BMW Shows Color Changing Car
BMW showed at CES, a concept vehicle that actually changes color (right now just white or black or shades in between). It uses an E-Ink wrap, the same technology used in an e-book reader. The color change on the iX Flow, as the experimental vehicle is called, might turn the car white on hot days to conserve energy, or black on cold days. And in an electric car, that change could help improve its range. Or it could help prevent the car’s interior from overheating in sweltering weather.
See the color change in action here.
The E-Ink wrap consists of millions of microcapsules each containing a negatively-charged white pigment and a positively charged-black pigment. An electric charge will cause either the white or black pigments to rise to the top of the microcapsule, thus creating a color change.
See TechCrunch or Engadget for more details.
BMW Shows 8K Rear Seat Theater
At CES this week, BMW is showing a 31-inch, 8K rear seat system using new Fire TV for Cars (see story below). Activate the screen and it retracts from the headliner. The “Theater Screen” uses 5G data and Bowers & Wilkins surround sound.
The screen has a 32:9 aspect ratio. Few of Amazon’s videos will make full use of the screen and they will only play in 4K for now, said Engadget. Users can tilt the screen to suit them and control the volume and the full entertainment system.
BMW said future models will offer the feature, but offered no details.
See more at Engadget.
Fire TV For Cars
Ford Motor Co., and BMW will join Stellantis in bringing Amazon’s Fire TV to their automobiles.
Ford will offer Fire TV in the Explorer and in Lincoln Navigator 2022 models, according to TechCrunch.
Stellantis announced late last year it would bring Fire TV to the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. It is now adding the feature to Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chrysler Pacifica, as well.
TechCrunch said car makers can integrate Fire TV into the car audio system. And Fire TV can integrate with Alexa so parents can issue voice commands to launch a video in the rear seat. Or users can answer their Ring doorbell video via the car radio.
Fire TV will provide access to over a million movies and TV episodes. It will also allow direct downloads for offline viewing.
VOXX is a supplier of Fire TV for Cars to OEMs.
Amazon said it has sold more than 150 million Fire TV devices to date worldwide.
See more at TechCrunch.
source: https://www.ceoutlook.com/2022/01/05/cool-car-tech-from-ces/
