10 Great Car Technologies at the 2015 LA Auto Show

There were some great car technologies at the 2015 LA Auto Show, and recognizing that many readers can’t attend in person, the Autobytel team is ready to help spread the word about the best of these brand-new features. Included are innovations from the engineering department, cutting-edge connectivity upgrades, a luxury-themed approach to autonomous driving and more, with automakers from across the industry displaying their wares in Los Angeles. In the coming months, they’ll be displayed in dealerships, too, as the steady stream of incoming in-car technologies shows no signs of slowing.

The Voltec Propulsion System in the Chevrolet Volt

Lightning has struck in the same place twice, as the next-gen 2016 Chevy Volt—just like the original that launched in 2010—has been recognized at the Los Angeles event as Green Car Journal’s Green Car of the Year. And like many of the rest of the great car technologies at the 2015 LA Auto Show, the award-winning features in the Volt will have an immediate impact driving. Right off the mark, owners of the 2016 Volt will enjoy more power, quicker acceleration, more cabin space and, of course, improved efficiency. In fact, not only has the Volt’s all-electric driving range been stretched to 53 miles, its new range-extending onboard engine will raise the bar for fuel economy to 42 mpg combined during the rest of its more-than-370 miles of range. According to Chevy, owners who regularly charge their Volts will be able to travel more than 1,000 miles without visiting a gas station.

Wi-Fi Tethering in the Kia Sportage

Naturally, many of the great car technologies at the 2015 LA Auto Show had to do with connectivity content, but you can leave it to Kia to come up with a high-value approach to high tech. Thus, as part of the new UVO3 telematics and infotainment system that launches in the 2017 Kia Sportage, the brand offers Wi-Fi tethering—the ability to leverage select smartphones for use as mobile Wi-Fi hotspots. In addition to that simple solution for in-car connectivity, UVO3 further incorporates access to multiple smartphone-style apps, 8 gigabytes of onboard music storage and 14 telematics functions, ranging from automatic crash notification to curfew alert for younger drivers. Best of all, there are no ongoing fees or subscriptions required for UVO3 services; regular cellular rates will apply, however. The stylish new Sportage also will supply Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, as well as noticeably more cargo room.

Photo by Rex Torres

SYNC Connect in the Ford Escape

The Blue Oval is touting a new technology in the ultra-competitive compact-crossover segment, introducing SYNC Connect on the redesigned 2017 Ford Escape. Building on the benefits of the latest SYNC 3 infotainment and connectivity system, SYNC Connect puts more vehicle control in the hands of owners by allowing them to lock and unlock the doors, find the vehicle on a map, and check the levels for fuel, oil, battery and air pressure, all from their smartphones. The setup next ups the ante over other great car technologies at the 2015 LA Auto Show, since it doesn’t just let owners remotely start the vehicle and set its climate system. Now, owners of the new Escape also can schedule vehicle startups on a regular basis, so that the Escape turns over each morning at the same time, for example. Ford further works to keep folks connected in the long run, furnishing five years of complimentary service.

Photo by Rex Torres

Volvo Concept 26

It also turned out that not all of the great car technologies at the 2015 LA Auto Show involved actual cars. The Volvo Concept 26, for example, was presented as an interior mockup designed to allow drivers to choose how they’d prefer to spend their time during the 26 minutes of the average daily commute. Those who prefer to literally drive can do so, of course, but beyond a traditional driver’s position, the Concept 26 can be configured in two additional seating configurations that are very non-traditional indeed. 

In the “Create” seating mode, the steering wheel retracts, the driver’s seat pulls back, a handy worktable deploys from the driver’s-side door, and the area in front the front-seat passenger transforms into a massive infotainment screen. Switch to the “Relax” setting and the driver’s seat reclines, while a leg rest extends from beneath the chair so that the occupant can really stretch out.

Predictive All-Wheel Drive in the Mazda CX-9

Family-friendly vehicles like the new 2016 Mazda CX-9—the Zoom-zoom brand’s brand-new three-row crossover—often provide all-wheel drive systems for added owner confidence when navigating tricky road conditions. After all, drivers are particularly careful about staying on course with younger passengers onboard, and most AWD setups will react to changes in traction to help avoid slip-ups. That wasn’t quite enough for Mazda, though. Instead, Mazda’s “i-ACTIV” system relies on predictive capabilities to live up to its positioning as one of the great car technologies at the 2015 LA Auto Show. The key to that claim: an array of 27 sensors that can measure road conditions 200 times a second, but also integrate data ranging from ambient temperature to windshield-wiper movement to steering-wheel angle. Per Mazda, the result is akin to “predicting what the driver may face on a slick road in the winter or in heavy rain,” then adjusting torque distribution for optimum performance.

Photo by Rex Torres

Dead-Reckoning Navigation in the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Convertible

The 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Convertible is being called the “most capable all-terrain convertible in the world” by its maker, and even if the Jeep Wrangler may disagree, drivers will no doubt be able to break from the beaten path in the British-branded entry. Yet whether it’s for that reason or because of tunnels or other obstructions, loss of a GPS signal can put drivers of some rivals at the risk of getting lost. In the Evoque Convertible, the available InControl Touch Pro Navigation system has “dead-reckoning” functionality that can track the vehicle’s location by also keeping track of factors like the speed and distance travelled. Making its premiere for Land Rover in the Evoque Convertible, InControl Touch Pro also features a 10.2-inch touchscreen, 3G connectivity, smartphone integration and more. Needless to say, no other great car technologies at the 2015 LA Auto Show were enveloped in an open-air SUV body style.

Photo by Rex Torres

Electronic Precision Shift in the Buick LaCrosse

Some old-school enthusiasts still may like to row their own gears, but in the leading-edge luxury segments, merely exerting yourself to move a gear lever might be becoming too much. So, with that in mind, Buick’s great car technologies at the 2015 LA Auto Show included Electronic Precision Shift for the all-new 2017 Buick LaCrosse. For drivers of the next-gen LaCrosse, that means that all it takes is a gentle pull to pick the proper gear, yet Buick boasts that operation is “smooth, precise and responsive.” Also more responsive is the new LaCrosse itself, since Buick dropped about 300 lbs. from the car’s curb weight in concert with its redesign, then bumped up the output in its new 305-horsepower V6. True, no one will confuse the LaCrosse for a sports car—but they may be confused at seeing the Buick name on such a sleek and well-appointed full-size sedan

Photo by Rex Torres

Hydrogen Technology in the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell

After already setting a precedent by introducing the FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle in 2007 in Los Angeles, Honda has now taken the next step with those great car technologies at the 2015 LA Auto Show. That’s where the automaker recently premiered the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, complete with a new fuel-cell stack that starts with a 60 percent increase in power density—versus the FCX—but in an overall package that’s 33 percent more compact. Honda then uses that extra space to create a roomy, five-occupant cabin with modern-day conveniences such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and the Honda “Sensing” safety system bundle. The difference-maker: the car’s high-tech hydrogen powertrain that converts easily obtainable hydrogen into electricity, can be refilled in minutes and delivers a zero-emissions driving range expected to surpass 300 miles. Sales of the Clarity Fuel Cell are expected to begin late next year in key California markets.

Apple Watch Connectivity in the Jaguar XE

With the Apple Watch now on sale, it was only a matter of time before an automaker launched a remote-control app for that device, like the one for the 2017 Jaguar XE, for instance. Another extension of Jaguar’s InControl infotainment and connectivity portfolio, this new Apple Watch functionality allows owners to remotely start the XE directly from their high-tech timepiece, while also pre-conditioning the climate system to match weather conditions. Apple Watchers also will be able to lock and unlock the vehicle, as well as locate it on a map and even check its fuel level. InControl technology supplies plenty of in-car advantages, too, not the least of which is a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot that can keep up to eight different devices online at the same time. Meanwhile, the driver benefits from a big 10.2-inch touchscreen, plain-speech voice recognition and wireless Ethernet connectivity for the vehicle’s internal infotainment network.

Smartphone Integration in the Mitsubishi Mirage

Who’d have thunk it? The budget-minded, significantly refreshed 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage had a number of great car technologies at the 2015 LA Auto Show, and while they aren’t new to the industry, they’re definitely impressive down at this end of the pricing spectrum. First off, along with restyled sheet metal and improved driving dynamics, the Mirage welcomes the latest in smartphone integration, thanks to a new infotainment system that’s compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. As a result, smartphone owners with either operating system will be able to control their devices more directly from the Mirage’s touchscreen. It’s the kind of modern-day convenience that will be increasingly sought after by customers, so Mitsubishi’s ability to get out in front of the trend is well worth noting. So is the fact that the actual sound system here is a powerful 300-watt setup from Rockford-Fosgate.