Fourth consecutive quarter ranked No. 1 in quarterly industry study
DETROIT – General Motors remains the No. 1 innovator for the fourth-consecutive quarter among 183 companies ranked by The Patent Board in its quarterly automotive and transportation industry scorecard.
GM was granted 1,123 U.S. patents in 2011 applied to global product engineering, global powertrain engineering, global research and development and OnStar organizations.
The Patent Board is the leading independent provider of best practices research tools and metrics for patent analysis and intellectual property investment. It tracks and analyzes innovation and patents across 17 industries on a global basis.
Among recent technology patents:
Quiet Brakes – A friction-damped disc brake design that uses a thin metal ring embedded in the brake rotor to absorb vibrations and mute the squeal. The quieter brake is expected to be available on some cars and trucks within two to three years.
OnStar Voice Recognition – OnStar’s speech recognition method can identify the location of the speaker within the vehicle and adjusts its microphone pick-up pattern or magnitude to respond to location-specific commands.
eAssist Thermal Management – Vehicles with engine shut-off capability, such as Buick LaCrosse with eAssist, use an innovative thermal management system that maintains occupant comfort during engine-shut off, and prevents engine shut-off if comfort will be lost, such as during extremely cold or hot weather conditions.
“We are in the midst of redefining the automotive DNA, and these efforts are driving our people to reinvent every subsystem on the vehicle” said Alan Taub, GM vice president of Global Research and Development. “Being the recognized leader in innovation is important, because it tells our customers and shareholders that we are working on the leading edge of technology.”
Cadillac’s January 2012 sales numbers are challenged. Down 29% from last year, but let’s examine why.
CTS sales — down from 4K to 3K. Why? There is a new CTS commercial, but certainly doesn’t appear to be helping sell cars.
DTS Sales disappeared due to model retirement
Escalade sales down overall. Why?
SRX sales flat year over year
STS sales disappeared due to model retirement
So the continued SRX sales are a relief from the otherwise poor news.
In late spring, Cadillac will launch its new XTS large sedan and in late summer, its new ATS luxury sports sedan.
Is the XTS on the way this summer? Yes. Will it drive sales? Maybe 2K/month if successful.
Is the ATS on the way in the autumn? Yes. Will it drive sales? Probably — Cadillac needs to move 7k/month to get to 3-Series numbers, and the standard ATS should be a price leader for Cadillac.
January
(Calendar Year-to-Date)
January - January
2012
2011
%Change Volume
2012
2011
%Change Volume
CTS
3,019
4,362
-30.8
3,019
4,362
-30.8
DTS
89
1,365
-93.5
89
1,365
-93.5
Escalade
985
1,514
-34.9
985
1,514
-34.9
Escalade ESV
531
592
-10.3
531
592
-10.3
Escalade EXT
108
153
-29.4
108
153
-29.4
SRX
4,166
4,236
-1.7
4,166
4,236
-1.7
STS
26
359
-92.8
26
359
-92.8
XLR
0
-1
***.*
0
-1
***.*
Cadillac Total
8,924
12,580
-29.1
8,924
12,580
-29.1
So what does the bad news mean? No mention of fleet sales in 2010 vs 2011 in the release.
The big question is, how can Cadillac sell 4K/month of the current CTS until the redesign next year?
The next chapter in Cadillac’s video log of the development of this cutting edge sports sedan, the Cadillac ATS:
Having conquered the Nürburgring, it’s time for the ATS to make its public debut. ATS: The Journey Chapter 4 takes you behind the scenes of Cadillac’s reveal event to capture the reactions of the auto industry press as the ATS is unveiled. Will it meet their expectations? Watch to find out.
Only automaker to make magazine’s list of top gadgets at CES
Cadillac Global Marketing Director Jim Vurpillat answers tech expert Katie Linendoll's questions at Cadillac-OnStar press event.
DETROIT – Cadillac CUE, the new user experience for intuitive in-vehicle connectivity and control, received a Popular Mechanics Top Gadgets of CES 2012: Editors’ Choice Award at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Cadillac was the only automaker selected. The awards were announced on PopularMechanics.com at the conclusion of CES.
Each year at CES, the editors of Popular Mechanics select their top picks based on the level of innovation, potential industry impact and overall appeal. Cadillac presented CUE amid thousands of new products and innovations in the consumer electronics showcase.
“After seeing an earlier demonstration of the system at the Los Angeles Auto Show, I knew it would be a strong candidate for an award at CES,” said Andrew Del-Colle, assistant editor, Popular Mechanics. “The show offered a great opportunity to compare the CUE with many other OEM and aftermarket systems, and it stood out to us for its innovative use of new standards such as HTML 5, as well as for its intuitive user interface.”
CUE features the first automotive use of capacitive touch – the use of electrodes to sense the conductive properties of objects, such as a finger. It is a technology used by many of today’s most popular handheld mobile devices.
Other key aspects of CUE are natural speech recognition, Bluetooth connectivity for up to 10 devices and a motorized concealed storage compartment. The system runs on an ARM 11 3-core processor on a Linux open-source HTML5-based software platform
CUE debuts in production on Cadillac’s 2013 XTS luxury sedan starting in late spring in North America. CUE will also be featured in the all-new 2013 ATS sport sedan launching in North American this summer.
University project envisions smart interactive windows for rear passengers
DETROIT – Got backseat boredom? DVD players and Game Boys are so five years ago, but a new concept in rear seat entertainment technology that uses the windows themselves could replace squirminess and snoozing with interactive scribbling, sweeping and pinching.
General Motors Research and Development put that challenge before researchers and students from the FUTURE LAB at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Israel. The task: Conceptualize new ways to help rear seat passengers, particularly children, have a richer experience on the road.
The Windows of Opportunity (WOO) Project was inspired by psychological studies indicating car passengers often feel disconnected from their environment, GM asked the Bezalel students to turn car windows into interactive displays capable of stimulating awareness, nurturing curiosity and encouraging a stronger connection with the world outside the vehicle.
“Traditionally, the use of interactive displays in cars has been limited to the driver and front passenger, but we see an opportunity to provide a technology interface designed specifically for rear seat passengers,” said Tom Seder, GM R&D lab group manager for human-machine interface. “Advanced windows that are capable of responding to vehicle speed and location could augment real world views with interactive enhancements to provide entertainment and educational value.”
Since GM has no immediate plans to put interactive display windows into production vehicles, the R&D team gave free reign to the Bezalel students to create applications without concern whether they could be mass produced. Bezalel is Israel’s oldest institute of higher education and one of the more prestigious schools of its kind in the world.
The apps include:
Otto, an animated character projected over passing scenery that responds to real-time car performance, weather and landscape. With Otto, passengers can learn about their environment in fun, playful ways.
Foofu, an app that allows passengers to create, explore and discover through finger drawing on window steam.
Spindow, an app that provides its users a peek into other users’ windows around the globe in real time.
Pond, an app that allows passengers to stream and share music with other cars on the road, downloads favorite tracks, and share messages with other passengers on the road.
To demonstrate these apps, the students produced a full scale functional prototype of a rear passenger seat and side window. The students used motion and optical sensor technology developed by EyeClick to turn standard window glass into a multi-touch and gesture sensitive surface.
If such interactive windows were put into automotive production they likely would use electronically charged “smart glass” technology, which is capable of variable states of translucence and transparency, and can reflect projected images. Smart glass is increasingly used in architectural and display applications, but outside of movies like Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is rarely seen in cars.
“Projects like WOO are invaluable, because working with designers and scholars from outside of the automotive industry brings fresh perspective to vehicle technology development,” said Omer Tsimhoni, lab group manager for human-machine interface, GM Advanced Technical Center in Israel. “WOO is just one of many projects underway at GM that could reinvent the passenger experience in years to come.”
Proceeds to fund research efforts targeting CureDuchenne Muscular Dystrophy
DETROIT – Cadillac will again support CureDuchenne and its fight against muscular dystrophy in young boys by donating its corporate Super Bowl XLVI tickets in a charity auction to raise awareness and money for the organization.
CureDuchenne, a non-profit based in Newport Beach, Calif., will auction 19 Super Bowl XLVI packages provided by Cadillac. Each package includes hotel accommodations and a pair of tickets to Super Bowl XLVI, scheduled to be played Sunday, Feb. 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The auction runs on the charity auction website charitybuzz.com through Jan. 25. . Proceeds will benefit leading edge research to eventually find a cure for Duchenne, a progressive form of Muscular Dystrophy. Beginning this week, Cadillac will debut a series of announcements featuring NFL Linebacker Clay Matthews to promote the auction.
“This is a meaningful way to support this great innovative organization for this year’s Super Bowl,” said Don Butler, Cadillac vice president of Global Marketing. “This is a disease that knows no boundaries and deeply affects families – including some right here in our own family at Cadillac.”
Matthews, a member of the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers and three-time Pro Bowl nominee, says he is proud to lend his time and support.
“I consider myself very fortunate to be a voice for Duchenne and the CureDuchenne organization,” he said. “With the help and support of Cadillac, and so many great people across the globe, CureDuchenne is getting closer to finding a cure for this devastating disease.”
Currently 20,000 boys and young men are affected by Duchenne in the United States. It is a genetic disease that occurs in one of 3,500 boys worldwide. Boys with Duchenne are usually diagnosed by the age of five, in a wheelchair by age 12, and may be completely paralyzed by their late teens. Historically, most Duchenne patients do not live to see adulthood.
Duchenne can occur in any family, from any race and from any background. Currently, there is no cure, but for the first time there is hope that the current research may result in treatments which will greatly improve the lives of Duchenne boys.
“Last year’s ticket donation raised significant dollars and helped us fund leading-edge, gene therapy research and a dedicated Duchenne clinic at UCLA,” said Debra Miller, who founded CureDuchenne with her husband in 2003. “Our mission of extending and improving the lives of the 300,000 boys worldwide afflicted with Duchenne is more likely realized because of Cadillac’s generosity.”
Cadillac began its support of the CureDuchenne organization in 2010, when its Super Bowl XLV ticket auction raised more than $500,000 for the organization. That was followed by a contest on the American Chopper series on the Discovery Channel last summer. “American Chopper” challenged the highly competitive father-and-son duo Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr. in a contest to design and build the best Cadillac design-inspired chopper.
To date, Cadillac has helped raise more than $750,000 for CureDuchenne and expects this year’s ticket auction to top last year’s.
The upcoming ATS and XTS feature the new Cadillac User Experience (CUE) configurable dash and touch-sensitive center console. The images Cadillac has shown so far may be a mix of what is in the show cars and what will make it into production, but let’s look at some of the variety, shall we?
This view shows info on the configurable dash, including a photo caller id displayed on the dash to the left, MPH and compass top center, a 3D graphical representation of a gas pump with integrated meter right, gear selection bottom right, 4-wheel tire pressure status bottom center, and odometer bottom left.
From the published info:
Cadillac CUE integrates interior design with industry-first control and command technologies. It will debut in 2012 in the ATS and XTS luxury sedans and SRX luxury crossover. It features a 12.3-inch reconfigurable gauge cluster (on select models) and offers four selectable displays: Simple (shown), Enhanced, Balanced and Performance, which can mix between vehicle data, entertainment, navigation and 3D vehicle image.
This interior shot shows the dash configured for a ‘conventional’ gauge set albeit with tire pressure displayed in the center of the tachometer display.
This view shows a half-dial to the left with needle & conventional tach, flat-bottomed dial center with MPH, and a stacked gauges to the right.
Based on these I am hoping that Cadillac is bringing a user-selectable suite of gauge packages for the configurable display to market!
KPE is the distributor for a supercharger kit soon to be released by IPF Tuning targeted at the GM LLT 3.6L V6 engine. The stock engine in the 2008-2011 CTS made 304 hp. With this new supercharger a 3.6L V6 would have 400+ hp — a bit more power than the stock LS6 or LS2 V8s in the 04-08 CTS-V!
The kit targets the LLT due to its use as the standard engine in the Chevrolet Camaro, but fitment there also enables fitment for the Cadillac CTS 3.6L. It is not clear if the same kit will work equally well on the 2012 LFX engines until further testing and tuning has been done.
IPF’s test claims are an improvement to 435 hp and 360 lb ft of torque. For the CTS 3.6L that power would change it from a 6.3s 0-60 time to under 5.1s under ideal conditions, and get it into the 13s in the quarter mile. Cost of the kit for the Camaro is US$5,590, with a $1K deposit for pre-orders. As of this article kits do not appear to be shipping yet.
Although $5K+ seems expensive that is a reasonable market price for a full supercharger kit. Remember there are advantages to buying a pre-engineered kit with some certainty of working properly when installed!
The kit appears to be complete, to allow for easy installation. It includes supercharger, intercooler, and appropriate custom brackets and mounting hardware.
The Supercharger head unit is a Vortech V3 Self contained unit! No drilling into the oil pan or complicated plumbing. The intercooler is a thick core for maximum cooling efficiency with minimal pressure drop. Silicone hoses and couplers and stainless steel clamps. All the hardware is high quality and made in the USA. A Powertrain Warranty is available from IPF and is valid when the kit is installed by an ASE Certified Technician. The kit will sell for $5590.00 plus shipping. The Powertrain Warranty is $275.00 which covers engine and transmission. Again most of the forced induction (Turbo kits) do not offer a Powertrain Warranty!!!
This is a video of a Camaro V6 with the supercharger kit installed.
The video notes:
IPF Supercharged and tuned 2011 Chevrolet Camaro V6 (LLT); For more information and available applications for select GM models, check out www.IPF-Tuning.com
We are currently producing the IPF Supercharger for the 2010-11 Camaro V6. The kits will begin shipping the week of January 16th. There are some kits on backorder but we can still take preorders as of today. Camaro enthusiasts can still put down a deposit to guarantee they get one out of this initial production run!
After we complete this first production of IPF Superchargers for the Camaro, we will be moving on the CTS. Our intent is to have the CTS kit available in the next 90 days. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks!
The guys at DREVolution Motorsports are reporting that they are actually measuring 420-430 Hp at the wheels from Camaro testing. That would suggest almost 500 hp at the crank.
Continues the CTS Art and Science design themes, which can be difficult on a smaller car. The best critique received is that it looks too conservative — what the critics don’t recognize is that Cadillac has masterfully made a small car look as good as the mid-size CTS. The team stayed with 18″ wheels to save weight, but they look in proportion to the ATS.
Hidden front bumper. High tech lighting solutions. Conventional door handles retained to keep the chrome touches?
Interior:
The electronic dash display is configurable in the CUE system. The center console display is all a touch screen. There is available HUD (Heads up display).
Interior appears to be evolutionary from CTS, which is good. Looks very streamlined and well laid out. Variety of colors is interesting and has a sporty appeal.
What are the down-sides?
Everything is scaled to a smaller car to save weight, increasing performance and MPG.
Rear leg room is reduced
Small trunk space at 10 cubic feet
Smaller gas tank at 16 gallons
6L45 transmission lighter, but also less robust, less room for more power
These are all likely good trades to the target audience.
First Impressions
Wow they got it under 3,400 lbs! Looks good so far can’t wait to see more & get more details.
Questions
What are the performance numbers for the Turbo? for the 3.6L V6? What will the prices be? When does the ATS-V arrive?
At 7:30PM (EDT) on January 8, 2012, we will be performing migration to a new server.
During this time, CaddyInfo Forum will be turned offline to ensure no new content is lost in the move.
We expect full service to be restored no later than 4:00AM (EDT) on January 9.
Update: Server migration appears to be complete; new server is sh05.lw.ipslink.com for status purposes.
