3/23/2016, WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced $60 million in grants to fund cutting-edge transportation improvement technologies that will improve safety, efficiency, system performance, and infrastructure return on investment.

“This program will take technological innovation to a new level and help to make the entire transportation network more reliable for commuters, businesses, and freight shippers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “An efficient transportation system is the foundation of a strong economy.”

The new program—Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment Program (ATCMTD)—is aimed at addressing the concerns outlined in

Beyond Traffic, the USDOT report issued last year that examines the challenges facing America's transportation infrastructure over the next three decades, such as a rapidly growing population and increasing traffic. Gridlock nationwide is expected to increase unless changes are made soon.

“Innovative technologies offer exciting solutions that can help meet the challenges outlined in Beyond Traffic and can improve safety and efficiency of transportation across the nation,” said Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau. “This new program will help harness and support these technologies and push the boundaries of what is possible for the future of transportation in our country.”

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fhwa1616.cfm

3/22/16 Elgin, IL – K40 Electronics announced that they will offer two hands-on installation workshops for K40’s remote radar detectors and laser jamming products during Mobile Electronics’ KnowledgeFest Spring Training event being held April 8-10, 2016, at the Indiana Convention Center.

Brady Siebert, Director of National Accounts for K40, and Joshua Landau, from JML Audio of St. Louis, will lead the hands-on training on how to custom install a K40 RL360i dual remote receiver radar detection and Laser Defuser g5 laser jamming system. Also covered will be K40’s new Expert control unit that enables mobile electronics retailers to offer an additional customization option to customers. This permanently installed, yet easily concealable component looks and functions just like other factory installed vehicle controls, including back-lighting for easy button identification in low light conditions.  

Two training sessions covering the same topics will be offered by K40 in event booth #410:

Friday, April 8, 2016

5:15 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.

Saturday, April 9, 2016

4:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

To register for a K40 training session, visit the following link and click on the K40 Brand Workshop listing:

https://knowledgefest.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php

“We’re excited to present this business-building training for the second year at KnowledgeFest," said Siebert. “It offers dealers interested in entering into the radar category key insights from both the manufacturer and an award-winning retailer on how K40 can be added into their product mix as well as offering established dealers a refresher on best practices for custom installations.”

For information on K40’s entire product line, which offers the industry’s first ticket-free guarantee, visit http://www.k40.com/products

Avon Lake, Ohio (March 23, 2016) -- Design Engineering, Inc. has announced the company’s inaugural Cruise-In car show planned for Saturday, June 18 at the company’s headquarters at 604 Moore Road, Avon Lake, OH. DEI is located three miles from Interstate 90.

The event begins at 10 a.m. and concludes at 3 p.m. This show will bring some of the area’s most exciting custom cars and hot rods to DEI as part of the 2016 Cruisin’ Times Lucky 7 Road Show.

“DEI is very excited to host this custom car show at our facility. In the past we enjoyed hosting a stop for race cars and drivers who were competing in the annual Tire Rack’s One Lap of America and invited the local community and media to visit the event at the DEI facility," said Tom Miller, DEI’s V.P. of Marketing and Sales "That event was so successful that we wanted to develop more events that will allow DEI to share our passion with others.”

A 50/50 raffle will be held during the Cruise-In to benefit the Friendship Animal Protective League in memory and deep respect for Ken Moore, a prior DEI employee who lost his battle with cancer in February.

The DEI Cruise-In will include music provided by Its Show Time D.J. services, great barbeque with all the fixin’s can be purchased from Jones Bones BBQ, raffles, DEI T-shirts and hats will be for sale and a scratch and dent sale area will be open.   

A rain date has been set for Sunday, June 19 in the event of inclement weather. Admission and parking is free for this public event.

For more information about DEI’s Cruise-In event, visit www.DesignEngineering.com, call 800-264-9472, or e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To keep up with the very latest DEI Cruise-In announcements, connect with DEI at Facebook.com/DEIcruisein.

3/21/2016, Entrepreneur -- Want to have more customers, opt-ins on your website and clicks on your “Buy Now” button? Do what Hollywood does -- use stories to sell your products and services.

This makes sense: At some point, you've probably gone to a meeting featuring a PowerPoint presentation with charts and graphs . . . and wanted to poke your eyes out with a pencil. The reason: Stories, not data, are what inspire people. Stories, not bullet points, create customer loyalty, build social media platforms and increase sales. Stories create an emotional bond between your business and your customers.

And today's technology helps us tell those stories in the many different ways it's given us to offer our message to millions of potential customers -- instantly.

Yet, many businesses are losing customers because their methods of reaching them are outdated. Want to get people to buy your product? Then get them to listen. Here are three essential stories you need on your website to do just that:

1: Your customer’s story

In my book, The Message Of You, I call this your “credibility story.” It goes like this:

• Customer X came to you with a huge mess (describe it).
• Customer X took advantage of your products or services.
• Now, Customer X's life is so much better! He or she can now walk, breathe, save money, and perform like Lady Gaga. (Okay, maybe not exactly like her).

Better yet: Record your customers telling this story. One way I make a living is by coaching speakers. And, after I’m done and my client is (presumably) a happy camper, I use a Skype video recorder to record my client’s "mess-to-success story." These tales are gold! You can view four of them here. 

2. Your company’s story 

Every company also has a "mess-to-success" story. Take Microsoft, for example: “We started with our office in a garage, and now we sell ‘office.’” Isn’t there someone else who started in a garage? Oh yeah, Apple.

Airbnb, meanwhile never tires of telling its story of how its founders went from sleeping on air mattresses at friends' apartments to creating a billion-dollar company providing sleeping accommodations for travellers worldwide.

Your company didn’t launch and become an immediate success, right? And, while you may not have started in a garage, you still have a story. Why, the history of how your company achieved its goals is the greatest story ever told . . . or something close to that. So, identify your company's story, add it to your bio (your “About Us” page) and share it with your customers. 

Read the rest here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/269881

3/21/2016, Peachtree City, GA — HELLA, Inc., the North American aftermarket subsidiary of automotive lighting and electronics supplier HELLA, introduces the new HELLA LED Light Bar 350. It features a revolutionary design that combines powerful LED lighting with a sleek, aerodynamic low profile, low weight and thermally conductive, polymer body. The HELLA LED Light Bar 350 incorporates 12 durable, high-performance automotive grade LEDs that produce 145,000-candela power at a very low power consumption of just 25W.

The HELLA LED Light Bar 350 received the 2016 Global Media Award during the recent 2015 SEMA Show. It was selected by a panel of international judges who reviewed nearly 2,000 products during the show and determined that the Hella LED Light Bar 350 would be of interest in their publications.

The housing on the HELLA LED Light Bar 350 is injection molded from a ceramic-based polymer that is highly resistant to corrosion, is extremely lightweight, and protects the LEDs from over heating by excellent thermal management. Weighing only 1.5 lbs., the LED Light Bar 350 is the ideal solution for applications where weight, aerodynamics, profile, and style are a consideration. The hermetically sealed and submersible light bar incorporates a Multivolt™ circuit for optimum brightness at input voltages from 9V to 33V. The housings feature stainless steel brackets that allow flexible positioning to meet a wide range of customer preferences.

The HELLA LED Light Bar 350 is available in four beam patterns configurations, including: Driving Beam, Pencil Beam, Wide Beam, and Narrow Beam. The multiple beam configurations allow the LED Light Bar 350 to be used for long range, off-road, truck, ATV, UTV, and SUV applications. The Driving and the Pencil Beam versions are ECE approved, which makes them street legal in Canada and Central and South America (check local requirements). Off-road usage only in the USA for all versions.

HELLA also offers a dual light bar bracket, which is suitable for mounting two HELLA LED Light Bar 350s.

3/21/2016, Seattle, WA – AudioControl has announced training classes scheduled for Spring Knowledgefest in Indianapolis.

The launch of AudioControl’s new DM-810, DM-608, and D-4.800 Amplifier are simplifying the installation process for installers and cutting tuning time with a new game changing Smart User Interface. Chris Bennett, AudioControl's National Sales Manager, will be taking attendees through the set up and tuning process using these game changing new components and software. There will also be a focus on the new AudioControl amplifier offering and how each has an emphasis on factory integration. 

AudioControl Training will be held Saturday April 9^th from 4:30-5:30 pm and Sunday April 10th at 8:30 am in room 104. Those interested in attending can contact Chris Bennett at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or register directly at the Knowledgefest website. AudioControl’s training seminar at KnowledgeFest is already receiving a lot of industry attention and seats are being booked by attendees. Early registration is recommended.  Special deals on the SA-4100i to all attendees.

3/21/2016, Chicago, Illinois – ATREND USA and OZ AUDIO announced that ATREND has taken control of all sales/marketing operations of Oz Audio amplifiers, speakers and subwoofers. Effective immediately, Atrend will be handing all US sales and marketing activities for the OZ Audio brand through the Chicago based 12 Volt supplier.
Oz Audio started shipping product in July of 2015. The original designer, founder, and president of Oz Audio – Craig Smith – was selected to lead this new initiative. Smith picked up where he left off – using all the latest technologies to create a product line that is built around the same criteria that made the original Oz Audio product so popular. “The responses have been overwhelming and the requests for more products are now on our development and production list. The partnership with Atrend will benefit the dealers in many different ways but it allows us to continue to deliver products that the dealers are asking for.” stated Tony Castillo, CEO. “We are committed to deliver the right product, service and support. Atrend shares this same vision and that’s why we felt this partnership is the right move.”
Kevin Hundal, CEO Atrend stated that “Atrend continues to position itself further away from just an ordinary box manufacturer, our primary focus in 2016 and onward is to develop and present the marketplace with exceptional products. The addition of OZ Audio is a step in that direction. With the amount of time and energy that has gone into the development of the OZ brand, we are more than confident this will be a win for the industry.”

OZ Audio product offering consist of:
 SUBWOOFERS-Sizes include an 8”, 10” and 12” Aluminum cone, long excursion subwoofers. Each woofer (except the 8” comes only in a 2 inch) utilizes either a 2 inch or a 2.5 inch aluminum voice coil. All woofers including the 8” come with dual spiders and spacer ring and woven tensile leads. Power ratings are 300 watts RMS and 500 watts RMS. All models except the 8” are offered in either dual 2 ohm or dual 4 ohm voice coils.
 COAXIAL-Four models of 2-way coaxial speaker systems – 5.25”, 5”x7”, 6.5“ and 6”x9”. Each speaker has a shallow mounting depth, utilizes an aluminum cone with an aluminum voice coil and woven tensile leads. The composite tweeter cone material and hi-power neodymium magnet have been carefully matched to the bass/midrange cone for optimum clarity of instruments and voices.
 COMPONENTS-Two models of 2-way component systems – 5.25” and 6.5”. Both systems utilize a proprietary aluminum cone for the bass/midrange driver along with an integrated aluminum voice coil and woven tensile leads. The tweeters use a 25 mm aluminum dome with hi-energy neodymium magnet and are capable of rotating and can be either flush or surface mounting. The crossovers are equipped with low loss core coils, Mylar capacitors, tweeter attenuation and protection circuit, and a 12db/octave filter.
 AMPS-Four models of amplifiers- 4 x 90 watt RMS Full Range, 1 x 600 watt RMS “D” class, 1 x 1000 watt RMS “D” class, 1 x 1600 watt RMS “D” class.
All OZ Audio products offer a 2-year warranty if installed by an authorized Oz Audio Dealer.

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) - Major automakers will announce Thursday they have agreed to install automatic emergency braking systems in nearly all U.S. vehicles by September 2022, three sources briefed on the plans said.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced in September a deal in principle with 10 automakers to eventually add the technology to prevent thousands of crashes a year. The final agreement includes additional automakers and will be unveiled at a press conference in McLean, Va., at a press conference.

The final agreement includes automakers representing more than 99 percent of U.S. light vehicle sales. Among those joining the deal are Toyota Motor Corp, General Motors Co , Ford Motor Co., Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV , Honda Motor Co and Volkswagen AG .

Automatic emergency braking includes systems designed to prevent crashes in which drivers do not apply the brakes or fail to apply enough braking power to avoid a collision.

Under the agreement, automakers will get slightly longer to add the technology to some vehicles with technical challenges, including some cars with manual transmissions.

NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind told Reuters in an interview last week that a voluntary agreement that could get the safety technology in vehicles before a legally binding rule was preferable. "We're very excited about this," Rosekind said, declining to confirm details.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a group that helped reach the voluntary agreement with automakers, has said as many as 20 percent of crashes could be prevented by the technology.

"Do the math. That's 5 million crashes every year -- 20 percent reduction means 1 million less. Those are big numbers," Rosekind said in September.

Read the rest HERE.

Montebello, CA March 17, 2016 – Power Acoustik is now shipping Thin-120BXA pre-loaded enclosure with 12” subwoofers.

The Thin-120BXA enclosure includes such key features as an internal motor assembly that reduces the mounting depth along with semi-circular frame venting that maintains thermal control. Furthermore, it comes in carpeted black with embroidered accents for a seamless look.

The Power Acoustik Thin-120BXA subwoofers contains the additional features:

• 650w built in amp, 4 ohm impedance
• Spruce paper cone for dynamic, natural sound quality
• Semi-circular frame venting maintains thermal control
• Internal motor assembly reduces mounting depth

For more information log on to: http://poweracoustik.com/product/thin-120bxa/

Avon Lake, OH, (March 16, 2016) -- Boom Mat now offers a new peel and stick damping material designed to improve interior and stereo sound quality. Boom Mat vibration damping material is recommended for use around speaker mounting surfaces, doors, trunk lids or even license plates to enjoy a quieter, more comfortable vehicle interior.

Developed with an industry-leading 2mm thick, asphalt-free, pure-butyl noise constraining layer backed with a 4mil aluminum panel stiffening top skin, this Made in the USA vibration damping material can be easily installed in cars, trucks, vans, street rods, commercial vehicles to name a few applications. It’s also suggested for a higher performing replacement for OEM body panel materials used in body shops.

Unaffected by extreme temperatures, it adheres equally well to steel, fiberglass or plastic, can be trimmed to size and installs quickly and easily to vertical, overhead or irregular surfaces.

DD Audio recently updated their popular VO-B3 super tweeter and  made it super easy to drop into most motorcycle fairing gauge holes. Upon its recent release, the VO-B3 was met with an overwhelmingly positive customer response, especially from the custom motorcycle audio crowd.

The world of  custom motorcycle audio has fastly become as exciting custom car audio,  and with its unique build features the Vo-B3 has found some two wheeled fans. By trimming the mounting bezel OD down to 57 mm / 2.24 in., the Vo-B3 will now nestle neatly into most fairings. This update also plays well for the car guys since the new mounting bezel will leave more room on door panels and A-pillars for additional tweets.

 B3 Features:

•  Trim Bezel Diameter 57mm / 2.24in
• Perfect Fit for most Motorcycle Fairing Gauge Holes
• Dual Mounting Options
• Custom CNC Aluminium Body
• Neodymium Motor
• Titanium Voice Coil
• Custom CNC Aluminium Body
• Neodymium Motor
• Titanium Voice Coil

For more information: http://ddaudio.com/products/mids-and-highs/vo-series/vo-b3/

3-15-2016, Entrepreneur -- Many people dream of leaving their nine-to-five jobs to start their own businesses. Many successful entrepreneurs had to keep their day jobs until they reached a point in their businesses when it was feasible to quit. This transition time can be stressful and difficult, especially when you don’t enjoy your job, but it doesn’t have to be.

While ambition is important, it is not always enough to move you forward. Maintaining your motivation and drive during your transition from employee to entrepreneur is crucial. It’s easy to veer off course and get discouraged during this transitional phase. Here are some actions you can start taking immediately while you’re still at your day job that will keep you on track and moving forward.

1. Get crystal clear on your reason for starting your business.

Connecting with your “why” is the most important first step you can take. Maybe you are motivated by being your own boss, financial independence, time freedom, creative expression, being home with your kids or helping others. Whatever your reason, knowing what motivates and drives you is what will keep you focused and committed to your dream when times get difficult.

Related: The 8 Biggest Challenges for New Entrepreneurs

2. Commit yourself to your dream.

Having the desire for something to work vs. committing to it are vastly different. When you commit to your dream, you are making a binding obligation to see it through to success. It means you are “all in,” you find solutions when faced with obstacles and you don’t quit, no matter what. Make that pledge to yourself, and then tell the people in your life.

3. Create a personal vision for your business.

Think about what you want in your business a year from now and write it down. Be very specific and detailed. Describe in great detail in the present tense your ideal day, what activities you engage in, who your customers/clients are, how many customers/clients you have and what your monthly income is.

Read your vision aloud every morning and evening, focusing completely on the end result -- your vibrant, flourishing business. By keeping your focus on the result, you will be able to make the day-to-day choices to ignore any negative thoughts that may arise.

Read the rest here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/254549

3-14-2016, Reuters -- The top U.S. auto safety regulator said on Thursday the agency is seeking additional details of a recent crash of an Alphabet Inc Google self-driving car in California.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is collecting information to get a "more detailed exploration of what exactly happened," NHTSA chief Mark Rosekind told Reuters on the sidelines of an event on highway safety.

A Google self-driving car struck a municipal bus in Mountain View, Calif. in a minor crash on Feb. 14, and the technology company said it bears "some responsibility" for the incident in what may be the first crash that was the fault of the self-driving vehicle.

Rosekind said he spoke to Google officials on Wednesday and the company has been "very forthcoming" in answering requests for details on the crash. "We have to see what's going on," Rosekind said.

A Google spokesman confirmed NHTSA has asked for more information and the company plans to discuss the crash with regulators.

U.S. safety officials said in January they are working on new guidance on self-driving vehicles that they hope to release by July. Rosekind said understanding the Google car crash is important in that process.

"One of the lessons learned would be: there's an incident, how do you make that sure that (the issue) ends up getting corrected and there is quality assurance to make sure it effectively changes what happened," Rosekind said.

Google said last week it made changes to its software after the crash to avoid future incidents. A U.S. Senate panel will hold a hearing on Tuesday on the future of autonomous vehicles that will include the director of Google's self-driving car program.

Last month, NHTSA said the artificial intelligence system piloting a self-driving Google car could be considered the driver under federal law, a major step toward winning approval for autonomous vehicles on the roads.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles said last week it is reviewing the Google crash.

California rules say the state could "suspend or revoke the manufacturer’s testing permit for any act or omission which the department finds makes the conduct of autonomous vehicle testing on public roads an unreasonable risk to the public," the agency said.

Read the rest here: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-google-selfdrivingcar-idUSKCN0WC1YS

Arlington, VA, March 14, 2016 - Today the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), formerly the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), announced the return of its CES Unveiled event series to France for a fourth consecutive CES Unveiled Paris and a debut event, CES Unveiled Prague.

These two events, uniting innovative technology companies, top members of the press, industry analysts, buyers and key consumer technology influencers, will serve as a prelude to the innovation that will be showcased at CES 2017. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association, CES is the global stage for innovation and will run January 5-8, 2017.

This year's CES Unveiled events series will kick off with CES Unveiled Prague on Thursday, October 20 followed by CES Unveiled Paris on Tuesday, October 25. Breaking CES news and global market research will headline conference programming during this half day event, followed by a tabletop exhibition networking reception. Technology influencers and media will see and interact with the ground-breaking innovation coming from global brands and startups alike.

"Every year we assess the global technology landscape in target markets when deciding where to host our CES Unveiled events abroad, and the entrepreneurial spirit that France brings to the tech eco-system through its innovation cities and startup parks makes it easy for us to come back to Paris year after year," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association. "Last year we had a crowded sold out exhibit area in Paris, and this year we are adding Prague to the lineup to serve as a hub for the Eastern and Central European market, it's a promising city with close proximity to other technology hotbeds and we look forward to seeing what this region will present at this year's events."
 
CES Unveiled events provide exhibitors, top tier media and leaders in the tech space the opportunity to come together in different cities around the world to make strategic connections around the latest technologies. These events give exhibitors the exposure and necessary momentum leading up to CES in Las Vegas.
 
French companies at CES have tripled over the last two years, from 71 exhibitors in 2014 to 216 in 2016. France has the leading number of startups outside the U.S. in Eureka Park™, the startup destination at CES, representing 28 percent of marketplace exhibitors.
 
CES Unveiled Prague will provide innovative companies from across Europe the opportunity to showcase their cutting-edge technology to top tier media and stand out amongst the CES elite.
 
CES Unveiled Paris and Prague join domestic CES Unveiled events in New York and Las Vegas. Companies interested in exhibiting in any CES Unveiled event, Aurelie Cornett at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 703.907.5245.
 
Attendee registration is not yet open but please visit our website CES Unveiled Events for updated information as it becomes available. 

March 8, 2016 – AudioControl has begun shipping its new LC-4.800 Car Audio Amplifier, the first in a new line up of industry first amplifiers.

AudioControl’s new LC-4.800 amplifier may appear to be a just another amplifier but it has OE Integration features unlike anything else on the market. “Our LC-4.800 was engineered and developed to be an integration solution for today’s factory installed audio systems” stated Chris Bennett, AudioControl’s National Sales Manager. “Our Engineers incorporated 6 speaker level inputs that allow summing directly into the amplifier, one of those inputs even has a level control to ensure you have some level matching prior to summing.” 

The LC-4.800 is a 4-channel amplifier with rated power output of 125 watts per channel at 4 ohms. Bridged output is 400 watts making this amplifier capable of 4/3/2 channel operation. The included low level outputs for additional amplifiers feature AudioControl’s patented AccuBASS™ circuit and can be controlled with the optional ACR-1 dash controller. It also has the ability to use the AccuBASS™ circuit on its powered outputs and when assigned the optional ACR-1 remote can then be used as a master volume controller. The M.I.L.C.™ circuit (Maximized Input Level Control) is also included on this amplifier to assure the purest input signal and avoid clipping or distortion. A solid single piece aluminum heat sink, GTO™ Great-Turn-On, as well as Linkwitz-Riley Crossovers mean this amplifier will be an important tool for AudioControl’s retail partners.

3-14-2016 -- DD Audio will be hitting the road again and making its way to Daytona Beach, Fla. for the 30th Annual Spring Break Nationals (March 19-20). DD will be located at booth 1015 inside the SQ Zone. The DD Work Van will be on display with its panel flexing custom system.

Customers will also be able to speak with members of the DD sales team, ask questions to the DD tech team and get up close and personal with the baddest DD products out on the market. Outside the venue, several DD Audio builds will be on display courtesy of Xtreme Audio and Performance. On Saturday the 19th, from 4:00-7:30, DD will be hosting a technical training focused on their DSI signal processor and their USA-made subwoofer lines. Seats for the training are limited so those interested should contact sales@ddaudio to reserve a spot.  

In addition to attending the show, the DD Audio team will be taking advantage of the drive to and from the event. They’ll be leaving out of OKC on March 14th and returning the 25th, giving them plenty of time to visit current and potential dealers along the way. So be watching the DD Audio social media feeds for the team’s whereabouts, and the possibility of getting some sweet swag for being in the right place at the right time.

Dancing With Giants

By Jamie Sorcher

The glitter and glory of CES has come and gone, but there’s nothing like a look in the rearview mirror to assess the big trends and to gain some perspective.

This year’s CES was its most massive yet with a near capacity crowd of more than 170,000 attendees, 3,800 companies and, of course, the expanding venues (East, West and South Halls) with 24.7 million net square feet of exhibit space. For someone wanting to see it all, it would require visiting 95 exhibitors each day of the show from the moment it opened until it closed.

Also new this year was the recent name change by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) that hosts the show to the broader title of Consumer Technology Association.

“Innovation and expansion are hallmarks of the consumer technology industry and our association—and as our industry changes, so must we,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association. “Our membership and the consumer technology sector have grown and evolved to engage almost every major industry segment and America’s burgeoning startup economy, touching almost every part of consumers’ lives. Our new name—the Consumer Technology Association—more accurately represents this growth and the excitement and innovative spirit of the industry we represent.”

The industry getting bigger and broader has brought more than a name change. The larger scope of the show has also seen more companies decide to show off the grid. This year a number of companies exhibited away from the main show floors including Harman, Rockford Fosgate, Orca, DD Audio, JL Audio, elettromedia, NAV-TV, and ADS (iDatalink).

"We have taken the approach that we want to bring technology in—so how do you cap that?" said Karen Chupka, senior vice president CES and corporate business strategist for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). "We want to create solutions and, as big as the show is getting, make it easy to help people find what they are looking for. When companies go off site, it makes it more difficult to do that."

Read the rest of this feature by [clicking here]

Covisint is presenting a webinar on the concept of vehicle ride sharing and its applications. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, March 29 at 11:00 am Eastern Standard Time and last a duration of 60 minutes. 

The company has released the following description of the event:

"Vehicle 'ownership' was once a consumer rite of passage. Now through ride sharing models, vehicle sharing and the use of multimodal transportation has become less a novelty and more a viable choice – particularly in urban areas. Not only is this a cost-savings method for consumers, it is also giving them the flexibility to use different vehicles based on situational needs.

"Join us for a thought provoking webinar on Ride Sharing and Multimodal Transportation and learn why interacting with consumers based on context for each mode of transportation will be key for many OEMs."

The webinar will be hosted by Timothy Evavold, executive director automotive, Covisint. Interested parties may email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information. 

March 9, 2016, Governing.com -- The storm that rolled through Ann Arbor, Mich., in late November brought nine inches of snow and an experimental opportunity too good to pass up. A team of Ford engineers working to develop self-driving vehicles decided it would be a good time to put their modified Ford Fusion sedans to the test.

Snow, like rain, can be especially tricky for automated vehicles. Precipitation makes it harder for driverless cars to know where they are. Their cameras can’t see lines on snow-covered pavement or in the reflections of puddles. Falling precipitation interferes with radar. Piles of snow make finding the curbs and road edges harder, even for the cars’ laser-powered mapping devices. On top of that, snow is something of a novelty for self-driving cars. Most of them have been confined to sunny locales in states like California, Nevada and Texas, where rain and snow are rarer.

So the Ford team jumped at the chance to test their vehicles in the Michigan winter. Rather than heading to Ford’s proving grounds in Dearborn, they went to Mcity, a 32-acre test track in north Ann Arbor. It’s a shared track that’s operated by the University of Michigan and used by automakers and the state transportation department to try out autonomous and connected cars. Mcity includes elements you wouldn’t expect to find on most test tracks, things like stoplights that broadcast information to vehicles, a railroad crossing, a bus stop, highway on-ramps and gantries, a small hill, gravel roads, sidewalk crossings, stop signs, a simulated tree canopy and overpass, roundabouts, vandalized traffic signs, and a mockup of downtown city blocks.