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AUTOS: 10 Technology Hits For 2012
The hot and not-so-hot new technologies that we encountered during the past automotive year.
Buyers of Cadillac's new XTS sedan will get an iPad loaded with CUE trainig apps. (Photo: Cadillac)
Technology has transformed the automotive firmament in the past few years, and 2012 brought us a bunch of plenty of electronic gear to ponder.
Here are 10 hot and not-so-hot technologies we encountered during 2012 that are new, recent or developing:
HOT: Stop-start, the inexpensive engine-management system that shuts the engine off instead of letting it idle when stopped to save gas and reduce emissions, is gaining traction among mainstream models instead of just hybrids. Seems like a no-brainer, doesn’t it?
NOT SO HOT: Ford MyTouch is going back to the drawing board for yet another redo after the first makeover of the original cumbersome interface was still deemed too problematic. Most of us are rooting for a return of knobs and buttons.
HOT: Keyless entry and start becomes a regular and welcomed feature on even modestly priced vehicles, allowing drivers to never take their keys out of pocket or purse. A physical ignition key is starting to seem kind of anachronistic.
NOT SO HOT: The Cadillac Cue computer interface comes with a free iPad, which would be cool if it wasn’t considered necessary for learning how to operate the Cue system. Knobs and buttons, anyone?
HOT: Turbocharging is gaining momentum in mainstream vehicles as automakers apply them to smaller engines for improved performance along with the mileage gains from downsizing. This year, we’ve witnessed some midsize cars and crossovers drop six-cylinder engines in favor of turbo fours, even among premium brands. Of course, there are also high-performance cars reaping the benefits of turbocharging, making it relatively routine to roar past 500 horsepower, ranging from Shelby GT500 to Bugatti Veyron.
NOT SO HOT: Continuously variable transmissions are appearing in more and more new cars and crossovers, touted for their mileage-boosting qualities. But they pretty much suck the life out of otherwise good-driving cars. As well as that notoriously slippery, rubber-band feeling in acceleration, there are continuously variable droning and roaring noises to contend with. Of course, some CVTs are better (i.e. less annoying) than others.
HOT: Surround View Camera, recently seen on the Mercedes-Benz GL350, gives you what appears to be a cool bird’s eye view of the car in motion, courtesy of perimeter cameras whose images combine to look like it’s being shot from above. Kind of weird but affective nonetheless in tight places.
NOT SO HOT: Lane Departure Warning, which alerts you that you’re moving out of your lane perhaps unintentionally. Which sounds good initially, but it reacts often enough that it becomes tiresome.
HOT: Collision-prevention and pedestrian-detection systems that help keep you from crashing, as well as minimizing injuries from crashes and not running people over. We can use all the help we can get these days.
NOT SO HOT: Self-driving cars, although the jury’s still out on this technology until we actually get to experience it. Led by Google, they are beginning to reach the viability stage, which seems weird and ominous to driving enthusiasts but would probably make commuting less painful. It also raises the question: if a car crashes while it is driving itself, who’s at fault? The owner or the manufacturer?
Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor for SPEED.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. SPEED.com fans can email Bob Golfen at
Here are 10 hot and not-so-hot technologies we encountered during 2012 that are new, recent or developing:
HOT: Stop-start, the inexpensive engine-management system that shuts the engine off instead of letting it idle when stopped to save gas and reduce emissions, is gaining traction among mainstream models instead of just hybrids. Seems like a no-brainer, doesn’t it?
NOT SO HOT: Ford MyTouch is going back to the drawing board for yet another redo after the first makeover of the original cumbersome interface was still deemed too problematic. Most of us are rooting for a return of knobs and buttons.
HOT: Keyless entry and start becomes a regular and welcomed feature on even modestly priced vehicles, allowing drivers to never take their keys out of pocket or purse. A physical ignition key is starting to seem kind of anachronistic.
NOT SO HOT: The Cadillac Cue computer interface comes with a free iPad, which would be cool if it wasn’t considered necessary for learning how to operate the Cue system. Knobs and buttons, anyone?
HOT: Turbocharging is gaining momentum in mainstream vehicles as automakers apply them to smaller engines for improved performance along with the mileage gains from downsizing. This year, we’ve witnessed some midsize cars and crossovers drop six-cylinder engines in favor of turbo fours, even among premium brands. Of course, there are also high-performance cars reaping the benefits of turbocharging, making it relatively routine to roar past 500 horsepower, ranging from Shelby GT500 to Bugatti Veyron.
NOT SO HOT: Continuously variable transmissions are appearing in more and more new cars and crossovers, touted for their mileage-boosting qualities. But they pretty much suck the life out of otherwise good-driving cars. As well as that notoriously slippery, rubber-band feeling in acceleration, there are continuously variable droning and roaring noises to contend with. Of course, some CVTs are better (i.e. less annoying) than others.
HOT: Surround View Camera, recently seen on the Mercedes-Benz GL350, gives you what appears to be a cool bird’s eye view of the car in motion, courtesy of perimeter cameras whose images combine to look like it’s being shot from above. Kind of weird but affective nonetheless in tight places.
NOT SO HOT: Lane Departure Warning, which alerts you that you’re moving out of your lane perhaps unintentionally. Which sounds good initially, but it reacts often enough that it becomes tiresome.
HOT: Collision-prevention and pedestrian-detection systems that help keep you from crashing, as well as minimizing injuries from crashes and not running people over. We can use all the help we can get these days.
NOT SO HOT: Self-driving cars, although the jury’s still out on this technology until we actually get to experience it. Led by Google, they are beginning to reach the viability stage, which seems weird and ominous to driving enthusiasts but would probably make commuting less painful. It also raises the question: if a car crashes while it is driving itself, who’s at fault? The owner or the manufacturer?
Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor for SPEED.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. SPEED.com fans can email Bob Golfen at
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