🚨 Over 660,000 vehicles recalled: Ram, Honda, GM, Volkswagen and Tesla are dealing with headlight malfunctions, fire risks, faulty tailgates, fuel leaks and brake failures. Yikes. Fixes are free. Check your recall status, then call your dealership instead of waiting for a letter in the mail.
From self-parking to color-changing, what’s new in cars
If you’ve listened to my show or read my newsletter for a while, you know I’m a car gal. There really isn’t much rhyme or reason to my car collection; you might see me rolling around in my 1946 Chevy truck, 1964-1/2 Mustang or 2015 gull-wing SLS Mercedes. My daily ride is my G-Wagon.
I always pay special attention to the automotive tech at CES. Sure, this year’s show in Vegas revealed flying taxis and Honda’s DMC DeLorean clone. But let’s check out some of the tech coming to our cars sooner rather than later. I’m talking about things like:
- BMW’s 32-inch dropdown screens — they’re cool, but keep a barf bag handy.
- Volkswagen’s new climate-control system begins to heat or cool as the driver approaches.
- Forget heated seats for EVs. Soon, we’ll have heated seatbelts and steering wheels that can increase an EV’s range on cold days by up to 15%.
What else is on the way? Let’s dive in.
¡Ay, car-amba!
You’re driving down the highway and the car alongside you changes colors from black to white. You’re not losing your mind. It’s going from heat-absorbing black to a reflective white to deal with the blazing sun.
Sounds like sci-fi, but BMW is experimenting with a car covered with “digital ink” that can switch to one of 32 colors on the fly. Yes, I def would make sure my car matched my nails.
Drive-thru discounts
Ever used an E-ZPass toll? That same RFID technology can allow your car to pay for your fast-food order, and some people are thinking even bigger — like the Volvo VP who said they want their cars to become “essentially just like Apple Wallet.”
Look, Ma! No hands!
Cars will be equipped with a sophisticated array of sensors, along with multiple high-resolution cameras, advanced ultrasound features and radar systems. Plus, LiDAR technology will be baked in for precise distance mapping and AI-driven analytics.
- AR dashboards: On your windshield, you’ll see restaurant reviews, hotel room rates and more. Get this: If anyone walking on the street is in your contact list, your windshield will “highlight” them in a bright color.
- Connected vehicles: These high-tech cars communicate not only with each other but with road systems, too, helping to reduce traffic jams and accidents. Eventually, one car will be able to “tell” another car where the potholes are located!
- Autonomous driving: Sit back and relax. It’s coming, and it will work.
- Smart tires: Get real-time alerts on tire health and road conditions.
- Biometric access and start: Say goodbye to keys with fingerprint or facial recognition for car access.
- Car wheels: They’ll rotate 360 degrees so you can finally parallel park.
- AI-enabled voice chat: Get directions, music selections or just have someone to talk to on a lonely drive.
Drive a Toyota, Kia, Mercedes or BMW? Your personal info may have been exposed
Hackers are always looking for new ways to get their hands on your data. It even trumps your credit or debit card details. Unfortunately, security breaches happen on a more grand scale than most would like to know, such as the IRS leak from late last year.
$5 billion
Investment in Rivian EVs … from Volkswagen? Yep, Rivian stock shot up over 50% following news about the two automakers teaming up. Investors are hoping Rivian will benefit from Volkwagen’s manufacturing know-how and Rivian will give them a leg up on software.
Over 160K vehicles from Volkswagen and Mercedes have been recalled
When a manufacturer releases a product to the public, they’re responsible for any defects or overlooked issues. These problems can range from a minor inconvenience to a deadly flaw and could affect thousands or even millions of units.
Recall alert: 4 people have died using this Kickstarter electric skateboard
When a manufacturer releases a product to the public, they’re responsible for any defects or overlooked issues. These could be minor, causing an inconvenience, or dangerous to consumer health and safety. The problem could affect a few thousand units or millions.
Recall alert: Nearly 155,000 Jeeps, Rams, Audis and VWs could endanger drivers
You can be the most careful driver on the road, but mechanical issues can strip your control and plunge you into danger. That’s why we always blow the whistle when manufacturers recall vehicles that can jeopardize your next ride. You guessed it. There’s a new list of recalled cars to check.
Check if you have a faulty airbag - And earn $50 to get it replaced
When a product is defective, manufacturers often issue a recall. This could be voluntary or government-mandated. The issues can be minor or downright dangerous and affect a few thousand or millions of units.
Recalls are common in the automotive industry. With so many vehicles leaving assembly lines worldwide, there are bound to be issues. Volkswagen issued a recall this year for 250,000 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs due to the potential for their brakes to engage unexpectedly. Tap or click here for our report.
Vehicle recall: 737K Fords recalled for brake failure and fire risk
The last few months have been challenging for SUV and sedan owners, as several technical faults led to various recalls. Recently, General Motors identified that some GMC Terrain models have too bright headlights.
The recall notice spanned 740,000 vehicles. But before that, Volkswagen sent recall notices to 250,000 Atlas owners, advising them to stop using their vehicles as some models could suddenly engage the parking brake.
Recall Alert: Nearly 250K SUVs with faulty wiring could engage brakes unexpectedly
Your vehicle’s ability to stop quickly is a crucial element in keeping you safe, so your brakes must be in perfect working order. But when your vehicle stops for no reason, it could cause an accident. Tap or click here for a Google app that detects car crashes and dials 911.