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2017 will be the year the connected car becomes a reality

2016 was full of talk of autonomy, but little action beyond crazy, futuristic concept cars and announcement after announcement from automakers. If this year's CES is any indication, 2017 is going to focused on connectivity. More than that, CES showed that traditional barriers between automakers are breaking down in favor of universal and open source technology standards that will benefit both consumers and developers. CES, traditionally a showcase for the latest and greatest technology and gadgets like flat-screen refrigerators or televisions that broadcast in the fifth dimension, has become so intwined with the auto industry that we at Autoblog cover it like any other auto show. At every CES event I attended and nearly every booth I went to, there was some talk, display, or demonstration of how cars will connect to your phone and your home, and eventually each other. It seems we're heading toward the tech singularity where all devices work under one cohesive ecosystem – the Internet of Things, if you like. The difference between autonomy and connectivity is how real the latter feels because so much of the connected tech on display at CES is either here already or will be here by the end of the year. There were dozens of demos, both big and small, that allowed us to test and explore what's on the horizon. Bridging the gap between home and car, Ford is integrating the Amazon Alexa personal assistant straight into its vehicles. That means you'll be able to talk to Alexa in your car just like you would through an Echo or Dot at home. It also means you can shop on Amazon by voice while you're driving (since that wasn't convenient enough already). Samsung is developing smartwatch applications for Ford, BMW, and others. Toyota is adopting Ford's SmartDeviceLink smartphone connectivity system for its vehicles. That means developers can have one app that works across multiple infotainment systems. The Linux Foundation is developing an open-source operating system that will be free to use, making it easier for developers to connect smartphones and apps across multiple manufacturers' systems. Automotive Grade Linux, or AGL, is available for download right now. Major automakers like Toyota and Daimler (who usually are set on competing with one another) are partnering to further the development of the project. Bosch, Hyundai, and Chrysler showed connected car concepts at CES that preview the future of automobiles.

Hyundai spooks investors by paying $10B for new Gangnam HQ location

Doing things Gangnam style apparently costs a serious chunk of change, because Hyundai is reportedly paying roughly $10 billion for 19.6 acres (79,342 square meters) of land in the trendy district of Seoul, South Korea, to serve as the location for its new headquarters. That eye-popping number represents the highest amount ever paid for a plot of land in South Korea, according to Reuters. The hefty price tag reportedly scared investors enough for stock prices to sink dramatically.
Shareholders were apparently upset because the massive outlay could instead have been put back into the company for research and development or other improvements. Instead, the company reportedly bid triple the land's appraised value, says Reuters. The announcement caused Hyundai's stock price to plummet a massive 9 percent, and there were losses from Kia and the company's parts arm, as well. All told, the three of them lost nearly $8 billion in value from the falling share prices - almost enough to pay for the controversial land.
Hyundai currently has its headquarters on the outskirts of Seoul, but seems keen to move to the high-end Gangnam district to show off its rising status. It plans to build a new office complex, hotel, convention center and theme park on the site. According to an analyst speaking to Reuters, that could all cost an additional $6 billion to complete.

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe can be unlocked and started with a fingerprint

Hyundai has unveiled a system that lets drivers unlock and start a vehicle using their fingerprints. The tech is built into the door handle and ignition button of the new 2019 Santa Fe SUV, showcased at an auto show in China last week. Multiple owners will be able to register their encrypted fingerprint data for the same vehicle, according to the South Korean automaker. And, depending on the person, the car will then automatically adjust seat positions and the angle of the rearview mirrors. A future update could also allow the biometric system to add personalized temperature, humidity, and steering settings, Hyundai said. For now, the company is planing to limit the feature to China upon its launch in the first quarter of 2019. The original report on the feature in the Korea Herald says users can unlock or start the car "without keys," but it's unclear whether that means it can be used in complete absence of the car's key fob. Related: In China, your car could be spying on you for the government The fingerprint sensor uses human capacitance to pull off the trick, differentiating between the electricity levels in different parts of the finger to prevent hacking or faked fingerprints. Hyundai said the system — which receives your encrypted fingerprint data from the touch sensor in the handle before unlocking the car — has an error rate of 1 in 50,000. (That's the same figure touted by Apple for its Touch ID tech for iPhones, iPads and select MacBooks.) The Santa Fe's other tech includes a rear occupant alert system, which uses ultrasonic sensors to detect the movements of children in the back to avoid anyone being left behind. The car also comes equipped with Chinese internet giant Baidu's voice recognition system and a wireless phone charger. This isn't the first time fingerprints have been used to start cars, but the unlocking tech has never before been baked in to a vehicle's door handle. Tesla Model 3 owners are also already using their smartphone as a car key while the rest of the industry (including Hyundai) is busy building a virtual smartphone key standard that could popularize the tech. Elsewhere, Hertz recently brought biometric data to car rentals at Atlanta International Airport.By Saqib Shah for Engadget.Related Video: