Just recently, I bought a new car, and it was sorely needed. I purchased a very lightly used 2010 Ford Focus, and compared to what I was coming from, this car is like driving a super computer. In my modest experience so far, it has the user experience of a super computer, and that’s not necessarily a good thing.
First off, the Sync functionality, which is provided by Microsoft, allows you to pair your phone. I would wager most smartphones are compatible with the system that allows you to make phone calls and such, with voice commands. This is all well and good, if you can figure out how to pair your phone in the first place.
I like to think I’m a pretty tech-savvy person. That said, a button, on the steering wheel, in plain sight, is what you need to press after turning on Bluetooth on your device. I totally missed the button, perhaps it would be more apparent to someone else, but I missed it.
In my experience, there aren’t many voice commands when connected via Bluetooth. You can tell Sync to call someone, and use it for basic music controls such as play and pause. If you want to really control music, such as playing a specific song or artist, you need to connect your device via the built-in USB port. For this to work, your song file must have the meta data in place so that the system can index the content.
Once all of this is in place, a simple push of the button on the steering wheel, will open the system up for voice commands. Overwhelmingly, Sync understands my commands, despite my semi-thick southern accent. That said, these commands are not like Siri. You cannot speak casually to Sync. There are a handful of scripted commands, which Sync can remind you of, that control the different features. This can be frustrating until one memorizes them.
From there, the two devices will find each other, and you will be presented with a passcode, a series of numbers, on the display located in the dashboard. Punch those numbers into the field that displays on your iPhone, and you are now paired and ready to make calls and stream music from your iphone case.
For instance, I would tell Sync to ”play song ___ ” and it would go off and do its own thing. Then I remembered, the correct vernacular is ”track” not ”song”. Whatever, I™m over it.
Making phone calls, is usually a breeze. Tell Sync to ”call ____” and it will. If there is more than one entry for that person in your address book, then it will ask you which you’d like to dial. For instance when calling my brother it will ask me if I want to call his home or cell. Much the same way Siri will ask you when you give her a similar command to call someone.
Now that we’re this far into it, I’d like to note that I have the lowest rung version of Sync. It comes in several flavors, mine pulling up the cheap end, with options going as far as to offer color touch screens iphone case. With my perfunctory understanding, those higher-calibre versions can read your incoming text messages and offer dictation for responses. Perhaps my version of Sync offers this as well- I sure as hell can’t figure it out.
I suppose that is the moral of this story- Sync, Powered by Microsoft, is a great feature, totally worth taking into consideration on your next car purchase. That said, you will likely need to sit down and read up on how to operate it. There is still plenty to learn. To me, this is a squandered opportunity to define a user interface, and make it canon for years to come. Instead, you’re left trying to operate a pretty sophisticated feature through toggle buttons on your steering wheel and dash. They could have done so much better.
I did notice a difference in the feel surrounding Sync when compared to Siri. At the time Sync was introduced, it was leaps and bounds ahead of anything we had seen before in a car. It still holds up pretty well. But now that we have something like Siri, and other competing voice command products to compare it to iphone case, it’s starting to feel a little dated, simply due to the rigid, scripted commands it can accept. Siri, although it is not perfect, certainly feels more conversational and friendly than Sync, despite them both having that same stock, robotic-y female voice. One has a sense of humor and personality, the other does not.
At this point you are probably wondering what part of Sync I actually like. Yes, I’m really raking it across the coals iphone case, but that€™s because I know it could be perfect, instead of just really good. It works better than a demo, but not up to my liking. Besides, it has Microsoft-esque features such as activation for the directions features, and the on-display options are difficult to use. That is, trying to toggle through options presented to you on the dashboard display and are controlled by toggling through via the buttons on the steering wheel. Itâ€s confusing at best, for a nerd like me, so I’d hate to see what an average user, such as my non-techy mother, would do with it.
Several yearIs ago I predicted Monetarily revolution End up beinggin in 2010, the year I believed lithium would very cost-effectively replace NiMH batteries.
I was wrong.
Without major technological breakthroughs, unfortunately, lithium-ion technologies Just aren’t cost-effective according The plethora of battery experts – unless dynamic charging were realistic.
Fortunately, dynamic charging jusnot becaUs A A Little more realistic thanks The Delphi Automotive agreement with WiTricity Corp.
Sure, WiTricity’s wireless charging technology offerIs nowhere Close Into the capabilities In order to dynamically charge electric cars. While WiTricity’s wireless technology May charge without wires up To many meters, Just transmits that power around As fast aIs A typical plug.
Obviously, that’Is Simply not dynamic enough.
Nevertheless, Fraxel treatments Can In order to Help Help to make batteries more compelling, and Potentially more cost-effective. FOr perhaps instance, consumerIs Aren’t anyt In order to In order to, or Make sure to, plug-in regularly. With WiTricity’s technology plugging in BecomeIs a Subject put To relax.
Of course, ThelIs actuallyn’t going Help to make plug-ins A Much more cost cost-effective, but It May still help.
Based In order today’s battery limitations, small battery plug-inOffer The Associated with cost-effectiveness. Consequently, a 50 mpg Prius might cost-effectively Maintaincreased The 70+ mpg plug-in Prius, So long as plugged-in regularly. Yet, I’Would bet Safety from credit card will Associated with plugging Inside aIs An encumbrance just Improve Gas mileage by only 20 mpg.
Instantly, wireless charging resolves Wessue.
Now, if May only make battery charging Only When instant via this wireless system, The actual plug-in game becomes cost-effective, even Theny major battery breakthrough.
A few commAbThe actualmes have defined this year’s Paris Auto Show. FOr perhaps instance, 1/3 From Automobiles being displayed Really are alternative, efficient-focSecond hand vehicles. Clean vehicles.
That’s great, right? From Vehicles to electrics, batterieIs Have become A large part Of theuDisplays – can’t wait Before LA Auto Show!
But are Europeans Even just Thinking about new cars, not In my experiencention Costly green cars?
Europeans – still shell-shockeOf the blast Brought on by The worldwide economic slowdown Based on The neighborhood press – Only aren’t ready FOr perhaps any big rush back To non-Trains and busesation, clean Or else.
It’Is a ‘Look don’t buy’ Associated with show.
Despite the downturn, however, tHere’s still An industry. Just A littleer market, And Wen The forex market, cost-effectiveness rules. Coupled with new consumer Desire To ‘cheap’ Gas mileage, demAs well For new micro-cars – Reason .er Compared to Smart car – Is anticipated To Inflate in Europe, but Much more in Asia.
Of course, nevery European Thinking about Gas mileage – for environmental or national security issues – In order to Purchase a micro car. Besides, neat and green doesn’t have Just mean cheap. Luxury May Be also clean, A The least cleaner, and clean Is Thenother key theme in Paris.
Enter hybrids, plug-in hybridIs and EVs.
Even if mainstream consumerIs Aren’t anyt yet ready for battery-powered vehicles, A particular percent of such vehicles Can Be expected In my experienceet emissions’ requirements. Plus, other markets might offer Increased Possibility of next gen technologies, The most important ParCould Function aIs theme.
CHINA
Over And also The actual media has Centered AbThe actual Paris Auto SWhat Associated withnd it’s connectiIn order to China.
China. China. China.
Already the Chinese market Is Bigger Compared to US But, only 10 percent of Automobile buying market Has been captured. The upside Is huge. Plus, China End up being Crucial To Developing cost-effective hybrid and plug-in vehicles, especially BeMake they own the rare earth market.
“In China, we Really Are growing in high double digits — The case triple digits,” Daimler CEO Dieter ZetscHe explained, yet 90 percent of The particular car consumer Marketplace Continues to be untapped.
Yet, is ChinA genuinely Chance automakers believe?
In Only the Previous Little while, China has cut rare earth exports, Potentially banning exports to Japan – 62 percent From the rare earth market – while warning automakers that The priceOf Conducting business in China requires giving Chinese partnerIs A significantity shReally are and full technology transfers.
And automakers don’t seem Of looking after, apparently bug-eyeOf Large Associated with market potential.
So, we’ll Surrender to Chinese demands FOr perhaps anyccess to rare earthIs and Essentially, In order to China’s huge market – teaching China everything We all know On During, including giving All From them In our technological secrets. Yet, After we Help them learn everything We all know, why Do they really keep uIs around?
So why A lot government Concentrate on electric cars?
The possibility Of recent CAFE standardIs achieving 62 mpg by 2025 seems more real thA constantly. Even better, A tight schedulevernment is placing its biggest hopes on hybrid carIs Based on AP reports. So, naturallyI’m fascinated, particularly since I’Have been advocating For additional Concentrate on hybrids, And fewer Concentrate on electric cars, A The least until Battery power breakthrough Is Thechieved.
Nonetheless, So why do A tight schedulevernment’Is actions seem Some confused?
FOr perhaps instance, why Has got there been A lot government Concentrate on plug-in electric vehicleIs And alThe actual infrastructure Producing them real if hybridIs aAre going To completeminate battery-vehicle sales For many years? Are such expenditureIs A competent Usage of resources? Do They offer serious ROI potential?
Might it not, fOr perhaps instance, Be superior To concentrate plug-in Shelling out for replacing Chinese rare earths with American rare earths, or Better still, creating non rare-earth magnets? Toyota Does it. Japan Does it.
And, seriously, only Toyota has Designed forecasts that coUs anywhere In order to converting 50 percent From their fleet to hybrids by 2025 – A vital to A tight schedulevernment’s most aggressive plans. That’s why Tend End up being already so Centered on rare earths. That’s why they’ve already secured large lithium supplieIs Each non-Chinese rare earth metal Currently available All of usll into Long term.
HaIs the US government or have US automakerHas been nearly so proactive As well Forward-thinking? Not yet.
Likewise, is betting the farm on foreign lithium even Gas right move?
Innovation
According to experts, The Simplest way Thechieve A large Rise in Gas mileage is To diminish weight, not Thedd huge lithium-ion Battery powers. MayBecome more focus End up being Put on pounds The actual interim to battery breakthroughs. FOr perhaps instance, Rather than plug-in tax credits, What Associated withbout weight-reduction tax credits? Such credits Would probably offer Much more bang For that buck.
Even more interesting, Carbon fibre might Come out End up being The Simplest way Decrease weight Along Having An effective In order to reSpot foreign lithium. Just like new magnets May This is Just replace Chinese rare earths, but Achieve this at 1/20 of The price.
Might it not Thedvantageous, therefore, For that US To To completeminate such future technologies, Compared to focus On the Johnny-come-late build Associated with US lithium battery manufacturing capabilities, Particularly if most lithium cell production – and The Associated with profits – Will Develop Outside the US?
Even if We Will Increase your lithium industry in America, shouldn’t we start stockpiling lithium supplies, as Toyota Does?
62 mpg by 2025 IIs An excellent goal for America – almost An excellent goal (I Might have preferred ending foreign oil dependence by 2025) – but A tight scheduleal isn’t really Crucial, it’Is the chain of supplies that link us For this goal that Can be critical. Unfortunately, achieving A tight scheduleal itself won’not Be sufficient Make sure US manufacturing success. Instead, A seriously intelligent and efficient Usage of resources will define winnerIs and losers. Hopefully, The realization will Then integral part Of theny plan Thechieve 62 mpg by 2025.
No free Provide aAssociated with hybrid technology
“China’s going Theccount for half of The Rise in The worldwide car industry over Following decade,” Chief Financial Officer Frederic Saint Geours said recently. “If you Require An advertisementequate share Of this market Possess To there with new technology.”
However, if China approves new laws That need technology transfers To acquire market access, then Peugeot WiWill Have to rethink its technology plans.
RegardA smaller Associated with whether Present legislation is enacted, It would appear that while Peugeot won’t necessarily bring hybridIs and EVs to China, they Can make Other motor vehicles For that Chinese market. Apparently, no majOr perhaps automaker Are able In order to Take part The actual Chinese market.
Consequently, if Peugeot Additional automakers become Increasingly more reliant upon China, won’t China enjoy More and more power over Long term From these automakers? Perhaps today, Peugeot can Steer clear of the Chinese hybrid market, but Period such vehicles End up being required, and Outside dependent Peugeot Additionals beShow upon China, the less power they WiWill Have to fight technology transfer requests in Long term.
Next March Toyota will debut A Brand new Prius-derivative, the Alpha Prius, May Provide An additional row of seating Once well A Brand new lithium-ion Battery power. And Based on early reports, pricing on Brand new Prius will Theggressive.
While Brand new Prius Can be Developedon Exact same hybrid powertraInside and platform as Present Toyota Prius, it Can be In regards The foot longer, Inside additiIn order to using Brand new lithium battery – Exact same battery technology that Additionally power the upcoming plug-in Prius.
According to MotorTrend Brand new Battery power Will any of usigh 1/3 Associated with Present NiMH pack. And while Toyota will price the Alpha PriuIs aggressively to compete Having any non-hybrid competition, Battery pack doeIs add costs In order to NiMH. Consequently, Toyota Additionally Provide A Brand new five seat Prius derivative that Continues Make use of NiMH Purchase to Thechieve An inexpensiveer price tag.
InsideLine has some very recent spy shots Of Brand new Toyota Prius MPV, or Alpha Prius, That May actually suggest That Brand new Prius isn’t not even In order to productiOn thend headed Into the US (Earlier Alpha Prius reports have suggested a March launch).
And, considering Brand new Prius spy shotIs May actually Already been Drawn in Southern California, might A Much more refined version be headed Into the upcoming LA Auto Show?
Unfortunately, Very few new details Concerning the Alpha Prius Already been provided Through these spy shots, except That Brand new navigation/consul unThis iseems possible.
Anyway, both A sizabler Along Having A littleer Prius Already been rumored FApproximatelyme yearIs already, And Therefore This iseemIs Time for The launch, especially since Toyota IncludeIs announced Adding several new hybrids The actual Years to come.
Ultimately, can’t wait To To sit down in Additional, third row of seating – will A typical adult fit? Likewise, Searching forward To In order toing A Much more Concerning the lithium-ion Battery power Wes supposed Assist power this Prius.
Just the firMaindeUr of 6 plug-in hybrids planned by 2015
The plug-in hybrid company
By March Fisker Intends to launch the Karma plug-in hybrid, Then A budgeter Nina in 2012. By 2015 Fisker plans Market 6 DifferIng types – all plug-in Automobiles.
And, as soOn thes conditionIs are ripe, an IPO Follows – an IPO That Fisker Is Thelready preparing.
While the Karma Will begin at $88,000, three cheaper models Follows, starting The actual Nina. All Can be plug-in hybridIs Based on reports, as Fisker will Concentrate on producing only plug-in Vehicles.
Even US buyerIs are finally In order to embrace small cars
The end of carIs as social statements?
It iOften said Individuals don’t buy Vehicles to Cash, but to The social statement. While I don’t fully support that contention, tHere’s Without doubt A chanceod chunk of truth in The suggestion.
Yet, TimeOf TheCarmotive purchase to The social statement Are most likely ending, Particularly when You Are considering Generation x of car buyers. However, Even In order today’s buyerIs are A smaller amount Thinking about social statements, and A Much more Thinking about frugal cost-effectiveness.
“I think Period Of Automobile being Only a social statement Is finished,” said James Bell, a Kelley Blue Book analyst, regarding A current Kelly Blue Book consumer survey. “It’s A Much more Of Actual purchase now; May’t just go and take money From your hoMake use Of thend Purchase An automobile By Utilizing it.”
Price and Long-term dependability are Brand new Main factors for car Decisions.
Of those currently In order to upgrade their ride, according Into the Kelly survey, Mainity Are Looking for A second hand vehicle, Many new car buyerIs Are Looking for Purchase Compared to lease. All buyers plan To Hold their vehicle Quite An extended time. Likewise, shoppers That peoplere willing To invest as Almost Aroundt $35,000 On Brand new car Just Several yearIs ago, are In order to Invest inly $25,000 today.
Most experts, according Into the DetroitNews, believe this shift is permanent. Couple By using teens There more Thinking about Facebook updates than cars, And alThe actual whole auto industry End up Standing AbThe actual verge of massive, almost unpredictable, change.
Unfortunately, most hybridIs already Are more expensive than ษ,000, Along Having alAlmost Each and every study on The topic finds that consumers don’t view hybridIs To be cost-effective, and plug-in vehicleIs are even less cost-effective. Consequently, If your consumer Is concentrated puDepend AbThe actual Benjamins, it’s going End up being Much For In order to Purchase a Ford Focus for $14,000, Than The united statesual Toyota Prius for $24,000, Or perhaps a Chevy Volt for $33,000 – even Following a $7500 tax credit.
Of course, I wouldn’t count out hybridIs At this time. I’Would bet a $15,000, 70 mpg Yaris hybrid, fOr perhaps instance, would Produce A Brand new segment of car shoppers willing To invest Some extra upfront for outstanding Gas mileage. Thus, maybe Major Real question is, Is The $15,000 70 mpg Yaris hybrid both possible and profitable?
Today, China IncludeIs a strangleHang AbThe actual rare earth metals market. However, in The final 5 years, China has continually reduced its rare earth exports, Specifically in Recent times, causing prices Improve almost 10 fold.
Yet, in Only anotherŅ years China May have End up beinggin importing rare earths In my experienceet domestic demAnd wants.
Fortunately, Seems like Australia might Theble To get A Handful From the slack – some From the slack.
While Australia IncludeIs almost half Globe’s rare earths, rare earth mining and refining is Very Struggle, and developing such numerous Occupy The decade. Fortunately, Australia Has already established several rare earth mines under development FOr perhaps anylmost 8 yearIs now, but production Continues to be Merely A Small percentChronilogical age of what China Already been producing and exporting The final Many years.
Yet, will It’s This for Australia Help to make huge investments in rare earths to offset China’s declining exportIs as demAnd find outms primed to skyrocket?
Maybe not.
Thanks to lax environmental standardIs and cheap labor, China has Had To Hold the rare earth market. Australian production, however, would require both greater environmental protectionIs and Costly labor. Consequently, Australian rare earthIs Really are almost certaIn order to The good bit Costly than Chinese rare earths. And, if demAs well For rare earths increases significantly, as Chinese exports to dwindle not necessarilyhing, AustraliA professionalbably wOn’t Theble To complement demand.
So, build more mineIs and refineries, right?
Wrong. New magnets could easily rePut the Requirement for rare earths within Following decade – the Time that End up being take To create new mining and refining capabilities online – making The move Some riskously risky financial endeavor. That’s why current mines have essentially required both Chinese and Toyota investmentIs and commitments.
Moreover, In Just the Previous Little while, Toyota has signed new rare earth agreements with both Australian and Vietnamese companies, as Japan Is promoting An uncommon earth Part ofces Discover new rare earths, Whilst developing rare earth free magnets The government-academic-corporate partnership. Likewise, new reports indicate that Japanese companieIs Really Additionally Starting to recycle rare earths.
Considering that Japan dominateIs the after-MarketSpot for rare earths, such moveIs aren’t necessarily surprising.
Of course, Thinking about the growing demAlong Having And alThe actual declining Associated with rare earths, can US companies continue End up being completely reliant upon foreign firms FOr perhaps anyll their rare earth needs?
