Fierce Wireless -- Audi CEO Rupert Stadler vowed to protect driver privacy in the age of the connected car, in an apparent snub of new market entrants including Google.
In a presentation to German executives in Berlin, Stadler warned that drivers' privacy is at risk from the push towards connected and self-driving cars, and that Audi is working with its domestic rivals to develop secure systems, Bloomberg reported.
Google chairman Eric Schmidt later told the same audience that the company wants to tap German companies' expertise to help it develop a European car strategy. The U.S. company has already worked with Audi and its parent Volkswagen, along with Opel, the German arm of General Motors, Bloomberg added.
Stadler believes that only drivers and their passengers should be able to access data collected by connected cars, Reuters reported, noting that marketers and advertisers are particularly interested in information relating to a vehicle's speed and location.
Read the rest here: http://www.fiercewireless.com/europe/story/audi-ceo-pledges-protect-driver-data-age-connected-car/2015-06-10
The C3 Group will host its third annual Connected Car Conference (C3) at CE Week, showcasing the trends and technologies that are driving innovation in automotive and transportation, and featuring interactive panel discussions.
With a special program emphasis on unique, urban issues of traffic, commuting and safety, The Connected Car Conference will take place on Tuesday, June 23 in New York City at the Metropolitan Pavilion, located at 125 West 18th Street in Manhattan.
Participating companies in the Connected Car Conference program include AAA, Buick, Google, Hyundai Ventures, iBiquity, INRIX, Intelligent Car Coalition, Jaguar/Land Rover, Leidos, Nuance, NXP, Pandora, Pioneer Electronics, Scion and QNX.
Thought leaders from automotive, technology, policy and research will discuss a variety of topics in interactive panel sessions, including:
C3 EVENT SUMMARY:
WHAT: C3 Group Connected Car Conference in New York City
DATE: Tuesday, June 23, 2015
TIME: Invitation-only media lunch 12:00pm – 1:00pm ET; Technology demonstrations by Buick, Google, Pioneer, QNX and Scion at 1:00pm ET; Full Program: 2:00pm – 5:30pm + reception.
LOCATION: The Metropolitan Pavilion, located at 125 West 18th Street in Manhattan.
Voxx Electronics Corporation is looking for a West Coast based experienced Regional Retail Sales Manager to join its Mobile Electronics Sales organization. The sales manager will report directly to the Vice President of Mobile Electronics and the primary responsibilities will be to work with its extensive customer base in concert with its existing rep groups and inside sales personnel.
Please forward resume to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Job Requirements
Compensation/Benefits
Reuters -- U.S. job openings surged to a record high in April and small business confidence perked up in May, suggesting the economy was regaining speed after stumbling at the start of the year.
The economy's stronger tone was reinforced by other data on Tuesday showing a solid rise in wholesale inventories in April, in part as oil prices stabilized.
"This is more confirmation that the economy is indeed emerging from that soft patch in the first quarter and can still pick up even faster in the next few months," said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at MUFG Union Bank in New York.
Hiring slipped to 5.0 million from 5.1 million in March. Economists say the lag in hiring suggests that employers cannot find qualified workers for the open positions.
The number of unemployed job seekers per open job, a measure of labor market slack, fell to 1.6 in April, the lowest since 2007 and down from 1.7 in March.
"On balance, we read the April JOLTS data as suggesting labor market momentum remains intact in the second quarter and labor market slack continues to diminish," said Jesse Hurwitz, an economist at Barclays in New York.
Read the rest of the story here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/09/us-usa-economy-idUSKBN0OP1MO20150609
CNET -- During the keynote presentation at this morning's Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced that CarPlay is going wireless.
As part of its iOS 9 discussion, Apple stated that the next generation of its iOS mobile operating system that powers iPhone devices will bring with it changes to the CarPlay smartphone integration software for automobiles. CarPlay will now feature support for new resolutions, new and more flexible aspect ratios, and higher resolution displays. The next version of CarPlay will also feature the potential for tighter integration with its host vehicle and will be able to tap into automotive data and even control certain functions of the car.
Apple is also cutting the requirement to plug in via Lightning connector. Currently, CarPlay users have to plug their devices into a USB port in the host vehicle via a Lightning cable to gain in-dash control of their smartphones. However, in future cars, iOS users will be able to get in car and connect without taking the phone out of pocket, with the only connection between the device and the auto being a wireless one, presumably Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or both.
Read the rest of the story here: http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/apple-cuts-the-cord-on-carplay/
Android Headlines -- It does seem increasingly likely that the connected car is going to be one of the next big things in technology. There is a good majority of people that drive their car on a daily basis either because they have to or because they want to. So naturally, if people could be connected there too, they will want to be, right?
Well, according to a new survey from Strategy Analytics, that answer is a little more complex than a simple yes or a no. A recent survey from Strategy Analytics asked consumers if they would be willing to pay extra money to have a Wi-Fi hotspot built into their new car.
According to the survey, 21 percent of U.S. consumers would be willing to pay that extra money. The same survey also points out that the 21 percent is down from the 24 percent that it was in the past. Why this decline in willingness to pay extra money for a connected car in today’s day and age happened, seems to be answered by another Strategy Analytics survey.
Read the rest of the story here: http://www.androidheadlines.com/2015/06/consumer-ad-paid-connected-car-services-preference-unclear.html
DD Audio will be the main audio sponsor at this years Slamology Automotive and Music Festival held June 12-14 at the Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Indiana. According to Donnie Babb, Slamology President, this is expected to be the largest Slamology to date. At the close of pre-registration, the event was already up 40% over last year.
DD Audio staff will be on location to answer any questions about the line. Along with the newest products, the booth will be blasting 2 demo vehicles that you won’t want to miss. The DD Audio booth will be located in-between the Full Tilt Demo VIP area and Vendor Row.
One of the must see rides is Frank Daniels’ 2010 Camaro SS featuring 2 full DD Audio systems; one for the cabin of the vehicle, and one for the gaming console and screen in the trunk. The second is Frank Lopez’s Tahoe with over 20,000 watts of amplification powering a wall of 21” Z-Series subs.
Kevin Holden, attending DD Sales Representative, says ”We have several exciting new products coming out to talk to people about, and the demos in the booth will definitely be worth stopping by to see.”
Business in Savannah -- Mike Kimball’s family owned Kimball’s Mobile Electronics has been a go-to car audio dealer in Savannah for more than 40 years.
Earlier this year, Kimball and longtime employees Chris Rawlins and Nick Hall put their expertise to use in a different way: They spent more than a month preparing for a toy truck build-off March 21 at Spring Break Nationals at Daytona Beach’s Ocean Center, one of the East Coast’s biggest mobile electronics trade shows.
The toy truck was custom-made and fully loaded by Kimball’s Mobile Electronics and won first place at the competition. After the win, Kimball announced he would donate the toy truck — valued at around $2,000 — to St. Joseph’s/Candler Foundations to be sold to support advancements in cancer care at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion in Savannah.
This initiative will be the biggest charitable contribution Kimball’s Mobile Electronics has had to date.
“We’re really excited about donating to the hospital,” Kimball said. “When we first started to build the toy truck, we didn’t really have a plan to donate it to charity. But then the more the truck came along, the more it seemed like a great idea.”
Kimball’s wife Connie works at J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion and helped inspire the idea.
“We’ve had a lot of close loved ones suffer from cancer. And people at our church,” he said. “Everyone seems to be affected by it in some way or another. This donation seemed like a really good fit.”
Kimball is working with St. Joseph’s/Candler Foundations on an event to raffle off the toy truck.
Read the rest here: http://businessinsavannah.com/bis/2015-06-06/local-auto-shop-donates-elaborate-custom-toy-car-charity
International Business Times -- Samsung Pay is coming to Samsung smartwatches later this year. The South Korean technology giant is planning to launch a wearable device that can also make mobile payments, according to unnamed sources speaking to the Electronic Times.
The smartwatch -- codenamed Orbis -- will use near-field communication (NFC) technology to facilitate contactless payments. This is the same technology used by Apple Inc. for Apple Pay on its iPhone 6 and the Apple Watch and Google's Android Pay. Samsung Pay was first introduced by the company with the launch of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. But in addition to using NFC, the mobile payment system also uses magnetic secure transmission technology, which works with older credit card payment terminals that don’t have contactless credit card technology built in. Though Samsung uses both technologies in its latest smartphones, it’s unknown if it plans to do the same with its smartwatch as well.
Samsung’s smartwatch isn’t expected to launch until sometime in the second half of the year.
Read the rest of the story here: http://www.ibtimes.com/samsung-pay-coming-samsung-electronics-smartwatches-later-year-1956574
OEM integration manufacturer Audiocontrol will host a webinar called "Audiocontrol's Train in the Rain Series - Selling Audiocontrol Products." The seminar will focus on suggested selling practices for selling AudioControl OE integration and Epicenter Amplifiers.
It will take place on Thursday, June 18th, from 3:15-4:15 pm, PDT. Other topics will include Increasing Sales with Product Knowledge, Today's Obstacles And Preparing For Tomorrow and Accubass Vs. The Epicenter - What's the Difference.
To join the webinar, click on the following link and sign up: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/5058733519213319937?utm_source=AC+Webinar+Invite+-+06-18-15&utm_campaign=Train+in+the+rain+-+Selling+AudioControl&utm_medium=email
Alpine Electronics will participate in the CMA (Country Music Association) Music Festival, an annual event taking place in downtown Nashville on June 11-14. The event consists of free daytime activities and concerts and is capped off each night with a ticket-only concert featuring the top names from country music.
This is the second year that Alpine is exhibiting at the CMA Music Festival. Alpine will have a 40 x 30 booth and will showcase its line of X009 9-inch Restyle dash systems designed for full size trucks, SUVs and the Jeep Wrangler. Consumers will be able to experience Restyle dash systems installed in the Jeep Wrangler and Chevy Silverado demo vehicles. Additional Restyle dash systems will be displayed in kiosks featuring actual vehicle dashboards, to show a true representation of the products when they are installed.
Authorized Alpine retailer CarTronics, which has locations in Madison, Antioch and Brentwood, TN, will be on hand to give demonstrations of the Restyle dash systems and answer product questions. CarTronics is holding an in-store promotion around the X009 and CMA Music Festival. Consumers who purchase an X009 Restyle dash system from May 22 – June 10 will be entered to win one of two pairs of 4-day passes to the nightly CMA Music Festival concerts held at the LP Field. In addition, consumers who purchase an X009 Restyle dash system from CarTronics in June and mention the CMA Music Festival will receive a free standard rear view camera system.
Alpine will be conducting a social media contest for the booth visitors. Consumers will be invited to take a photo with the Jeep Wrangler or Chevy Silverado demo vehicle, then upload their photo to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter including #AlpineRestyle and tag @Alpine Electronics of America (for Facebook) or mention @AlpineUSA (for Instagram and Twitter). Three winners will be randomly chosen each day to receive a set of Alpine headphones and a SPARC™ portable FM receiver with HD Radio™ technology. The Alpine booth will be located between 3rd and 4th Avenues in “The Buckle,” an outdoor festival space spanning several blocks on Broadway in downtown Nashville.
Mobile Electronics magazine has officially announced the Top 50 Retailers and Installers of 2015. The list is the first phase of the awards judging that leads up to the Top 12, and finally the Retailer and Installer of the Year awards, which will be announced at KnowledgeFest 2015 in Dallas, Texas on August 17. For more information, visit www.meindustryawards.com
The following is the list of Top 50 Retailers, in alphabetical order:
Adrenaline Autosound - Clayton, NC
Al & Ed’s Autosound – Pacoima, CA
Audio Designs & Custom Graphics – Jacksonville, FL
Audio Innovations of Fresno – Fresno, CA
Audio Solutions StL – St. Louis, MO
Audio Works – Newark , DE
Auto Trim Design – Amarillo, TX
Autosound Lab – Fresno, CA
Bay Area Audio Visions – Corpus Christi, TX
Blvd Customs Of Lakeland – Lakeland, FL
California Audio – WVC, UT
Car Concepts – Salt Lake City, UT
Cartronix Inc – Valparaiso , IN
Cartunes Inc. – Atlanta, GA
Custom Cars Unlimited – Salem , VA
Dr Dashboard – Evansville, IN
Driven Audio – Abbotsford, BC
Driven Mobile Electronics – Chantilly, VA
Elite Audio – Spartanburg, SC
Eminent Hi-Fi – Rexburg, Ind
Explicit Customs – West Melbourne, FL
Extreme Audio – Mechanicsville, VA
Foss Audio & Tint – Tukwila, WA
GNC Customs – Goshen , IN
Handcrafted Car Audio – Chandler, AZ
Industry Auto Designs – Las Vegas, NV
JML Audio of St. Louis – Fenton, MO
Kingpin Car & Marine Audio – Wilsonville, OR
Mobile Edge – Lehighton, PA
Mobile Toys INC – College Station , TX
Musicar Northwest – Portland , OR
NVS AUDIO – Linden, NJ
Ocala Car Audio – Ocala, FL
On The Go Tech – Black Earth, WI
Perfectionist Auto Sound & Security – Anchorage , AK
Prestige Car Audio & Marine – METAIRIE, LA
Sound Connection Inc – Baxter, MN
Sound FX, Inc. – Lewes, DE
Sound Wave Customs – Virginia Beach , VA
SoundFX – West Warwick, RI
Sounds Good Stereo – miami, FL
Soundsgood Auto Service – Coquitlam, BC
SoundWorks Car Audio & Security – Anchorage, AK
SRQ Customs – sarasota, FL
Stereo King – Portland, OR
Stereo Solutions – Redding, CA
Tint World, LLC. – Boca Raton, FL
Tip Top Customs – Morris , IL
Tunes-N-Tint – Lakeland, FL
Westminster Speed and Sound – Westminster, MD
The following is the Top 50 Installers, in alphabetical order:
Tim Baillie
Barry Barth
Michael Betts
Charles Brazil
John Cage
John Castilleja
Robert Chin
Rich Clapp
James Coil
Steve Coogle
Matt Cropper
Brandon Douglas
James Drinkut
Dave Evans
Andrew Evens
Nicholas Frazier
kyle golden
Brandon Green
James Halter
Jeff Harper
Jess Hogan
Erik Hoss
JP Jones
Kevin Kessler
Jason Kranitz
Joshua Landau
Brent Leavitt
Steve Ledford
Dan Macilwain
David Martire
Rob Miller
Scott Miller
Brian Mitchell
Jon Murphy
James Ngim, Jr.
Chris Ott
Chris Pate
Danny Pepper
Bryan Piper
Matt Porter
Keith Price
Carlos Ramirez
Alex Sanchez
Alain Sanvil
Matt Schaeffer
Jamie Schuh
John Schumacher
JT Torres
Bryan Turvaville
Sage Weir
The Auto Channel -- Airbiquity, a global leader in connected car services, announced its cloud-based platform, Choreo, has surpassed six million connected car subscriptions entering the second half of 2015. Airbiquity's aggressive focus on global expansion continues to grow Choreo platform adoption with 12 connected car program deployments from eight leading automotive brands spanning 49 vehicle models. As a result of this rapid market acceptance and utilization, Choreo has processed over three billion connected car transactions to date, and monthly transaction volumes have surpassed 250 million per month achieving a four-year 448 percent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR).
Consumer demand for connected car services continues to increase and automakers are under growing pressure to quickly deploy connected car programs and features. Gartner predicts "by 2020, there will be a quarter billion connected vehicles on the road, enabling new in-vehicle services and automated driving capabilities."1 Airbiquity addresses this industry-wide need with its Choreo cloud-based connected vehicle service delivery platform, which supports multiple use cases simultaneously and enables customized program deployments at the make, model, country, region, and global levels.
Choreo's flexible program support allows automakers to quickly deploy connected car programs satisfying their unique strategies and user experience visions. Airbiquity's market-leading performance has been demonstrated by the company's latest customer deployment enabling connected car service delivery for 23 vehicle models across 51 countries in just 16 months – an unprecedented level of program scalability unmatched by any other connected car service provider.
"As vehicle manufacturers exert greater control of their program user experiences they will increasingly look for scalable and flexible platforms to meet the needs of their progressively savvy and demanding consumers," said Jeffrey Hannah, Director, North America for SBD.
Read the rest here: http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2015/05/28/132511-airbiquity-enters-second-half-2015-surpassing-six-million-connected-cars.html
Rockford Fosgate (www.rockfordfosgate.com), the industry leader in high-performance audio systems, is proud to announce for the second consecutive year that it will be the official motorcycle audio sponsor of the famed Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 2015. Rockford Fosgate is proud to bring high performance motorcycle audio systems to the crowds of enthusiasts on Lazelle Street in downtown Sturgis, SD during the 75th annual week-long event from August 3-9.
“Last year’s event was incredible, and we are thrilled to once again be the official motorcycle audio sponsor of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for 2015,” said Bill Jackson, Rockford CEO and president. “Our booth was swamped by passionate motorcycle Fanatics last year, and we are looking forward to seeing some familiar faces, and many new ones, at this year’s event. We are going to have a lot going on all week, and we can’t wait to get there.”
At the Rockford Fosgate booth, which will be located at the corner of 2nd Street and Lazelle Street, Rockford will be featuring the RF mini soundlab, slingshot, motorcycles, and active stereo displays, as well as offering numerous promotions and giveaways. For this 75th anniversary rally, Rockford also teamed up with several of its retail partners in order to offer products for sales as well as on-site installation during the rally. Rockford is also promoting its dealer network of authorized motorcycle audio installation centers for those attendees who want to get their audio systems upgraded at home.
Rockford’s approach to those audio system upgrades include compact, yet powerful and efficient audio components for use in the unique conditions encountered by motorcycles.
“Anyone who loves riding on the open road knows how harsh the elements can be at any given time, whether it be temperature, dirt, dust, moisture, and even noise,” explained Jackson. “To that end, we have developed specially-designed element-ready source units, amps, speakers, subwoofers, and installation accessories that are small enough to fit on a motorcycle, but powerful and durable enough to provide our acclaimed sonic signature while withstanding the elements in such a tight and demanding environment.”
Since 1938, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has grown to become one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the world. According to Sturgis statistics, nearly half-a-million motorcycle enthusiasts participated in the 2014 event.
“The City of Sturgis is proud to once again partner with Rockford Fosgate for the 75th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally,” added Sturgis City Manager Daniel Ainslie. “Last year proved that Sturgis and Rockford Fosgate are a perfect pair. Those who ride love their music and with Rockford Fosgate’s dedication to delivering world-class audio products designed specifically for their bikes, it’s no wonder how enormously popular Rockford is during the Rally.”
For a limited time, Pioneer is offering up to $100 Visa prepaid card rebate for the purchase of a NEX or AppRadio® 4 receivers. Customers can take advantage of this opportunity at participating retailers.
For details on the Connect Smart rebate offer or to submit a rebate claim, customers can visit pioneerelectronics.com/rebate.
The Connect Smart Rebate promotion will run from June 1- August 31, 2015.
Rebate Offer:
$100 Visa Prepaid Gift Card
AppRadio 4 (SPH-DA120)
AVIC-8100NEX
AVIC-7100NEX
$75 Visa Prepaid Gift Card
AVIC-6100NEX
AVIC-5100NEX
AVH-4100NEX
Purchase must be from Authorized Pioneer Dealers or Authorized Online Dealers.
Rebate claim must be postmarked by September 30, 2015.
Randy Davis, a veteran of 25 years in Sales and Marketing for Stillwater Designs® and the KICKER® brand, announced his resignation to company officials as of May 29. Davis and his family will be relocating from Stillwater, Oklahoma to the Fort Collins, Colorado area to be closer to family. A sendoff party was held on his final day at Stillwater Designs in honor of his service to the brand.
Davis was instrumental in coining the KICKER slogan “Livin’ Loud®” after hearing a similar phrase uttered in a movie featuring the Rat Pack. Davis then helped to construct a grassroots marketing plan using action-sports athletes and motocross legends Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael and Travis Pastrana, putting the brand in front of thousands of new consumers.
“There is no doubt KICKER proudly bears the mark of Randy Davis,” said KICKER President Steve Irby. “It’s hard for me to imagine KICKER without Randy, and without question he will be missed.”
He began his work with the KICKER sales team in March 1990 as a regional manager. During his tenure, he also held the titles of national sales manager, global sales manager, and European sales manager with a stint in Ireland before returning to Stillwater in 2011, where he spent the last five years. Davis recollected some of his fondest memories, which included the heyday of sound-offs, and KICKER demo vehicles like the 1988 Astro van with nine 18-inch subwoofers, and the trio of 1993 Caprice wagons – Orca, Moby and Shamu – with original Solo-Baric round subwoofers. He also enjoyed his time representing the brand in Europe.
“Nothing like driving a KICKER demo car on the Autobahn,” he said.
Metra Electronics has announced its new radio installation kit for the 2002 through 2010 Lexus SC430.
Designed for installation of DDIN or single DIN radios, part number 99-8161S includes parts for installation with or without the factory radio door. The parts are painted to match the factory color and finish.
Sold separately to complete the job is the Axxess TYTO-01. AXXESS interface integrates all amplified systems, provides navigation outputs, and is USB updatable. Also sold separately, the AXXESS ASWC-1 in conjunction with the ASWC-TOY-LEX harness, make it easy to retain the factory steering wheel controls.
DOW Electronics has announced that Michael Blackwell has joined the company to support and grow the car audio, car security, mobile video and installation supplies channel. Mr. Blackwell brings over 17 years of industry and distribution experience that will be valuable in his new role.
Mr. Blackwell will be in the role of Account Manager, responsible for the 12-volt business in the state of Georgia. His past experience and extensive knowledge of the 12volt industry will be crucial in supporting and growing the customer base. Mr. Blackwell worked for Source 1 Distributors for 12 years as an operations manager and sales representative. During this time he was involved in acquiring new product lines, establishing new accounts and representing the company at various trade shows including CES.
“I’m very excited to join DOW Electronics and continue to be a part of the dynamic 12volt industry,” stated Mr. Blackwell. “I look forward to getting out into the field and sharing my passion for the 12volt industry with the retailers that are advancing the industry every day.”
“Mike’s experience and drive is a welcome addition to our team,” added strategic sales manager Mike Barcia. “I believe he will bring an incredible value to our retailers with his product, technical and installation experience.”
To learn more about DOW Electronics, please visit www.DOWElectronics.com or call 1.800.627.2900.
Blogs.GSMArena -- Pioneer has launched the first Apple CarPlay enabled car audio system in the Indian market. The AVIC – F970BT has a 6.2-inch multi-touch display and can pair with your iPhone 5 and above to access functions such as Siri, voice navigation, music playback, calls, and messaging on your phone through the audio system display.
In case you are not aware, CarPlay is a new standard from Apple for car audio systems that allows them to seamlessly integrate with your iPhone and access the aforementioned functionality through your audio system’s display. All you have to do is plug in your iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, 6, or 6 Plus running iOS 7.1 and above into the system and you’re good to go. You can either use the display on the system or your voice to control the features hands-free while driving.
Read the rest here: http://blog.gsmarena.com/pioneer-launches-avic-f970bt-carplay-audio-system-india/
Mashable -- Sure, Google's in-car software for extending an Android phone to a dashboard has technically been out and proud since the first Android Auto aftermarket systems started shipping in March, but as of Tuesday it's in new cars, too. The 2015 Hyundai Sonata is the first car to offer Android Auto built-in.
Already have a 2015 Sonata? You can update your dashboard software to make Android Auto compatible, although you'll need to take it to a dealership. Hyundai says it'll offer the upgrade as a software download that you can transfer to the car via USB, but it won't come until "later this summer." You'll also need a MyHyundai account to perform the upgrade.
Google formally introduced Android Auto about a year ago at Google I/O 2014. When connected to a compatible Android phone (one running Android 5.0 Lollipop or later) via USB cable, the system will extend certain apps to the dashboard so they're fully integrated with the car's built-in hardware. Google Maps, for instance, becomes the cars navigation software, and audio apps like Spotify play through the sound system.
Read the rest here: http://mashable.com/2015/05/26/android-auto-hyundai-sonata/