Here’s an update on car-related electronics at CES 2009 in Las Vegas last week, courtesy of our colleagues in the Cars department. (They have since moved on to the Detroit Auto Show, where they are doing some intensive blogging.)
The debut of two eBikes.
Designed for urban dwellers, eBikes can either be pedaled or ridden like a scooter thanks to a built-in electric motor. The Ultra Motor A2B ($2,700) weighs 72 pounds and has a top speed of 20 mph in its scooter mode. (Click on image at right for a closer look.) ELV Motors, which makes the bike, estimates that a 160-pound person can ride for 20 miles before the motor’s lithium-ion battery needs recharging (which takes about 3 1/2 hours). ELV motors estimates the A2B’s battery would need to be replaced after 700 too 900 charges. (Cost: $350 to $400.) Schwinn’s Tailwind eBike ($3,200) ups the ante in many respects. At a lighter 50 pounds, the bike can run 25 to 30 miles at 18 to 19 mph. The battery takes only half an hour to recharge. Schwinn claims its battery will last through 2,000 charges, and has reached 6,000 in tests.
Wi-Fi on wheels. While it’s dangerous for a driver to check e-mail or download music on a laptop, passengers can, using Autonet Mobile’s wireless Internet Service Provider. On its 3G network – where available – the router provides download speeds ranging from 400kps to 800kps and upload speeds from 128kps to 300kps. (When not on the 3G network, speed ranges from 50kps-100kps download and 120kps-200kps upload.) Available on Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles since last summer, the routers are available at retail for $400. Professional installation is necessary, and monthly service plans start at $29 per month.
Ford’s office-in-a-truck. Ford Work Solutions, available in March, is an in-cab package for those who use their F-Series pickups or E-Series vans in their daily jobs. The package includes: a fully functional, in-dash computer featuring a Bluetooth keyboard, printer, broadband Internet access, and GPS navigation from Garmin; Tool Link, a computerized inventory manager for keeping tabs on equipment; Crew Chief, a program that delivers location and diagnostic information on any vehicle with a specially installed black box; and Cable Lock, an 8-foot steel cable that wraps around items to secure them in the truck’s bed.
A solar-powered Bluetooth speaker. Ideal for hands-free talking, the speaker affixes to the windshield where the sun’s rays keep it charged.
Garmin Nuvi upgrades. Garmin introduced the Nuvi 855 and 855T, successors to the well-Rated Nuvi 800. Both feature the voice-recognition system introduced in the Nuvi 800, but have also expanded the number of cities with traffic service (from 40 to 95) using MSN Direct (which also provides travel info such as gas prices and weather). The 855T includes an MSN Direct receiver and is Bluetooth-capable.
TomTom navigator’s new party line. TomTom's new Go 740 Live, available in the spring, hopes to pioneer a new method of gathering traffic info. Not only will it allow users to share traffic and map corrections through a program called Map Share (thereby improving the navigator’s accuracy), but TomTom is also partnering with cell-phone carriers to gather traffic-flow data from phone users on the road – a feature they call HD Traffic. Another new feature, TomTom Buddies, allows users to find and track each other, share info, and instant message. Go 740 Live will also be able to gather gas prices and weather info, and do Google searches.
—Nick K. Mandle
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