insidious. The two airstrips full of cars were a surplus of unsold Kias that had been shipped in from Korea and were being stored. Their white color is simply the shrink-wrap that’s applied to almost all new cars during shipping to protect their finish. Prior to becoming a Kia storage lot, the same facility was used by Kelsey-Hayes/TRW Automotive as a test track for anti-lock brake systems for some 20 years (this writer formerly worked as an engineer for TRW and spent time at this facility). The white ceramic tile pad formerly used for simulated ice testing is still visible on the upper part of the runway as are the circle tracks.
The airstrips weren’t the only automotive use of Reynolds Industrial Park. One of the buildings to the right of the strip was home to for a time in the mid-1990s before it went belly up. Rusting frames of the M12 supercar could be seen stacked outside for several years after.
2011 Audi A8 – Click above for high-res image gallery
One day, we’ll be able to have wireless internet access from nearly every point on the globe. And while many cities and towns are making efforts to offer free wireless service across a broad range, automakers are now looking to bring WiFi connectivity to cars. is on board, and it has just announced that the will be available with factory-installed in-car wireless hotspot.
The WLAN hotspot is located within the rooftop antenna, and passengers can connect to the internet via any laptop, netbook or new-age tablet, like the Apple iPad. Audi says that the network is capable of speeds up to 7.2 Mbit/sec and that WAP2 encryption is on hand in order to securely transfer data. Audi claims that this is the first such factory-installed system, although other automakers offer WiFi connectivity with dealer installed accessories.
The new A8 is already packed to the brim with the latest and greatest in automotive technological achievements. Things like the automaker’s second-generation MMI control interface, the and an impressive LED lighting system up front set it apart from other vehicles in the class, and the addition of wireless internet will only strengthen the appeal to prospective buyers. The full details are available in Audi’s press release, after the jump.
Back in January, announced that OnStar would to be used in conjunction with the . The app allows owners to keep track of charge status, remotely lock and unlock the vehicle, along with providing diagnostic reports and a host of other features.
Last week, reports surfaced that about implementing the search giant’s Android mobile operating system into its vehicles, and while that may still come to fruition, GM’s announcement tonight is far less dramatic.
The app that GM demonstrated on Android-powered headsets earlier this year will now be available with a “navigation” tab that ingrates with OnStar to provide turn-by-turn, voice-guided directions, along with vehicle location (think: finding your Volt in a parking lot) and allowing users to perform voice searches through their Droid, Incredible or other Android smartphone.
While tapping Google’s massive location-aware search is an important inclusion, it’s less than revolutionary, particularly when is in the . Furthermore, GM says that the new functionality won’t be available on the Volt app at launch, but will be rolled out in the 2.0 version of the software. So if you’re keeping track, we’re talking about a yet-to-be-released feature for a yet-to-be-released car. Make the jump for the full details.
