Interior/Cabin

New interior for 2014 full-size GM trucks A significant uptick in cabin storage, new seats, and the debut of a next-generation in-vehicle connectivity system head the features list of an all-new interior on the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 full-size pickup trucks. Read full story

Adoption of software-defined radio slower than anticipated Most aircraft still carry multiple radios even though many suppliers tout the benefits of SDR. Read full story

Chevy offers two MyLink systems A low-cost system on the 2013 Spark and Sonic introduces Apple's Siri and $50 BringGo navigation. The 2014 Impala has upscale Cadillac CUE-derived MyLink with embedded navigation and a screen resembling a smartphone. Read full story

Developing superb HMI: How an automotive infotainment-planning team does it The key to executing great vehicle infotainment systems is so much more than designing the screen. Two experts from Altia create a scenario with an OEM customer to explain how they develop the user-interface experience. Read full story

2013 Honda Fit EV applies ‘lessons learned’ from fuel-cell Clarity The electrified powertrain, a newly developed regenerative braking system, and Bio-Fabric seating material in Honda's new Fit EV all stem from developments in the FCX Clarity fuel-cell car and other EV forebears. Read full story

Alliances boost momentum for Ethernet in vehicles The drive to move commercial technologies such as Ethernet and open source software into vehicles is gaining momentum. A number of companies are basing plans on the ubiquitous network, and two consortia recently teamed up to focus on boosting interest in using Ethernet in infotainment systems. Read full story

Boeing gets 787 interior ‘right first time’ To achieve "right first time” successes, the Boeing Interiors group departed from the norm and used an automotive tool to reduce installation times from 3500 to 232 h on the 787. Read full story

JumpStart-ing your engineering career Currently working on the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro, Jeremy Kearney is an Interior Design Release Engineer at General Motors Co. He also mentors GM's JumpStart Employee Resource Group and has been instrumental in organizing the Future Leader Program at SAE Convergence 2012. Read full story

Cars converse in largest-ever on-road ITS test project The U.S. government, via several of its transportation-related agencies, is sponsoring the project, which it claims is the largest-ever road test of connected-vehicle crash-avoidance technologies. Read full story