2007 Mercedes-benz R320 Cdi Wagon 4-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Car technology I'm thankful and unthankful for

The past few years have seen a surge of tech features in new vehicles — everything from cloud-based content to semi-autonomous driving. While some of it makes the driving experience better, not all tech is useful or well thought out. Automakers who are adept at drivetrains, ride quality and in-cabin comforts often fail at infotainment interfaces and connectivity. From testing dozens of vehicles each year and in the spirit of gratitude, here are three car tech features I'm thankful — and a trio I could live without. Thanks Connected search: This seems like a no-brainer since everyone already has it on their smartphones, but not all automakers include it in the dashboard and as part of their nav systems. The best ones, such as Toyota Entune, leverage a driver's connected device to search for a range of services and don't charge a subscription or require a separate data plan for the car. I also like how systems like Chrysler Uconnect use Yelp or other apps to find everything from coffee to gas stations and allow searching via voice recognition. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: It took two of the largest tech companies to get in-dash infotainment right. While they have their disadvantages (you're forced to use Apple Maps with CarPlay, for example), the two smartphone-integration platforms make it easier and safer to use their respective native apps for phoning, messaging, music and more behind the wheel by transferring a familiar UI to the dashboard — with no subscription required. Heated seats and steering wheels: I really appreciate these simple but pleasant features come wintertime. It's easy to get spoiled by bun-warmers on frosty mornings and using a heated steering wheel to warm the cold hands. I recently tested a 2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 Coupe that also had heated armrest that added to a cozy luxury experience. Bonus points for brands like Buick that allow setting seat heaters to turn on when the engine is remotely started. No thanks Automaker infotainment systems: Automakers have probably poured millions into creating their own infotainment systems, with the result largely being frustration on the part of most car owners. And Apple CarPlay and Android Auto coming along to make them obsolete. While some automaker systems, such as Toyota Entune and FCA's Uconnect, are easy and intuitive to use, it seems that high-end systems (I'm looking at you BMW iDrive and Mercedes-Benz COMAND) are the most difficult.

Race recap: 2016 Hungarian Grand Prix was the pits

The Hungarian Grand Prix hasn't seen a race this calculated since 2012, when Lewis Hamilton – driving for McLaren – led from pole position to the checkered flag. We don't expect massive action from the Hungaroring, but Hamilton's first win for Mercedes in 2013, the thrilling wet mess in 2014, and Ferrari's surprising dominance in 2015 made us hope for more on-track commotion this year. Hungary denied us that. Hamilton parked his Mercedes-AMG Petronas in second on the grid but stole the lead through Turn 1 and never looked back. Teammate Nico Rosberg yo-yoed behind him in second place, getting into DRS range on a few occasions but never close enough to pass. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo kept the leading duo honest, but the Aussie couldn't put genuine fear into the German team and finished third. This is the third year in a row for Ricciardo on the Hungary podium. The pits provided our few scraps of excitement. During a stretch when Ricciardo managed to close on Rosberg, Mercedes told Hamilton to speed up. When Hamilton said he couldn't go faster, Mercedes said they'd pit second-place Rosberg first instead. Suddenly, Hamilton found the extra pace. Ricciardo pitted in early, hoping that fresh tires and fast laps could allow him to pass one or both Mercedes drivers when they pitted, but once Hamilton hit the throttle the Red Bull couldn't respond. Further down the lineup, Jenson Button came in on Lap 5 so McLaren could fix his brake pedal problem. The radio exchange before the stop included one forbidden instruction to Button, though, so the Englishman had to return to the pits for a drive-through penalty. Renault's Jolyon Palmer beat Force India's Nico Hulkenberg in a straight-up pit stop battle on Lap 40, but threw the good work away on Lap 49 with a spin on track that cost him three places. A pit wall miscommunication meant the Force India pit crew wasn't ready for Sergio Perez when the Mexican arrived for his second stop on Lap 43. And Daniel Kvyat's regrettable run at Toro Rosso continued, first with car issues, then a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pit lane. Sebastian Vettel brought his Ferrari home fourth, sniffing Ricciardo's gearbox at the flag but unable to get around the Red Bull. Max Verstappen enacted a replay of the final stages of the Spanish Grand Prix, finishing fifth by holding Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen behind for 19 laps.

European automakers gear up for Brazilian production

Brazil is the place to be, apparently. Toyota has been investing in the South American country, as has BMW, which announced a $261 million investment in October 2012, on the heels of an Audi factory announcement in San José Chiapa. The high-end immigration is only set to continue, as Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar-Land Rover have both announced plans to set up manufacturing operations there.
Mercedes is the big news here, as its new facility will see the German manufacturer invest 170-million euros for production of its next-generation C-Class and upcoming GLA-Class. "Brazil is an important future market. With our local production we accept the challenge and take on the competition," noted Andreas Renschler, Management Board member for Production and Procurement at Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans. Production is expected to begin by 2016.
Jaguar-Land Rover, meanwhile, isn't so concrete in its plans. The news of its investment in South America comes from a job posting for a plant quality manager in Brazil that was picked up by the UK's AutoCar. "Portuguese language skills will be definite advantage" for interested candidates, according to the job listing. The want ad follows on the heels of remarks by Jaguar Land Rover's Dr. Ralph Speth, who said there are "very intensive discussions" with Brazil's government. Unlike Mercedes, there's no mention of which vehicles will be produced in South America, although AutoCar thinks the Freelander, sold in the US as the LR2, is a leading contender.