It's Not Just Your Father's Am Radio, Anymore

April 12, 1998|By Rich Warren. Special to the Tribune.

`Dad, can I program the car?" asks your teenager.

Though you expected a request to drive the car, your teen was not off base thanks to Microsoft.

At the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this year, Microsoft announced a version of its Windows CE portable operating system incorporated into software called Auto PC. The Auto PC combines the radio, CD player, navigation system, cellular telephone, pager, e-mail and radio data system for traffic alerts.

The voice-activated Auto PC system responds with synthesized speech. You also can communicate with Auto PC wirelessly using a handheld PC or Palm PC with Windows CE.

Carmakers Hyundai, Nissan, Peugeot, Citroen, Volkswagen and Ford expressed support for Auto PC, along with such car-stereo companies as Alpine, Clarion, JBL and Infinity.

Clarion introduced the first auto PC hardware, which it calls AutoPC. The basic unit fits where the car stereo usually goes. It costs about $1,300 before all the options, and it has as many options as most cars. The basic unit is a gussied up AM/FM radio, with digital signal processing equalization for tonal balances and special audio effects, such as creating concert-hall sound in your car, and a CD-audio/CD-ROM drive. Clarion offers a six-disc CD-audio/CD-ROM drive as an option.

The fairly large backlit, easy-to-read eight-color LCD screen uses computer-style icons as part of its interface. The AutoPC recognizes 200 voice commands. It incorporates an address book, mileage log and a memo feature that permits short recordings using its computer memory chips or flash memory cards. Navigation, paging, e-mail and cell-phone are add-ons that together raise the price to more than $2,000. Subscriptions to data services also cost extra.

Hitachi makes the special SuperH microprocessor for the system. Navigation Technologies Corp. and ETAK Inc. will supply Clarion with the map database for navigation. ETAK, which produces mapping software, will transmit real-time traffic information.

Ford is driving another change to the traveling soundscape. It spun off its automotive electronics division into a subsidiary named Visteon. Ford has produced excellent premium sound systems, usually under the JBL or Mach designation.

Visteon carries on the tradition by equipping a Ford F-150 4x4 pickup with an experimental sound system with aninnovative feature that should be included on every premium auto sound system. At the touch of a button, you can change the sound system's focus. It can optimize the sound for the driver, for everyone in the vehicle or for the rear-seat passengers. So if the kids want head-banger music in back, you'll hear it but it probably won't leave you with a splitting headache.

Visteon aims to persuade Ford to install this system in its 1999 trucks. And because Visteon is independent of Ford, it also hopes to sell its sound systems to other car companies as well.

MiniDisc for the car re-emerges. Since its debut about six years ago, only Sony consistently offered auto MD. It was briefly an option in the Mustang Mach sound system.

At the CES, several companies introduced car MD players. Sanyo debuted the in-dash MD-P3 ($800) three-disc changer that can be operated by many in-dash AM/FM radios. Sanyo also built an in-dash four-disc CD changer with AM/FM radio, the MCX-400 ($600).

JVC showed a solution for people who want their MD and CD, too. Its in-dash player accepts MDs and CDs through the same slot.

The Caddy that zigs, zounds, too. Cadillac endowed its Catera with a Bose sound system, one of the latest vehicles to benefit from Bose technology. Considering that the first Bose automotive sound system appeared in a Cadillac in 1982, the system in the Catera is fitting.

The centered, rock solid, stereo image offers the illusion that the soloist plays from the hood of the car, surrounded by orchestra or accompanists on the fenders. The system sounds good loud or soft, though increasing the volume adds to the kick. The 12-disc, trunk-mounted, CD changer provides hours of music. However, you won't pull in favorite AM radio stations far from home; Cadillac compromised the radio antenna by building it into the windshield to improve the car's styling.

The Bose system in Catera uses eight speakers powered by six amplifiers tailored to the car's acoustics. Each front door houses a 6.5-inch hybrid midrange/tweeter with a 2-inch tweeter in the middle. A hybrid 3.5-inch midrange/tweeter is in each rear door, and two 6.5-inch woofers hide beneath the rear package shelf.

Johnson Controls and HighwayMaster turn any car's humble rearview mirror into a sophisticated antenna. The prototype system can summon assistance and receive directions and messages, while working with the global positioning satellite (GPS) system. The rearview mirror also displays compass direction and outside temperature. The companies estimate that the mirror with basic AutoLink technology will cost about $750.

Finally, while high-definition television has not appeared in cars, it exerts its influence.

At CES, Kenwood displayed the LZ-700W ($1,300) widescreen LCD TV for mobile use. It uses the same 16:9 aspect ratio as HDTV, though its picture remains standard definition. Kenwood intends the TV for viewing digital video discs, with widescreen movies, as well as for regular TV broadcasts.