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GM puts e-commerce shopping in car dashboards

DETROIT — General Motors on Tuesday said it will equip newer cars with in-dash e-commerce technology, betting it can profit as drivers order food, find fuel or reserve hotel rooms by tapping icons on the dashboard screen, instead of using smartphones while driving. GM's Marketplace technology, developed with IBM, will be uploaded automatically to about 1.9 million model-year 2017 and later vehicles starting immediately, with about 4 million vehicles across the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac brands equipped with the capability in the United States by the end of 2018, GM said. GM will get an undisclosed amount of revenue from merchants featured on its in-dash Marketplace, Santiago Chamorro, GM vice president for global connected customer experience, said during a briefing for reporters. Customers will not be charged for using the service or the data transmitted to and from the car while making transactions, he said. "This platform is financed by the merchants," Chamorro said. GM will get paid for placing a merchant's application on its screens, and "there's some level of revenue sharing" based on each transaction, he said. It is too soon to say how much revenue GM could realize from the Marketplace system, he said. The GM Marketplace will compete for customer clicks and revenue with hand-held smartphones, which offer a far richer array of applications than the GM system will at the outset. Amazon.com is partnering with other automakers, including Ford, to offer in-car e-commerce capability through Amazon's Alexa personal assistant system. For example, GM will launch Marketplace with just Shell and Exxon Mobil icons in the fuel category. The only restaurant available for in-car table reservations at launch is the chain TGI Fridays, GM said. In addition, there will be apps for parking, and ordering ahead at coffee shops and restaurants such as Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts and Applebee's. "We will be adding more vendors," with some coming in the first quarter of 2018, Chamorro said. In addition, he said GM plans to expand integration into its vehicles of music, news and other information services. GM also hopes to use its in-car Marketplace connections to expand purchases of products and services, such as additional access to in-car wifi, from its own replacement parts business and dealer network. Customers can "expect to see more service promotions coming through the platform," Chamorro said. Reporting by Joe WhiteRelated Video:

Europeans ask Chevy to bring Volt back to Europe

A group of French fans is asking for a jolt of support from General Motors to get the 2016 Chevrolet Volt across the pond. The Association Amperistes et Amis des Vehicules Rechargeables is running a Change.org petition that currently has 383 signatures out of a goal of 500. While the attempt is admirable, it's probably going to take a lot more than several hundred people for the model to make a return to the continent after the poor showing of the Opel Ampera – first-gen Volt's European cousin. The group's major argument for bringing a version of the second-gen Volt to Europe is that consumers need "an intermediate choice between expensive or range-limited pure electric cars and plug-in hybrids with a miserable electric range." Furthermore, such a vehicle would prod the competition to produce similarly efficient electrified models. They also lavish praise on the abilities of the Ampera for its long EV driving range. The supporters aren't entirely kind to GM in the petition, though, and claim the company excluded the original car from marketing efforts there. The Ampera actually enjoyed a strong European launch with more orders than initially expected and briefly topped the best-sellers list among EVs there. It was even named 2012 European Car of the Year. Those halcyon days didn't last long, and by 2014 sales fell off to a trickle. The waning reception caused GM's decision not to introduce a version of the new 2016 Volt there or in Australia. Related Video:

GM recalls trucks and SUVs for brake pedal problem

The Basics: General Motors will recall over 473,000 North American examples of the 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado HD, GMC Sierra HD, and police pursuit versions of the Chevy Tahoe. These include 426,573 vehicles in the US and 46,837 in Canada, according to Reuters. The Problem: The brake pivot nut can loosen over time, which can render the pedal inoperative. This would be a danger to drivers trying to stop the vehicles. In some cases, the "Service Engine Soon" light might come on. Injuries/Deaths: None reported. The Fix: Dealers will inspect the pivot bolt, and if necessary they will apply adhesive to it and reinstall the part with increased torque. If You Own One: "We expect to start customer notifications shortly," GM spokesperson Tom Wilkinson told Autoblog. Related Video: Transport Canada Recall # 2016053 Recall Date 2016/02/04 Notification Type Safety Mfr System Brakes Manufacturer Recall Number 20760 Units Affected The number of vehicles or components affected by the recall. 46,837 Category Light Truck & Van, SUV Recall Details On certain Heavy Duty and Police Pursuit vehicles, the brake pedal pivot nut may become loose, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative. If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, it could interfere with the accelerator pedal, and/or the driver may be unable to safely stop the vehicle through application of the brake pedal, potentially affecting stopping distances and increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect the pivot bolt installation to determine whether the vehicle has already received the production remedy. If not, the dealer will add adhesive to the nut, and reinstall the nut at an increased torque. Note: This condition may result in the "Service Engine Soon" light illuminating, and brake lights may stay on longer than expected. Make Model Model Year(s) Affected CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2015 2016 CHEVROLET TAHOE POLICE PURSUIT VEHICLE 2015 2016 GMC SIERRA 2015 2016