CNET -- Hyundai's Elantra has been a tremendous success for the Korean automaker. Over 10 million Elantas have been sold, an achievement that Hyundai claims makes the Elantra the 6th-best-selling car in the world. Today, at the 2015 LA Auto Show, the Elantra enters its 6th generation.

The new Elantra doesn't look much different from the old one; the broad strokes are similar enough that the car is immediately recognizable as an Elantra. Look closely and you'll notice the details are all new. The hexagonal grille, for example, is more angular and is now flanked by vertical LED daytime running lights. The elongated roofline now stretches its arc nearly to the vehicle's end, which gives the sedan a more coupelike profile.

The headlights are narrower and sweep out horizontally, rather than back toward the windshield, which accentuates the car's width and makes it look broad. Hyundai uses a few visual tricks to make the Elantra look like a larger car, but they're not strictly necessary because the 2017 Elantra simply is a larger car than before. Though it's only about an inch longer and wider than the 2016 model, the interior volume has increased so much that the EPA now technically classifies it as a midsize sedan.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.cnet.com/products/2017-hyundai-elantra/

Everyone from app developers to navigation companies to thought leaders are gathering today at the Connected Car Expo (CCE), part of the Los Angeles Auto Show, the first major auto show of the season. The expo precedes the LA Auto Show’s press and trade events at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Nov. 18-19, 2015. 

The CCE, now in its third year, has gathered quite a bit of momentum since its beginnings. “We used to be situated at the Los Angeles Convention Center, but we outgrew it,” Andy Gryc, conference director, CCE. The expo is now being held at the J.W. Marriot L.A. LIVE, the hotel and entertainment complex adjacent to the convention center. The move to the new location has afforded the expo 60,000 square feet of exhibit space and a presentation room with seating for up to 1,500 people.

“Car companies are here because of the auto show so this expo is a natural extension of that,” Gryc said. “We’re showing where the connected car is going and how the industry is evolving.”

Last evening, the CCE hosted a networking reception, but things officially kick off this morning with a welcome address by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti followed by an opening keynote by Lyft co-founder and president John Zimmer.

Not only is the event in a new location, but it’s also drawing a larger number of exhibitors who aren’t involved in manufacturing cars at all—they’re developing the software and services to go in them. The show is offering a diverse mix of more than 40 companies on the show floor.

For instance, OpenCar, an automotive software company, is involved in the development of the world’s first Connected Car ecosystem for automakers. High Mobility is making cars more responsive to a user’s presence. Its software allows cars to communicate with users via wearables. Remoto is a Connected Car platform that helps car owners to manage their cars—start their engine or open/close doors—remotely by Smartphone. HONK is an on-demand mobile app for tow, tire change, jump start, fuel and lock out services from more than 20,000 tow trucks nationwide.

But don’t expect the same old song and dance from the regulars who have booths at the expo. Magellan is showing both its Off-Road Vehicle and SmartGPS Eco connected car navigation. Magellan's Off-Road Vehicle navigation solutions deliver detailed 3D maps, over 44,000 vehicle trails and community generated trails, improved driver safety and a superior user experience. The SmartGPS Eco features the company's cloud platform that brings together automotive quality navigation and routing, content services, iOS and Android smartphone apps, and connected car platforms.

Hyundai is demonstrating its augmented reality owner’s manual app called Virtual Guide. The automaker said it is a “modern take” on the traditional owner’s manual that usually ends up gathering dust in the glove box. This version allows consumers to use their smartphone or tablet to get information on repairs, maintenance and vehicle features. The Hyundai Virtual Guide is compatible with the 2015 Sonata model, and will soon become available for additional models. 

Volvo Cars has something up its sleeve, but is waiting until opening day of the auto show to reveal what it has teased as its concept time machine. The automaker has been working on the concept for the last several years at its Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center in Camarillo, California.

“You won’t be able to go back in time and meet the legends of history, or go into the future and meet your kids,” Anders Tylman-Mikiewicz, General Manager of the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center, said in a press release, “but when our planned concept is applied to a SPA based vehicle, it has the potential of giving significant time back to drivers.”

The conference program is also expected to be a highlight as it addresses hot-button topics like cyber-security, car sharing and autonomous vehicles, and features a diverse group of speakers from Google to Volkswagen.

 “We’ve taken a lesson from successful conferences and modeled our program after that. We’re going with a short format for our presentations,” said Gryc.

Another key component of the show is the Innovation Zone where the Top 10 start-ups are being recognized. “We’re taking a look at who the next Ubers and Googles are,” Gryc said.

Start-ups were chosen based on their potential to shape the future of the new automotive industry and make cars safer, more accessible and more exciting. The CCE Advisory Board chose the companies based on vision, innovation, unique perspective and the likelihood of technology adoption and success.

Each of the Top 10 are being recognized and have their solutions on display at the show. Among the Top 10 Automotive Startups are Capio, which is developing the next-generation speech recognition and natural language processing technologies that are redefining human computer interaction; Driversiti, which is a cloud-based, situational awareness technology company focused on enabling mobile devices to transform from driving distractors to driver assistance systems; and HopSkipDrive, a ride service for kids, founded by three experienced professionals who are also working moms.

Attendance is expected to be high. According to Gryc, the show could draw anywhere from 1,000 to 1,200 attendees which is both a good and not-so-good thing. “We may have outgrown this location before we expected, but I can’t say yet. We’ll just have to see how things go.”

For more information on the show, go to connectedcarexpo.com.

The Los Angeles Auto Show’s Connected Car Expo (CCE) will assemble the companies and innovators that are redefining the automotive and transportation business. The full day conference and exposition has outgrown its previous space at the Los Angeles Convention Center and will now occupy virtually the entire JW Marriott at the adjacent L.A. Live entertainment complex.

“Expanding our campus to include the adjacent JW Marriott delivers a presentation room with capacity for 1,500 seats, 60,000 square feet of exhibit floor and dozens of meeting and hospitality areas,” said the show’s EVP and General Manager Terri Toennies. “The demand on exhibit and hospitality space has already created limited availability.”

More than 25 speakers will outline their vision for the dramatic changes facing the auto industry as it collaborates with technology titans like Apple, Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm and dozens of other fast-moving tech innovators. Influential experts from Google, Volkswagen, Continental, Movimento, HARMAN Redbend, J.D. Power, Pebble and others will converge in Los Angeles to debate some of the industry’s most critical issues and identify opportunities and challenges that lie on the road ahead. Selected by the CCE Advisory Board, this year’s conference topics focus on the hot-button issues including autonomous vehicles, car sharing, cybersecurity, 3D printing, over-the-air updates and much more. The full tentative schedule can be seen at: http://www.connectedcarexpo.com/schedule.

In addition to the conference, CCE attendees will be able to discover the latest automotive innovations at the JW Marriott, where more than 30 companies will demonstrate their latest solutions and products. Companies participating include Auto Alliance, Covisint, Elektrobit, Faurecia, Garmin, Global Automakers, KPMG, Mojio, OnStar, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, QNX, whiteCryption, Wind River and dozens of start-ups and app developers. The exhibit floor will also serve as this year’s stage for several auto-tech press conferences on Nov. 17.

“This collaboration between major auto and technology players, combined with the emergence of thousands of disruptive start-up companies, creates an unprecedented need for an automotive-focused forum connecting this rapidly changing industry,” said Lisa Kaz, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Auto Show and CCE.

Part of the LA Auto Show’s broader Press & Trade Days, CCE is the award-winning conference and trade show that unites innovators, manufacturers, futurists and influencers to further the convergence of technology and the automobile. This year’s CCE kicks off with an evening welcome reception on Monday, Nov. 16, and is followed by LA Auto Show’s press and trade events at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Nov. 18-19. Other CCE events start on Saturday, Nov. 14 and 15, including the Mojio hackathon and the UCLA Anderson School of Business Connected Car discussion taking place after the Monday evening reception at the JW Marriott.

Registration is now open. CCE exhibitors and attendees with a three days pass will be able to witness this year’s vehicle debuts and have access to an all-new CCE networking destination at the convention center.

For more information visit www.ConnectedCarExpo.com and www.LAAutoShow.com.

The Los Angeles Auto Show’s Connected Car Expo (CCE) announced its plans to establish the premier top ten list of the hottest and most influential startups to hit the automotive scene. Slated for reveal in September by Fortune, the inaugural shortlist will recognize startups with the potential to shape the future of the new automotive industry.

LA Auto Show’s Top Ten Automotive Startups (Top 10) will be selected by the CCE Advisory Board, comprised of senior executives from companies including Aeris Communications, AT&T, City of Los Angeles, Elektrobit, Ellis & Associates, Google, Microsoft, Mobile Electronics Group, NVIDIA, Pandora and Strategy Analytics.  Following the Board’s consideration and extensive analysis of qualified newcomers, ten startups will be chosen based on the following criteria: vision, innovation, unique perspective and the likelihood of technology adoption and success.

“Today’s automakers are looking at California’s technological hotbeds to spark their innovation, but there are thousands of companies competing to bring their technologies to market,” said Andy Gryc, CCE Conference Director.  “We feel that the startups identified by our Advisory Board will be the true standouts among a crowded field, companies that will push the envelope of the automotive world in ways that will change the way cars are built, bought and driven.”

Part of LA Auto Show’s broader Press & Trade Days, CCE is the award-winning conference and trade show that unites innovators, manufacturers, futurists and influencers to further the convergence of technology and the automobile.  This year’s CCE will be held at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live on Nov. 17, followed by LA Auto Show’s press and trade events at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Nov. 18-19.  CCE exhibitors and attendees with a premium pass can witness this year’s vehicle debuts and have access to an all-new CCE networking destination at the convention center.

Over the next few months, the LA Auto Show and CCE will announce more details about the 2015 show, including session/discussion topics and industry expert participants.

For more information visit www.ConnectedCarExpo.com and www.LAAutoShow.com.

Green Car Journal has announced its five finalists for the magazine’s prestigious 2016 Green Car of the Year® award. The 2016 models include the Audi A3 e-tron, Chevrolet Volt, Honda Civic, Hyundai Sonata, and Toyota Prius.

An increasing number of vehicle models are considered for the Green Car of the Year® program each year, a reflection of the auto industry’s expanding efforts in offering new vehicles with higher efficiency and improved environmental impact. Green Car Journal has been honoring the most important “green” vehicles every year at the LA Auto Show, since its inaugural award announced at the show in 2005.

“This is the strongest field of finalists we’ve seen in our annual Green Car of the Year® program,” said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com. “Each of the five nominees makes a strong environmental statement in distinctly different ways, with a common strategy of recognizing what’s most important to today’s drivers. Their use of wide-ranging powertrain technologies underscores that all approaches are essential to achieving important environmental goals.”

The Finalists:

AUDI A3 E-TRON
The A3 Sportback e-tron is Audi's entry in the hot plug-in hybrid vehicle market. This five-door hatchback uses lithium-ion batteries and a 102 hp electric motor to deliver up to 19 miles of all-electric driving, after which its 150 hp, 1.4-liter gasoline TFSI engine provides power for extended driving in efficient hybrid mode.

CHEVROLET VOLT
Chevrolet’s second generation Volt features sportier styling, better performance, and a lighter and more powerful two-motor drive system. The five-passenger, extended range electric now drives up to 53 miles on batteries alone, with its 1.5-liter gasoline powered generator creating on-board electricity to deliver an overall 420 mile range.

HONDA CIVIC
Now in its tenth generation, the all-new Honda Civic delivers exemplary fuel efficiency in an affordable, conventionally-powered model. The Civic thoughtfully blends hybrid-like fuel economy and appealing style, with an array of desired amenities and advanced electronics that meets the needs of a great many drivers.

HYUNDAI SONATA
Hyundai’s stylish 2016 Sonata offers it all with efficient gasoline, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid choices within the Sonata lineup. New this year, the hybrid delivers up to 43 highway mpg and features distinctive styling cues. The Sonata Plug-In Hybrid drives up to 24 miles on batteries with additional range on conventional hybrid power.

TOYOTA PRIUS
The venerable Toyota Prius emerges in 2016 a completely redesigned model, faithfully delivering the attributes expected of an industry-leading hybrid with important design, technology, and efficiency updates. It features a familiar yet bolder exterior and incorporates suspension and other improvements to deliver improved driving dynamics.

The Green Car of the Year® is selected through a majority vote by an esteemed jury that includes celebrity auto enthusiast Jay Leno, plus leaders of noted environmental and efficiency organizations including Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of Ocean Futures Society; Matt Petersen, board member of Global Green USA; Dr. Alan Lloyd, President Emeritus of the International Council on Clean Transportation; Mindy Lubber, President of CERES; and Kateri Callahan, President of the Alliance to Save Energy.

During the award’s vetting process, Green Car Journal editors consider all vehicles, fuels, and technologies as an expansive field of potential candidates is narrowed down to a final five. Finalists are selected for their achievements in raising the bar in environmental performance. Many factors are considered including efficiency, EPA and CARB emissions certification, performance characteristics, ‘newness,’ and affordability. Availability to the mass market is important to ensure honored models have the potential to make a real difference in environmental impact, and finalists must be available for sale by January 1st of the award year. 

CNET -- Ford's had a change of heart. When every other automaker went running for smartphone apps that connected to a vehicle via an in-car modem, Ford chose to hold off, claiming the smartphone was the method for providing vehicles with Internet-based functionality. That's all changed with the release of Sync Connect, which will launch with the 2017 Ford Escape unveiled at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show.

"There's a recognition that we need to be multifaceted in regards to connectivity," said Don Butler, Ford's director of connected vehicles and services. "With where we see the industry going, built-in connectivity will become an increasing part of what we do. I think the approach that we've taken at Ford has been consistent with our customers and their needs."

Sync Connect is similar to apps from other automakers in that it allows the owner to access certain vehicle functions and information from the owner's own smartphone. Available features include remote lock and unlock, vehicle status including tire pressures and fuel level, vehicle location and remote start.

Its standout feature is the ability to remote start a vehicle according to a schedule. You can, for example, program your car to start at 7:15 every morning for your 7:30 departure. Other automakers offer remote-start capabilities, but none let you schedule it ahead of time. Ford also believes its user interface will help set it apart from its competitors.

The app will also receive over-the-air updates, which require the car to be running. However, you won't lose infotainment functionality while that happens. According to Ford, the updating takes place on a module that operates independently of the Sync 3 infotainment system, so the driver won't miss anything while it's happening.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.cnet.com/news/ford-announces-sync-connect-smartphone-app/

At last month’s LA Auto Show, many automakers were eager to show off their newest features in the coming year’s models. Among the most talked about features were those related to the connected car. To learn more, we sat down with two of the top automakers regarding next year’s models and what each has in store for the future of the connected car.

Company Name: BMW

Representatives: David J. Buchko of Advanced Powertrain and Heritage Communications, and Eric Sargent, Product Manager for ConnectedDrive

From a technology standpoint, what is BMW doing for the consumer experience in the car? This includes the audio, infotainment and telematics aspects.

It all comes back to the phones in the car. BMW ConnectedDrive, which is our umbrella term for the technologies we have in the car that keep the driver connected. There are several areas: Driver-assistance systems, integrated services in the car and phone integration. When the customer brings the phone into the car they get access to BMW online, which gives them stock prices, fuel prices, real-time traffic information and access to BMW apps that allow them to connect the phone to the car. We work with third-party app makers to help them (with) making their apps work with our car. From the consumer side of it we’re not asking them to do anything differently; we’re letting them use what they usually use for the phone but just bringing it into the car. The customer has the same app on the phone but can now put the phone down and control that app through the iDrive controller.

Is there a touch screen element to the UI (User Interface)?

There is no touch screen in our cars; it’s just the iDrive chip. There is a heads-up display but it is positioned a little bit higher than a traditional touch screen would be.  The driver uses the iDrive knob to select different options within the ConnectedDrive. It’s almost the mouse to screen approach. That way you can have one hand on the wheel and one on the console.

How will this technology hold up five years from now?

The BMW app platform has been around for about two-and-a-half years. With the emergence of new apps, the customer does not have do anything new to the car. The hardware will remain the same. We built an SDK (Software Development Kit) platform and work with our app partners to keep the apps updated.

How does the phone connect to the car?

There are two ways to connect your phone to the car: the regular way of connecting the phone through a USB port, and there is a spot in the center console to place the phone that does wireless charging, connected the phone via the satellite antenna and there is a fan that cools the phone while it charges. All the apps we currently have align with only the iPhone, but in July we announced that we now have Android compatibility. We’re working with Android app developers to integrate that technology for our customers. There is a USB port that works for charging any device.

Regarding hardware versus software upgrades, if a customer purchases a navigation package and finds there are critical updates needed, do they have to purchase new hardware? Or is that currently an available feature as a software upgrade?

Right now, that’s hardware because you do have to have the GPS antenna in the car. There are also aftermarket devices that could be installed in the car. We are moving towards the way of software over the need for hardware, but I’m not sure when we’ll be able to 100 percent separate the need for hardware from software. There is a lot of potential for phone integrations because phones get updated quickly and automotive hardware by consumer electronics standards operates at a glacial pace. Our model cycles are typically seven years with a mid-life cycle of three years. By that time the consumer will be on their third or fourth phone.

Regarding safety, how does the consumer remain safe with all the apps in the vehicle?

The way it’s designed by our teams, they made sure that it’s safe for a driver by utilizing lean integration. For example, on the cloud player it’s very much lead implementation. There are a couple of things you can do. There is a menu bar where you can say “What’s playing next?” and skip to another song. You can search for music on the cloud or search for music on your device; then there’s skip forward and skip back, which is really all you need to do when you drive. These features are the same when the car is stopped. Some would argue that we’ve come at app development somewhat slowly. That’s because we’re very careful about evaluating each app. We don’t advocate an open platform of throwing an app in there when it’s first created. There are certain things that could create a distraction for the driver that we want to avoid. 

What are your key safety features?

We have adapted cruise control and have something we announced earlier this year. The vast majority of our cars have advanced automatic collision notification with the BMW Assist function. There are two options: one is an SOS button that notifies our emergency call center; the other is in the event of an accident it will automatically call someone in our call center and send over all relevant data like where the accident occurred, how many people were in the car, were their seatbelts fastened? It sends over something called an urgency algorithm that helps the call center know what’s the likelihood of injury and they use that information to send over when they call the emergency response units that go to the scene. This technology came about when a man named Dr. Jeffrey Augenstein from, a pioneer in trauma surgery based out of Miami, was bothered with the idea that people would come in to the hospital and appeared to be perfectly fine but would later die due to some unforeseen trauma. He came to us with the idea that we could take the data from the crash sensors and use that to predict the likelihood that somebody might suffer a severe injury and transmit that likelihood to the emergency crews. That was something we worked really hard on with the folks in Miami. Ten years of service with BMW Assist is now standard as part of the BMW brand experience. It’s just a little SOS button but a lot of people don’t know what’s behind it. It’s a big thing.

Company Name: Chrysler

Representatives: Aamir Ahmed, UConnect Marketing and Advertising

What is Chrysler doing for the in-car customer experience?

The aftermarket had a leg up on us for a while because they were the first to incorporate large touch screens into vehicles. Step one was to have a connected radio to keep the cars fresh. The key thing was, when we launch new applications today, whether it be a Ram truck today versus a Ram truck a year ago, we wanted to make sure our customers are able to get the same experience. That goes for not just a new owner but if a customer goes to auto trader to buy a used car and finds that they don’t have navigation, they can have it added after-the-fact. If they have one of the 8.4s we can add navigation to it with dealer. We’re designing an eco-system where we can keep updating these cars. We’re building better and better cars that people are holding on to for a long time.

Where do you see personal electronics integrating into vehicles?

If you look at smartphone buyers, half of them say they plan on using their phone by hand if it’s not integrated into the car. Our objective as a responsible carmaker is to make sure that that phone is as integrated into the car as possible so they’re not at the device. People look at the screen size and ask why it’s that size. We didn’t do that arbitrarily. We could do a larger screen if we want to. Our objective is to provide as many carrots to drivers as possible like voice messaging, Internet radio. What we’re trying to do is get the phones out of people’s hands. We’re trying to improve the driving experience in a sense that you’re confident behind the wheel of your car because you’re not distracted by a peripheral device, but also because you understand how your system works. You can use the touch-screen or knobs to interact.

That’s what we’ve done with Uconnect. We’ve tried to develop a system that’s very feature-laden, but at the same time we’re not developing a checklist of features with cross-modalities, we’re trying to make sure that we have what the customer is looking for with an easy to use and easy to learn experience. We’re designing an in-vehicle experience that doesn’t work without a holistic interior design approach. That’s why when you look at the Durango’s and Grand Cherokee’s they aren’t just one experience, they all blend in to form this interior design approach. We also take common in-car features and make them our own; things like adaptive cruise control, lane guidance and lane system, those aren’t necessarily our features but we make sure they’re integrated in a relevant way to the vehicle. For instance, if the brake is on and a call comes through while you’re driving, it’ll be muted until you take the brake off so your focus is on the road. If someone says we’re late to the party with something, we’re not. We’re bringing the best one to the party. If you’re the life of the party, that’s what matters. That’s what we’re best at, bringing stuff that works and brings the customer experience to a new level. The most important thing is that it actually helps your drive.

How important is the audio quality for your customer?

Huge. That’s why for certain partners we allow them to change the bit rate they bring in. If you can change the bit rate so you’re not using as much data, go for it. Also, we’re improving our sound system. I think we’ve got a great stable of premium audio suppliers (JL Audio, Harman, Alpine). People always joke, why do we have so many brands? Last year CNET awarded us best audio system for the Charger. We’re not asking you to spend $8,000 on an audio system. Audio absolutely matters to us. Across the board it’s something we’re going to improve. It’s filling our niches for our customers that some others in the marketplace might not be doing but we’re doing in a different manner. Entertainment is a sensory experience. It’s about making something that’s highly technical seem less technical to a consumer. I don’t care how a car is built; I just want it to work how I want it to work. We’re trying to build great cars, where some of the other people out there are just trying to build brands. We’d rather sell great cars.

The Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show®) announced that 30 world debuts, totaling 50 vehicle unveilings overall, will be introduced in front of media, analysts and automotive industry executives during its Press & Trade Days, November 17-19, 2015.

Almost every manufacturer will be making news, and while most have yet to announce details, a few manufacturers have begun to share their debut plans. Specifically, Infiniti will have a global reveal of its all-new QX30 crossover and Hyundai will host the world premiere of its all-new Elantra.

Other debuts include Jaguar’s first luxury SUV, the F-PACE, and Kia’s next-generation Sportage. Other automakers officially confirming premieres include Alfa Romeo, BMW, Bentley, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru and Volkswagen.

This year’s global and North American debuts will deliver production and concept vehicles representing the ever-growing performance, mid-size cross over, electric and high-technology categories. Debut categories range from luxury SUVs and flagship sedans to new compact sedans. CNET.com, the world’s largest and most trusted online source of consumer technology news and reviews, will live-stream and provide commentary about the latest debuts and groundbreaking technology on Car Tech, CNET’s auto focused online show.

The coverage will be led by CNET Car Tech Editors-at-Large and industry experts, Brian Cooley and Tim Stevens, and will allow the excitement of Press & Trade Days to be experienced by everyone, not just industry insiders, around the world. Brian Cooley will also serve as emcee of the LA Auto Show's Connected Car Expo. KABC Los Angeles (KABC7), is also the official television media partner of the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show.

KABC7 will broadcast event highlights in an hour-long special in Primetime November 20 at 9 p.m. PST, showcasing breakthrough auto innovations, new vehicles and interviews with industry insiders. The show will also be streamed live and available on-demand on the “Watch ABC” app. For the third consecutive year, the LA Auto Show’s Connected Car Expo (CCE) will kick-off Press & Trade Days on November 17. This opening day will be dedicated to the convergence of technology and the automobile and will now occupy virtually the entire JW Marriott at the adjacent L.A. Live entertainment complex.

The Connected Car Expo will feature over 30 exhibitors and sponsors, an entire day of presentations, news announcements and networking opportunities. The remaining Press & Trade Days will continue at the Los Angeles Convention Center (November 18 & 19) and will focus on vehicle debuts. More than 25,000 auto industry executives, including 4,500 media from around the world, are expected to attend. Registration for the show is now open.

CCE exhibitors and attendees with a three-day pass will be able to witness this year’s vehicle debuts and have access to an all-new CCE networking destination at the convention center. For more information visit www.ConnectedCarExpo.com and www.LAAutoShow.com.

The organizers of the Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show®) and Connected Car Expo announced today that 50 vehicle debuts, important business announcements and technological breakthroughs, shaping the future of the industry, highlight this year’s Press & Trade Days. An anticipated 20,000 auto and tech industry leaders, including more than 4,500 media from 60 countries, will gather in Los Angeles Nov 17, 18 & 19.

This year, breaking news will come not only from the auto manufacturers but from automotive technology companies as the two industries continue to collaborate and converge.

A few of the Show’s many global vehicle premieres include Buick’s redesigned LaCrosse, Land Rover’s all-new Range Rover Evoque Convertible and the new 2016 Nissan Sentra. In addition, Mitsubishi Motors will unveil the 2016 Outlander Sport with the company’s new Dynamic Shield design language, as well as the newly designed 2017 Mirage. Porsche will globally introduce the Cayman GT4 Clubsport racecar, designed for multiple racing series in North America. Not to be outdone, Scion will introduce a concept car which shows the company’s design direction for a new iconic vehicle.

Other vehicle debuts include Infiniti’s QX30 crossover, Hyundai’s Elantra, Kia’s next generation Sportage and Jaguar’s first performance SUV, the F-PACE. Elio Motors, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Volvo and Volkswagen are keeping their debut plans under wraps until closer to the show. Automakers presenting North American reveals include Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW and MINI.

This year’s vehicle debuts will deliver production and concept vehicles representing the ever-growing luxury, performance, low and zero emission categories. They range from flagship SUVs and ultra-luxury sedans to new compact entries and zero-emission production and prototypes.

Beyond the auto debuts, several companies will make important announcements about alternative fuel strategies, technology partnerships, new product releases and breakthrough technologies that begin to frame the future of the auto industry. To date, companies that have announced their intentions to make technology news include Volvo, Hyundai, Quanergy Systems, OpenCar and KPMG, to name a few.

“This year’s news comes from many sources and it’s fascinating to witness the dramatic and swift changes transforming the automotive business,” said LA Auto Show President, Lisa Kaz. “With all the new opportunities arising so rapidly in the automotive industry, we expect this year’s event to be the most exciting yet.”

For the third consecutive year, the LA Auto Show’s Connected Car Expo (CCE) will kick-off Press & Trade Days on November 17. This opening day will be dedicated to the convergence of technology and the automobile and will occupy virtually the entire JW Marriott at the adjacent L.A. Live entertainment complex. The Connected Car Expo features over 40 exhibitors and sponsors, an entire day of presentations, news announcements and networking opportunities.

The two remaining Press & Trade days will continue at the Los Angeles Convention Center (November 18 & 19) with the support of major sponsors Autotrader, Pirelli and State Farm.

Registration for the Show is now open. CCE exhibitors and attendees with a three-day pass will be able to witness this year’s vehicle reveals and have access to an all-new CCE networking destination at the convention center.

For more information visit www.ConnectedCarExpo.com and www.LAAutoShow.com.

The Los Angeles Auto Show’s Connected Car Expo (CCE) has released its list of Top Ten Automotive Startups™ (Top 10). The startups were chosen because of their potential to shape the future of the new automotive industry and make cars safer, more accessible and more exciting.

The CCE Advisory Board chose the companies based on vision, innovation, unique perspective and the likelihood of technology adoption and success. The Top 10 are considered true standouts among an increasingly crowded field of technology companies emerging in the automotive space.

The Advisory Board is comprised of senior executives from companies including Aeris, AT&T, City of Los Angeles, Elektrobit, Ellis & Associates, Google, Microsoft, Mobile Electronics Group, NVIDIA, Pandora and Strategy Analytics.

Each of the Top 10 will be recognized as well as have their solutions on display at the award-winning Connected Car Expo. Part of LA Auto Show’s Press & Trade Days, CCE will be held at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live on Nov. 17.

2015 Top 10 Automotive Startups:

Capio is developing the next-generation speech recognition and natural language processing technologies that are redefining human computer interaction. Built on deep learning and parallel computing principles, Capio’s unique architecture delivers an unmatched combination of speed and accuracy for speech recognition and contextual understanding. The result is a human-like and conversational interface that connects with devices of all types, enabling a quantum leap forward for in-car, voice-activated experiences.

Driversiti is a cloud-based, situational awareness technology company focused on enabling mobile devices to transform from driving distractors to driver assistance systems. Its proprietary algorithms detect a broad range of driving behaviors and road conditions with an existing mobile device, then sends the data to its cloud-based platform which gathers and interprets the data in real time to provide valuable information back to drivers to keep them safe and informed. This is accomplished by combining machine learning with the ever-evolving array of built-in smartphone sensors without adding any additional hardware. To learn more, visit www.driversiti.com.

Elio Motors is an American startup automaker that produces three-wheeled personal transportation vehicles as a solution for today’s generation of drivers. Elio Motors delivers a fun-to-drive, supereconomical, environmentally friendly personal transportation alternative. The Elio is designed to achieve up to 84 MPG with a targeted $6,800* base price. To learn more, visit www.eliomotors.com.

Getaround empowers people to safely share cars by the hour and day. Combining Getaround Connect™, their patented connected car technology, with auto insurance coverage backed by Assurant, Getaround creates a seamless and fun sharing experience. Getaround members can conveniently rent nearby cars and save money on auto payments, insurance and maintenance. Owners share cars ranging from a Smart Fortwo to a Tesla earning thousands in extra income each year to offset the high cost of car ownership, while making a positive impact on the environment. For more information, visit www.getaround.com.

High Mobility makes cars more responsive to a user’s presence. Its software framework enables cars to securely identify and communicate with users via wearables and other devices. This includes linking autonomous drive features with wearables to take advantage of a multitude of real-time health data from heart rate monitors or other devices like FitBit. To learn more, visit www.high-mobility.com.

HopSkipDrive, a ride service for kids, was founded by three experienced professionals who are also working moms. They understand the stress of getting kids where they need to go and created HopSkipDrive to address this pain point for all families. Parents books rides through the app or website and can track their child's ride in real-time. All CareDrivers have at least 5 years of childcare experience and are fingerprinted through the TrustLine registry. The HopSkipDrive platform includes built-in stringent safety features that monitor things like driver speed and whether a driver is using their phone while driving. To learn more, visit www.hopskipdrive.com.

Nebula Systems developed a secure, cloud-based, vehicle data analytics platform, MECH5®, which accesses the vast and unexploited data generated by modern vehicles. This platform addresses the main connected car concern: limitation in obtaining key data from virtually any car, and aims to become the defacto data enabling platform for the connected car ecosystem. To learn more, visit www.nebulasystems.com.

Quanergy has developed smart sensing solutions for real-time 3D mapping and object detection, tracking, and classification. It is the leading manufacturer of 3D time-of-flight solid state LiDAR sensors designed to meet all four key commercialization criteria: cost, performance, reliability and size. Mapping is critical for the future of safer vehicles and delivering autonomous solutions. To learn more, visit www.quanergy.com.

Sober Steering, the world's only touch based alcohol interlock, has developed groundbreaking technology to prevent drunk driving. Its sensors, inserted directly into a steering wheel of a vehicle, have proven that alcohol can be detected at the palm of the hand in less than five minutes after initial ingestion. If alcohol is detected above a preset limit, the vehicle is immobilized. Random retests ensure the driver maintains sobriety while en route. Its Zero Tolerance System is designed for fleets like school buses, coaches, hazmat, and construction vehicles. To lean more, visit www.sobersteering.com.

TriLumina, a semiconductor laser technology company, has developed a family of fast, powerful and cost-effective semiconductor lasers that will allow cars to see, think, predict and react. TriLumina is focused on lasers for solid-state automotive laser radar (LiDAR) technologies and smart illumination products in driver monitoring sensing applications. TriLumina lasers are a platform technology as use cases extend beyond the automobile to 3D depth sensing, human machine interfaces, and IR sensing in robotics, industrial applications and in the home. To learn more, visit www.trilumina.com.

“The startups being honored as this year’s Top 10 are truly innovative and are enhancing the automotive and tech industries to change the future of transportation,” said Andy Gryc, CCE Conference Director. “We’re excited to introduce these companies at CCE in front of our audience of media, industry experts and automotive thought leaders.”

Top 10 media partner, Fortune, dives deeper into each of these startups in its latest issue on newsstands now.

CCE is the award-winning conference and trade show that unites innovators, manufacturers, futurists and influencers to further the convergence of technology and the automobile. CCE will be followed by LA Auto Show’s press and trade events at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Nov. 18-19. CCE exhibitors and attendees with a premium pass can witness this year’s vehicle debuts and have access to an all-new CCE networking destination at the convention center.

 For more information visit www.ConnectedCarExpo.com and www.LAAutoShow.com.

Ford Motor Company President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Fields to Deliver Opening AutoMobility LA Keynote Speech

LOS ANGELES (May 16, 2016) – ANSA Productions, owners and operators of the Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show®), announced that they are combining LA Auto Show Press and Trade Days with their four-year-old auto-tech conference, Connected Car Expo (CCE), to form the four-day pre-show event, AutoMobility LA. This is the culmination of a five-year effort to evolve the show’s press and trade days into a bona fide trade show, designed exclusively for the new automotive industry. The four-day event will continue to bring together the entire “new mobility ecosystem” – comprised of automakers, tech companies, designers, developers, startups, investors, dealers, government officials, analysts, etc. – to redefine and unveil the future of transportation.

Preceding the 10-day LA Auto Show consumer event, AutoMobility LA will occur from November 14-17, at the Los Angeles Convention Center and includes the Technology Pavilion – a new 50,000-square-foot building being constructed to accommodate double the auto-tech exhibits over last year’s CCE.  Leading automakers and technology giants alike are already signed on to make major announcements during AutoMobility LA, including Mark Fields, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor Company, who will deliver the opening AutoMobility LA keynote on Tuesday, November 15.

Since 2012, the LA Auto Show’s Advanced Tech Showcase and subsequent CCE have introduced more than 100 new companies to the traditional auto industry.  It has featured hundreds of expert speakers, been the stage for dozens of significant technology announcements and facilitated countless business deals.  In 2014, it was voted “best car tech/connected car trade show” by Auto Connected Car News.  In 2015, CCE doubled its number of exhibitors over the previous year, saw a 95 percent increase in attendance and achieved a 73 percent increase in the number of technology stories, as a result of the conference.

Several of CCE’s exhibitors received significant funding following the show.  Most notably was the $500 million investment from General Motors in Lyft, which to date, is the most significant partnership between an automaker and ride-sharing service.

“For years, we’ve been at the epicenter of the changing automotive industry, creating a setting for some of the largest partnerships such as that between General Motors and Lyft,” said AutoMobility LA and LA Auto Show President and Chief Executive Officer, Lisa Kaz. “We’re excited to continue to connect brands, whether established or start-up, with influential people and provide engaging experiences with the world’s leading companies.”

The AutoMobility LA schedule will encompass four days of networking, three days of press conferences and two days of learning opportunities (presentations by a diverse range of experts).  A full list of panel topics and speakers to be announced in the coming months.  A preliminary schedule can be found at http://www.laautoshow.com/automobility.

Technology Pavilion exhibitor highlights include but are not limited to companies such as ATMO Auto Power, Continental International, Garmin International, Mocana, QNX and whiteCryption.  Returning sponsors include Global Automakers, KPMG, Mojio, State Farm and Pirelli.

AutoMobility LA will feature panels, high-level presentations by executives, technology exhibits, automaker displays, networking events and breaking news conferences that will examine all aspects of the rapidly evolving automotive and new mobility industry.  AutoMobility LA will also feature more than 50 world and North American product debuts over the course of the show.

Nearly 25,000 entrepreneurs, disruptors, programmers, designers, automakers, government officials and more are expected to attend this year’s AutoMobility LA.  It will kick off on Monday, November 14, with a networking reception at 5 p.m. in the Technology Pavilion followed by the annual Kickoff Party at 7 p.m.  Exhibit areas at the L.A. Convention Center will be open on Nov. 16 and 17 only.

As a lead-up to the show, Mojio and its key partners will be hosting a 36-hour hackathon taking place on the morning of Saturday, November 12.  Developers, designers and entrepreneurs will ideate, create and pitch connected car apps and services that harness Mojio’s open platform and partner APIs.  Winners of the second annual challenge will be announced on Monday evening at the opening reception of AutoMobility LA.

Also during AutoMobility LA and featured during LA Auto Show’s consumer days, will be GO, an all-new destination that will highlight automakers’ and newcomers’ latest smart mobility devices and apps that are redefining personal mobility. Located inside the L.A. Convention Center, GO will feature everything from e-kick bikes to hover-boards to wearables and more.

The LA Auto Show name will continue for the public attendance days, as it has for the past 109 years. The public show will run from November 18-27, 2016.

To register for AutoMobility LA, please visit: http://laautoshow.com/join (starting July 2016).

For additional information on Automobility LA and the LA Auto Show please visit: http://www.automobilityla.com/ and http://laautoshow.com/.

12-5-2017, Los Angeles — The traffic on California freeways outside the Los Angeles Convention Center is relentless. So it’s fitting that automakers are thinking big at the Los Angeles Auto Show about autonomous cars that relieve driving stress.

But while the industry agrees on an autonomous, self-driving future, the paths that automakers are taking to get there vary from Audi to Tesla to General Motors to Toyota.

Audi made headlines this week with the U.S. introduction of its flagship A8 sedan with Traffic Jam Assist, the first so-called Level 3 autonomous system that lets the car take full control from the pilot. It will drive itself under 37 mph, allowing drivers to disengage from the car to check email, text and engage in other distractions.

Cadillac debuted its similar “SuperCruise” system this fall on the brand’s flagship CT6 sedan. It will also be hands-free, but is considered a Level 2 system because its still requires driver attention on a defined network of divided, limited-access highways. GM’s Chevy division is testing a fleet of autonomous Bolt EVs equipped with LIDAR sensors that allow fully-autonomous, Level 4 capability.

And then there’s Toyota. In contrast to America’s colossus GM, the Japanese giant has kept a low profile. But with the LA show it’s starting to show its hand.

Lexus, Toyota’s premium brand, introduced the latest version of its Lexus Safety Sense system, LSS+A, on Tuesday to the media. Building on previous systems that automatically brake to mitigate impact with other vehicles or pedestrians, LSS+A takes a big step toward autonomy by steering and braking to a stop to avoid impact. The Level 4-like feature only works when the driver is disengaged.

“They are creating a path to much more advanced autonomous-driving technology,” says Kelley Blue Book analyst Karl Brauer.

He’s referring to the confluence of two Toyota autonomy streams by 2020: Toyota’s “Mobility Teammate” hands-free driving system for consumer cars and a fully autonomous ride-sharing service for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games for which Toyota is the exclusive transportation partner.

Covering cybersecurity, electric vehicle charging, and autonomous systems.

Fortune, 11-16-2016 -- For its second-annual Top Ten Automotive Startupscompetition, the LA Auto Show’s AutoMobility LA—formerly the Connected Car Expo—today announced this year’s three finalists: Argus Cyber Security, EverCharge and PolySync.

Argus

Argus, an automotive cyber security company founded in 2013 and based in Tel Aviv, Israel, is focused on offering software solutions that shield cars, trucks and commercial vehicles from hacks and attacks. The company’s 24 pending patents aim to protect vehicles’ infotainment and telematics systems; in-vehicle networks; advanced driving assist, braking and door control systems; and aftermarket solutions for non-connected vehicles.

Argus estimates that there are already millions of connected vehicles on roads today. “With hundreds of millions of connected cars in use within a few short years, our vision is to have Argus protecting every connected car and commercial vehicle on the road,” says CEO Ofer Ben-Noon.