Tag archive: GM

According to recent reports in The Hill, California Representative Dan Lungren (R) of California’s 3rd Congressional District has recently introduced H.R. 3872 — The Excellence in Energy Efficiency Act of 2012 – an interesting piece of legislation that would award $1 billion to the first American incorporated auto company that can produce and sell 60,000 mid-sized sedans that, and here is the catch, are also capable of getting 100 miles… Read More

Cars and football go together like beer and hot dogs, so with the Superbowl XLVI rapidly approaching automakers are spending big money in hopes of getting big reactions from consumers. Since Superbowl commercials have become just as much a part of the experience as the game itself (many people even claim they only watch it for the creative ads) it’s not surprising in the least that companies pull out all the stops come game day. And we mean all… Read More

It all started with a short e-mail exchange. Asked about the future car, an unnamed representative from an American automaker called the idea ridiculous. By 2050, we’ll all be living on another planet flying around in jetpacks, he joked. Cars might not even exist. Yet, as everyone who studies technology knows, there are fits and starts, major milestones and minor setbacks, on the road to the future. Alan Keys said the only way to predict the… Read More

Hot on the heels of a Nation Transportation Safety Board recommendation that the use of all electronics be banned from vehicles, OnStar, which is owned by General Motors, has announced plans to offer in-car video chat. In addition, the company will also begin incorporating Verizon 4G LTE wireless network connectivity into select vehicles to allow for cloud-based streaming to “all vehicle occupants.” While video chat might sound like… Read More

Lit with bright overheard fluorescents and littered with massive wooden crates the size of backyard sheds, GM’s R&D garage feels less like a hangout for grease monkeys and more like a Hollywood sound stage. The sleek, pod-shaped vehicles dotting the floor could be movie props. – or perhaps leftovers from Blade Runner or Total Recall, maybe. Until they sit up, almost silently, and begin moving. On two wheels no less. The EN-V concept… Read More

General Motors confirmed this week that it plans to produce an all-electric version of the Chevy Spark, the carmaker's first all-electric vehicle, reports Reuters. The electric Spark will debut in 2013. “Chevrolet will produce an all-electric version of the Spark minicar for selected U.S. and global markets, including California,” said Jim Federico, Chevy's chief engineer of electric vehicles, at the company's headquarters on… Read More

General Motors is teaming up with LG to develop electric cars that go beyond the capabilities of the Chevy Volt, a plug-in hybrid gas and electric vehicle. LG Chem, a subsidiary of LG, supplies the lithium ion batteries that power the Volt and other GM electric prototypes. The new deal will go beyond just batteries. According to the joint announcement yesterday, LG will aid with key components related to vehicle structure, architecture, other… Read More

Offering the ability to track family members out driving, General Motors is rolling out testing of a program called OnStar Family Link. The initial test group takes 10,000 U.S. OnStar subscribers and gives them the ability to check their vehicle location on a Web-based map. The test is currently invitation-only, but GM claims that the service is accessible to all 6 million OnStar subscribers. The service is likely compatible with OnStar FMV, an… Read More

We had a hard time giving up the growl. The 2011 Chevy Camaro Convertible emits a voluminous mix of thunderous exhaust and engine roar. Driving down the road, this low-slung pony car felt like it could suck a small dog into the engine, make the chandeliers shake in a third-floor apartment building, and power through traffic like a thundering locomotive. In all seriousness: Other cars tended to just get out of the way. Rebirth of the muscle car… Read More

The OnStar in-vehicle safety system has been available on selected vehicles from General Motors since 1996, but now the technology is finally going to bust loose in a form that will make it available to a wider range of vehicles—even if they're not made by GM. This spring, consumer electronics retailers will begin selling a standalone version of OnStar that takes the form of a replacement rear-view mirror that can be installed in… Read More

The myChevrolet and OnStar MyLink applications, available as free downloads, provide drivers with connectivity to their vehicles from their Android or Apple iPhone device. myChevrolet integrates with the OnStar MyLink app to access exclusive OnStar technologies. Through OnStar’s unique connection to the vehicle, owners can send remote vehicle commands such as unlocking or locking the doors, and starting the engine, perfect for those in cooler… Read More

Robonaut 2, or R2, is packed and ready to launch into space aboard the space shuttle Discovery on Nov. 1. The humanoid robot, or android, will assist astronauts aboard the International Space Station. It is not known precisely what tasks R2 will perform, but it is designed with “advanced control, sensor, and vision technologies.” Sounds useful enough. The robot is a collaboration between NASA and General Motors, which began in 2007.… Read More

The first mainstream electric vehicle to hit American roads is almost here. After years of incubation, GM will begin selling the long-awaited Chevy Volt in November of this year. The company has been hyping the concept since all the way back in 2007, when its raked-back stature and muscular body lines suggested “green” cars didn’t have to look like wedges with wheels – and they could come from America, too. Time and concessions to safety, space… Read More

The digital ink isn’t even dry on a story about Nissan recalling the Infiniti G35, and yet another recall has been issued today. Apparently not to be outdone by the Japanese who are having all the fun these days with recalls, GM has stepped up and warned that a piece of the Hummer H3 hood might fly off of the vehicle while in motion. Autonews.com has confirmed that GM has filed the issue with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,… Read More