Gallery: The 10 Biggest Tech Innovations of the New York Auto Show
01cadillac-cue
NEW YORK – New production models and concept cars might have stolen this year's New York International Auto Show, but underneath all that aluminum, steel and carbon fiber was some impressive new technology, most of which is headed to a car near you in the coming months and years. From all-wheel drive hybrid powertrains to cloud-connected digital dashboards, the vehicles lining the halls at the Javits Center are harbingers of the future, and we've compiled the stand-outs here in the best new automotive technologies of the 2012 New York Auto Show. Cadillac's CUE On View ---------------------- We told you about Cadillac's [CUE infotainment system](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2011/10/cadillacs-cue-connected-car/) when it debuted late last year. This was the first chance we had to try it out, and we came away cautiously impressed. In the CUE cockpit we sampled, button presses were accompanied by light haptic feedback. Superfluous controls faded away after 15 seconds of non-use, freeing up screen space for an easy-to-read display. Move your hand closer to CUE's center touchscreen and all those menus will reapear. We especially liked a new row of preset buttons that allows you to program navigation destinations and phone numbers alongside radio stations – something that BMW has been doing for years. Lots of cars have digital displays for gauge clusters, but most of them either mimic analog controls or look like something out of an airplane cockpit. Cadillac offers up four separate display settings which range from simple to complex depending on what sort of information the driver prefers. Technophobes will probably prefer the bare-bones "Simple" display, while "Performance" and "Enhanced" offer additional, customizable functionality. The whole system is Linux-based and will eventually support open source applications. While we'll always lament the loss of simple audio and HVAC controls, the connected car is gladly here to stay. CUE might be one of the best solutions we've seen so far to integrate new technology with old. *Photo: Noah Devereaux/Wired*
Michael Hoag02suzuki-garmin
Garmin and Suzuki Partner Up ---------------------------- Suzuki announced that most 2013 Suzuki vehicles will offer an infotainment system made by Garmin. The setup will include a 6.1-inch touchscreen that controls navigation, audio, and Bluetooth. It will also feature a smartphone link and voice control. If there's anything we've learned from using clunky touchscreens in recent Jaguar and Land Rover products, it's that lower-volume automakers are better off relying on an established manufacturer to tailor an existing infotainment system for in-car use. That's what Subaru does in the Forester with a simple and elegant setup from TomTom. Here's hoping that Suzuki and Garmin's partnership results in a similar success. *Photo: Suzuki*
03acura-rlx-sh-awd
Acura Sport Hybrid SH-AWD ------------------------- When Acura debuted its new RLX flagship model, it became the second car to feature the automaker's Sport Hybrid Super Handling All Wheel Drive system, or Sport Hybrid SH-AWD for short. Honda North America CEO Tetsuo Iwamura said it would become a "signature technology for Acura," coming first – but not limited to – the RLX. While the [NSX concept](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2012/01/acura-nsx-concept/) uses a gas engine to power the rear wheels and dual electric motors up front, the RLX turns the beat around with electric motors for each rear wheel and a gas engine powering the hoops up front. Acura says the systems should give the V6-powered car city, highway and combined fuel economy of 30 MPG. *Photo: Noah Devereaux/Wired*
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Acura Precision All-Wheel Steer ------------------------------- Yes, Acura still has a front-wheel drive flagship in the new RLX. but if you choose the front-drive-only model, you at least get four-wheel steering. Precision All Wheel Steer is the latest iteration of a concept that gained fame on the Honda Prelude and the new RLX uses electronic actuators to control the steering angle of the left and right rear wheels. The system works together with the car's electronic stability control and variable steering for optimal control at a variety of speeds. *Photo: Noah Devereaux/Wired*
05lincoln-sunroof
Lincoln MKZ Sunroof ------------------- The MKZ concept debuted back in January at the Detroit Auto Show, but the production model bowed here in New York. One of its key features is a massive, nearly two-foot-long retractable sunroof that slides open in less than 10 seconds. Even though it opens back over the rear windscreen, it didn't appear to hinder visibility. We didn't get the full impact of a giant glass roof under the fluorescent lights of the Javits Center, but imagine it'll likely appeal to folks who want to peel the roof off their sedan without the inconveniences of a convertible. *Photo: Noah Devereaux/Wired*
06subaru-eyesight
Subaru EyeSight --------------- Subaru may have built its reputation on rugged, no-nonsense cars, but this year they've mixed some tech with their boxer engines and all-wheel drive systems. The Subaru EyeSight anti-collision system uses two cameras to detect pedestrians and other obstacles. At speeds under 19 mph, EyeSight triggers the brakes to avoid a collision. Above that, it alerts the driver and attempts to brake if the driver does nothing. EyeSight is already available in other markets, but will make its North American debut on the 2013 Legacy and Outback along with adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning. *Photo: Noah Devereaux/Wired*
Photo: Salton Sea History Museum07eshift
Ram 1500 Shifter Knob --------------------- First, we lost column shifter. Next came the manual parking brake. Now, the shift lever itself is in danger of obsolescence – at least if the new 2013 Ram 1500 is any indication. The updated Ram that debuted in New York features an automatic transmission that doubles the number of gears from the 2012 model's aging four-speed. The TorqueFlite 8 was developed by Chrysler and ZF and is controlled by an "E-Shift" knob with detents for park, drive, neutral, and reverse. While we appreciated a similar design in the [Jaguar XJL,](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/10/jaguar-xjl/) it seems a little bit out of place in a heavy-duty work truck. *Photo: Jason Paur/Wired*
/Flickr08gogolink
Chevrolet GogoLink ------------------ Some of Chevrolet's smallest cars will feature seven-inch touchscreens that link to a smartphone to become a cloud-based infotainment system. Instead of a costly navigation and audio setup, the Chevy Spark and Sonic will offer a touchscreen that acts as a dumb terminal, using the GogoLink smartphone app to do the heavy lifting for audio and navigation. In addition to cost savings, there are some tech benefits to relying on a smartphone to do the brunt of the work for an infotainment system. A phone's built-in data connection can get real-time traffic updates, stream audio and find local points of interest. Additionally, as long as the touchscreen remains compatible with the latest software, the system can be remotely upgraded with new features and functions as they become available. In fact, the first Chevy Sparks built will be on sale before GogoLink goes online, so early adopters will have to get a software update to connect with a smartphone. *Photo: Noah Devereaux/Wired*
09avalon
Avalon's Capacitive Center Stack -------------------------------- The interior of the Toyota Avalon has historically been slow to adopt the latest trends, instead reaching out to a demographic that appreciated a full-size sedan with traditional appointments. Heck, the early cars still had bench seats and column shifters. That's changing for the 2013 model year, with a touchscreen dominating the attractively sparse center stack. While two traditional knobs control radio tuning and volume, the majority of physical buttons have been replaced with capacitive switches that blend in with the dash material. This may be Toyota's first foray into the technology, but capacitive touch switches have become increasingly common on dashboards of late. We first saw them on the Chevy Volt's inscrutable array of identical buttons, and later they appeared on Ford's Sony-branded infotainment systems. For the 2013 model year, we can add the Cadillac ATS and the new Avalon to the list of cars that are leaving buttons behind. *Photo: Toyota*
10altima
Nissan's NASA Seat ------------------ After a long day of trudging around a convention center, a comfy chair is a welcome find. With an all-new Altima, Nissan also debuted a set of seats that the company said were inspired by NASA research. There's no eject button, but there are cushions that reduce pressure points to improve blood flow. The preproduction Altima we took a seat in was certainly comfortable, with plenty of back support. Even though we found the bottom cushion to be a little bit shallow, it was a welcome change from standing all day. *Photo: Noah Devereaux/Wired*
