Official: VW launches Car-Net telematics system with brace of safety features

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Safety, Technology, Crossover, Volkswagen, Infotainment

Volkswagen will offer Car-Net assistance system for select 2014 models.

Starting with select 2014 models, Volkswagen will offer an in-car assistance system called Car-Net, which comes with safety features such as location-based roadside assistance, automatic crash notification, remote vehicle unlock, destination assistance and more. The system is very similar to General Motors’ OnStar, but VW is quick to point out that a subscription to Car-Net gives the owner access to all of its features. OnStar requires that subscribers pay extra for its navigation function.

A mobile application will be available to accompany the in-car system as well, and working together they allow owners to check vehicle status or even find where they last parked.

The 2014 VWs that are compatible with the system are Jetta, Passat, Tiguan, CC, Beetle and Eos models. One year will cost $199; two years is $378, three years is $540; or $17.99 for a month-to-month subscription. Feel free to read the press release we included below.

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VW launches Car-Net telematics system with brace of safety features originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ketterer Continental sure to net best spot at local RV park

Filed under: Etc.

ketterer continental

Ketterer Continental – Click above for image gallery

We’re into camping as much as the next guy(s), and we’re really up for a few days of “roughing it” when it comes to a luxury coach motor home. And when we’re looking for the highest of the high end, few stand out more than the Ketterer Continental luxury motor home.

ketterer continental exteriorThis monster motor home features a Mercedes-Benz truck chassis, a massive, luxurious cabin that includes a real kitchen, dining with seating for five, a master bedroom with a king bed plus a shower, toilet and sky light. Actually, the main bedroom features a bath tub, too, so you can soak after a hard day of… whatever it is that the wealthy do when they’re “camping.”

And if you’re on an extended trip through the local RV parks, you probably don’t want to troll around in your mobile mansion, so this custom motor home also features a garage large enough to swallow a Smart Fortwo. Fancy. Click on the gallery below to see an RV that’s nicer than most people’s homes.

Gallery: Ketterer Continental

[Source: Ketterer via Unfinishedman.com]

Ketterer Continental sure to net best spot at local RV park originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Accounting change could net Ford $13-billion profit

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Ford, Earnings/Financials

2011 Ford Mustang

Ford is looking to make an accounting change this year that would eliminate a valuation allowance from its books and net the company $10 to $13 billion in profits. The move shows that Ford is confident that it sustain its new-found profitability, after four straight years of operating losses from 2005 to 2009.

The valuation is held against deferred tax assets, which the company needed as it saw profits disappear. With the company making $9.3 billion in profits over the last two years, the valuation isn’t necessary any more.

When the move is made, Ford said it will record it as a “special item for the quarter,” to avoid a negative tax effect. Even after Ford gets the valuation allowance off its books, the company may still be able to operate tax-free until the end of the decade, as it is still eligible for tax breaks after $31.4 billion in losses from 2005-2009.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: John Neff/AOL]

Report: Accounting change could net Ford $13-billion profit originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: CAR projects Michigan will net up to 23,000 new auto jobs in 2011

Filed under: Chrysler, Ford, GM

Ford Explorer assembly line

The fourth quarter of 2010 showed strengthening auto sales, and analysts believe 2011 will reveal further sales growth. That will likely lead to more profit for automakers, and The Detroit News reports that Michigan jobs could follow. The report cites findings by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) that show up to 23,000 new Michigan jobs in 2011 alone.

That’s a huge number of high wage jobs in a region still burdened with unemployment levels over 10 percent, and a big reason the Mitten State is projected to be a jobs winner is a shift in the competitive landscape. Ford and General Motors are making money in a down auto market and Chrysler was breaking even even before refreshing most of its vehicle lineup. CAR points out that the Detroit Three are also competitive on labor and legacy costs, quality and manufacturing efficiency, which frees up more money for product development.

CAR has reportedly been able to track at least $5.6 billion in announced projects in Michigan over the past 24 months, and the industry continues to recover from the Great Recession; a number that stands a good chance of increasing.

[Source: Detroit News | Image: M. Spencer Green/AFP/Getty]

Report: CAR projects Michigan will net up to 23,000 new auto jobs in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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