NEW YORK – New production models and concept cars might have stolen this year's New York International Auto Show, but underneath all that aluminum, steel and carbon fiber was some impressive new technology, most of which is headed to a car near you in the coming months and years.
From all-wheel drive hybrid powertrains to cloud-connected digital dashboards, the vehicles lining the halls at the Javits Center are harbingers of the future, and we've compiled the stand-outs here in the best new automotive technologies of the 2012 New York Auto Show.
Cadillac's CUE On View
We told you about Cadillac's CUE infotainment system when it debuted late last year. This was the first chance we had to try it out, and we came away cautiously impressed.
In the CUE cockpit we sampled, button presses were accompanied by light haptic feedback. Superfluous controls faded away after 15 seconds of non-use, freeing up screen space for an easy-to-read display. Move your hand closer to CUE's center touchscreen and all those menus will reapear. We especially liked a new row of preset buttons that allows you to program navigation destinations and phone numbers alongside radio stations – something that BMW has been doing for years.
Lots of cars have digital displays for gauge clusters, but most of them either mimic analog controls or look like something out of an airplane cockpit. Cadillac offers up four separate display settings which range from simple to complex depending on what sort of information the driver prefers. Technophobes will probably prefer the bare-bones "Simple" display, while "Performance" and "Enhanced" offer additional, customizable functionality. The whole system is Linux-based and will eventually support open source applications.
While we'll always lament the loss of simple audio and HVAC controls, the connected car is gladly here to stay. CUE might be one of the best solutions we've seen so far to integrate new technology with old.
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Garmin and Suzuki Partner Up
Suzuki announced that most 2013 Suzuki vehicles will offer an infotainment system made by Garmin. The setup will include a 6.1-inch touchscreen that controls navigation, audio, and Bluetooth. It will also feature a smartphone link and voice control.
If there's anything we've learned from using clunky touchscreens in recent Jaguar and Land Rover products, it's that lower-volume automakers are better off relying on an established manufacturer to tailor an existing infotainment system for in-car use. That's what Subaru does in the Forester with a simple and elegant setup from TomTom. Here's hoping that Suzuki and Garmin's partnership results in a similar success.
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Acura Sport Hybrid SH-AWD
When Acura debuted its new RLX flagship model, it became the second car to feature the automaker's Sport Hybrid Super Handling All Wheel Drive system, or Sport Hybrid SH-AWD for short. Honda North America CEO Tetsuo Iwamura said it would become a "signature technology for Acura," coming first – but not limited to – the RLX.
While the NSX concept uses a gas engine to power the rear wheels and dual electric motors up front, the RLX turns the beat around with electric motors for each rear wheel and a gas engine powering the hoops up front. Acura says the systems should give the V6-powered car city, highway and combined fuel economy of 30 MPG.
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Acura Precision All-Wheel Steer
Yes, Acura still has a front-wheel drive flagship in the new RLX. but if you choose the front-drive-only model, you at least get four-wheel steering.
Precision All Wheel Steer is the latest iteration of a concept that gained fame on the Honda Prelude and the new RLX uses electronic actuators to control the steering angle of the left and right rear wheels. The system works together with the car's electronic stability control and variable steering for optimal control at a variety of speeds.
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Lincoln MKZ Sunroof
The MKZ concept debuted back in January at the Detroit Auto Show, but the production model bowed here in New York. One of its key features is a massive, nearly two-foot-long retractable sunroof that slides open in less than 10 seconds. Even though it opens back over the rear windscreen, it didn't appear to hinder visibility. We didn't get the full impact of a giant glass roof under the fluorescent lights of the Javits Center, but imagine it'll likely appeal to folks who want to peel the roof off their sedan without the inconveniences of a convertible.
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