WATCH: WXYZ-TV's 'Spotlight on Technology' special from the Detroit Auto Show
the future of Mobility on display in the heart of the Motor City the vehicles of tomorrow taking center stage at the 2023 Detroit Auto Show this is industry energized revived in the future what you're going to see in Mobility right here in Detroit tonight we're looking under the hood at the Innovations reshaping the road ahead Channel 7 shining a spotlight on technology all eyes turning to the Motor City as the North American International Auto Show returns to downtown Detroit good evening welcome to Huntington place I'm Brian Abel it is so beautiful and so cool and it's bigger I'm Glenda Lewis thank you for joining us live on day one of the 2023 Detroit Auto Show dozens of brands are on display this year showcasing the latest and greatest from the automakers and innovators leading the charge to an all-electric future and tonight we are putting you in the driver's seat for a sneak peek at the hottest Technologies transforming the future of mobility and here on the auto show floor that future is all around us hundreds of exhibitors are here showing off technology that will eventually make its way to our vehicles and 7 Action News reporter Sarah Michaels has been here all day getting a first-hand look at the vehicles of tomorrow right now Sarah what are you seeing well Glenda Brian this year at the auto show it is all about the experiences there are more indoor tracks for people to come and check out and there are even cars for people to come and smell that's right I said smell here's a look at our day at the auto show we're going 30 feet out this is a 40 degree incline on this mountain how does that feel I mean you can see straight down that's for sure nothing kicks off a day at the auto show like dropping your co-worker's phone because these experiences are just that sharp and quick as you can see how fast we were going we started our day at Ford's built wild track experience where you can drive in a Bronco Badlands model with Pros like YOLO who will walk you through the newest text such as the sway bar disconnect is what is called the stay bar disconnect and it is this button right here feel how it drops that down this is the only vehicle on the market that has this technology it is a hydraulic disconnects last obstacle you guys ready ready to catch a little air a little let me hold on hold on not too bad right not at all but if you need a break from experiencing turbulence the future of vehicle luxury is ready for you at Lincoln Monica you told me that this car has sense it does it does so there are actually three scents that come with this vehicle digital scent is a new feature to the Lincoln brand they are right here underneath the center console the display we are able to diffuse the scent into the vehicle so it registers mystic forest Violet cashmere and ozonic Couture I can already smell it reinvigorated we walked past the Jeep Kids Zone where kids can rock climb and drive in their own mini Jeeps to the camp Jeep indoor track experience we're in the 2024 Wrangler 392. here Precision driver Zachary ended our day with a look at what's new so this is the first time anyone will ever be able to walk underneath an off-road Hill they'll walk underneath and you can see all of the mechanisms under the vehicle working as we're climbing and a view of the show it's Channel 7 right there and there are only two other driving experiences here at the auto show there is the EV Driving Experience which we're going to show you in just a little bit and the ram experience which we are on right now all in all Glenda Brian it is just such an interactive year to come to the auto show a lot of fun Sarah I'll take a little eucalyptus please all right make sense in the car is pretty incredible it's like she had a great time yeah she did second year this reimagined Detroit Auto Show has rolled into the Motor City in September now organizers making the big move last year after a three-year Hiatus expanding beyond the show floor for the first indoor outdoor setup in the show's history and that new tradition continues this year with ride-along activations we saw Sarah getting down inside Huntington place and Evie ride and drivers on Detroit's Grand Prix circuit letting show goers see touch test and feel the future so joining us now is Detroit Auto Show chairman Thad Thad thank you for being here my pleasure gosh 38 Brands here participating that's double the number of last year how exciting is this to have everybody on board for Detroit well we've been working at this for over a year so we're just thrilled to kick off Media day ready to Showcase this to meet the media but we're ready to Showcase this to the public on Saturday where they can come in see all this new technology see these 38 brands that we've worked our butts off and getting here at the show and so we're just thrilled to get things rolling so cool sad I know the show is expected to immerse people in the technologies that are shaping our tomorrow shaping the world around us in turn what can people expect and are there any surprises maybe for visitors here well we always have surprises up our sleeves so stay tuned but I will tell you that the show goers that have questions about this technology and I think a lot of your Watchers do have questions what does it feel like to drive an EV it sounds different it feels different and we have activation where people can actually experience this technology whether it's a four by four Jeep that's electric going straight up a hill or our EV track in the back where you'll feel the acceleration down a acceleration Lane it's longer than a football field so cool back there I mean the tires are screeching everybody's having a great time a lot of energy and a lot of excitement yeah Thad thank you for all your hard work this show is beautiful thank you sir a pleasure thank you thank you so much too yeah we're looking forward to it that's not again chairman of the Detroit Auto Show thanks for your time our pleasure the automobile D showcases back this year and bigger than ever before the expanded exhibit showing off The Cutting Edge digital platforms driving the future of mobility and seven action news reporter Frost Javid joins us live now with a look at how computers and cars are converging for us with over 50 texts on display and 150 startups taking part in the automobility technology showcase there's so much to see but here are my top three this is real we're a navigator 520 basically a wearable tablet and Mike this is a game changer because it allows individuals to get the work done being hands-free how does the tech even work there's a boom arm which is the display and there's four digital microphones that you can speak to and it's just a text on the screen and then there's a camera right up here that can rotate and if you want to do a video call that's how you utilize it or take photos and record videos and this is actually being used in the real world yeah from video calls to machine inspections and even Logistics Mike says these headsets are the present and future from wearable to rideable this is May Mobility an autonomous vehicle currently deployed in Ann Arbor Brittany how is this being used so male Mobility is a little bit unique our vehicles are actually used as part of public transit so we're really focused on making Transportation more safe sustainable and accessible for everyone so how safe is it it's very safe they don't get tired they don't get a text message they need to pay attention to we also have a safety operator who sits in the front seat so he can monitor how the vehicle is behaving make any changes if needed and also to serve a customer service role and to help people you know onboard the vehicle Detroit is set to get the service next year but Ann Arbor currently has five of these vehicles that are wheelchair accessible and can be booked for free through the main Mobility app from rideable to fly we've all heard about delivery drones well this is different primarily it's a combined research project between Michigan State University and NASA Nick what else makes a difference so there's a student at MSU who had an idea to kind of overcome the challenges with the drone delivery why don't we just have drones land on top of city buses and other public transportation vehicles to ride along to their destination kind of like humans do what's the future of drone technology another project that this team is working on is called leads we're planning on using optical power to charge a drone mid-flight that way the Drone doesn't have to land and recharge its batteries and it can last for much longer foreign Mobility is part of Detroit Detroit Auto Show and of course it's here until September 24th so much to look at there's this cool technology where basically you can charge your electric vehicle without even stepping out it's almost like Brian that heard you complain and now there's a solution for it you want to come check it out it's Auto Mobility is the place to be for now Brian Glenda it's black to you I've been waiting for Eves to be able to just pull up on top of a piece of concrete and boom and to see all that like the wearable technology it's incredible yeah more but I was in a headset emphasis on the D still to come tonight going Electric coming up everything you need to know about making the switch and staying charged at home and on the road and America's best-selling pickup getting a high-tech upgrade the smart features on the way to the new Ford F-150 series that and more still ahead on our Spotlight on technology special we're back in just a moment [Music] foreign [Music] it's that time the Detroit Auto Show is off to a thrilling start with some Red Hot reveals from The Big Three the 2025 Cadillac ct5 the 2024 GMC Acadia and the 2024 Jeep Gladiator all making their Global debut today right here in the Motor City meantime Ford got the party started last night unveiling an upgrade to America's best-selling pickups the Dearborn automaker taking over Hart Plaza on the eve of the auto show to roll out the new 2024 F-150 it comes with 10 standard driver assist features and advanced Towing and hitch Assist Technology now buyers can also opt for an onboard generator 5G Wi-Fi and access to Ford's hands-free highway driving system the updated model also getting a design refresh across the entire F-150 series the new truck set to roll off the line this fall hitting showroom floors early next year a lot of people can't wait for that one now we've all heard electric vehicles will revolutionize how we get around but many of us still have questions about owning an EV and keeping it running on the road well this year the powering Michigan team has set up an all-new experience at the auto show to help provide some answers so much focus at the North American International Auto Show is on electric vehicles and you can ride along a variety of EVS in the powering Michigan EV experience track and thanks to Nika and ibw 58 learn everything there is to know about EB charging in the power Michigan EV Learning Center Jason tell us a little bit more about this Learning Center Aaron we designed this EV Learning Center to showcase the many kind of chargers whether it be the residential grade charger for your home or the fast chargers for the public stations the attendees for the show can ride in any one of those many EVS on the test track so visit the EV Learning Center to learn more about all things EV well and I've already learned so much but to make the transition to electric vehicles successful I know that it's going to take a lot of charging stations Byron tell us how your team is preparing the workforce for over a decade local 58 has been preparing its members to install vehicle Chargers in your homes businesses schools and fleets our evitp charging classes have prepared hundreds of certified electricians who are ready to meet the EV challenge and it sounds like your electricians are definitely prepared for the job Indeed Andre what else should we consider when charging at home well since 80 percent of charging is going to occur at home you want to look at level 2 Charging which takes about four to eight hours in order to get a good charge on your car you also want to look at further Technologies like smart panels battery storage and also the Ford Lightning which acts as a battery storage system for your home with bi-directional charging thank you so much Andre thank you what happens when you're not charging at home Jason tell us a little bit more about the systems that are currently going in throughout the state Aaron you can find DC fast Chargers like this in level 2 public charging that's going in all across the state of Michigan range anxiety and the ability to find a charger is an issue we're working with the state the customers and also industry leaders to install this equipment during this exciting time of the vehicle transition well thank you so much for all the great information and for all that you're doing with this transition you don't want to miss your chance to experience the powering Michigan EB Learning Center and EV track experience here at the show and get ready to go electric for more information visit powering michigan'sfuture.com [Music] maybe a little less Eevee anxiety after that Aaron thank you well the roads of the Future made in Michigan coming up the groundbreaking projects changing how we'll get around Metro Detroit and automakers racing to an all-electric future coming up next Life in the Fast Lane the all-new Eevee experience at the Detroit Auto Show that Amore still to come as we shine a spotlight on technology we are back after this [Music] about you [Music] Auto Show visitors will get a chance to kick the tires on some of the most exciting electric vehicles out on the market and the all-new powering Michigan EV experience debuts this year putting show goers behind the wheel in cars from Seven leading EV Brands and Sarah Michaels joins us with a firsthand look and a spin around the track Sarah hey that's right you guys we are out on the EV track for the very first time there are seven different brands represented out here but right now we want to take you along for a ride that is very special we're about to get into the GMC Hummer EV pickup let's do it riding along in the Hummer yeah this has been a Hot Topic all across the auto show what's so great about this how can people experience this is our GMC Hummer EV Edition one pickup so it has a range of 329 miles on a full charge you'll see we have the roof panel taken off all four come off they can store in the e-trunk in the front you have a full open air experience here on the easy track today and we are going to experience lots of Freedom so you'll be going zero to 60 in about three seconds here three two one floor it oh take all the wind in your hair the roof panels are off you get also a little bit of the wafting of all the food and this is something going on all weekend can anybody come up fill out a waiver and try this yeah yeah cool if you want the vehicles out here we have um thank you guys so much for having us so happy I will say we have had the pleasure of doing a lot of the different experiences here at the auto show but that is definitely the fastest we've been able to go it's happening here at the EV track you have to come out and experience it for yourself truly you're able to see the future of technology right here in Detroit you guys Glenda Brian yeah looks like so much fun Sarah thank you like Marvel roller coaster ride than a ride in a Hummer right to get in it's not just the cars of the future being made in Michigan we are also building the roads of the future construction of America's first public EV charging Road it's happening right now in Detroit inductive charging pads have been installed on 14th Street near Michigan Central Station with more on the way Evie drivers there will soon be charging their cars on the go MDOT is also installing Cav Lanes along a stretch of I-94 for connected and automated Vehicles the technology will allow smart cars to communicate with the road to ease congestion the goal is to eventually build a 26 Mile connected Corridor between Detroit and Ann Arbor pretty incredible all right onward and upward your daily commute going airborne after the break a glimpse into a future where the sky is the limits but first a sneak peek at the hottest EVS turning heads on the auto show floor next [Music] we are back now with a look at some of the hottest EVS catching our eye on the show floor starting with the 2024 Corvette e-ray Hot yeah the electrified all-wheel drive hybrid making the cut today as a semi-finalist for North American Car of the Year the e-ray promises to be Chevy's fastest vet yet going from 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds with a
top speed of over 180. it adds the raw performance of a 6.2 liter lt2 V8 engine but it also adds electrification modern technology to improve the performance the e-ray is expected to hit showroom floors later this year their start with just under a hundred five thousand dollars the 2024 Mustang Mach e rally also turning heads Ford's first ever rally inspired EV ready to hit the dirt with a range of 250 miles per charge and stalantis is attracting attention with its first all-electric pickup a 2025 Ram 1500 rev is Rev is due out next year boosting boasting 650 horsepower and up to 500 miles of range that's a lot Innovations in air Mobility let's take it to the air also making headlines at the Detroit Auto Show full-size flying cars once considered science fiction are now well on their way to becoming a viable option and let's send it back to Faraz Javid with a look at a future where the sky is the limit for us The Future Has Arrived this is called air one it's the first of its kind flying car that doesn't need a Runway it's manufactured by the Israeli company I got Ronnie here with me Ronnie tell me how's this even possible so we have a patent technology with flight control system and special wing-borne drones so you may say we have a hundred mile range it's a two-seater we invested a lot of money and efforts in the interior as you can see uh how fast can it fly it can fly up to 150 miles per hour cruising is about 100. in terms of practicality how practical is this because it's too wide well first of all you have a big lawn you can land it but it falls to the size of an F-150 really and can go on a trailer of course wow yeah what about the controls I see it's pretty simple yeah so in the center you have an aviation grade screen which which tells you what to do and on your side you have infotainment you know your music your phone and so forth you control it with only one stick of course no paddles no throttle that is absolutely amazing Ronnie congratulations can't wait to see this and of course Brian Glenda this is going to be available in the states early next year so you know what my next live shot is going to be from here all right so be jealous for now it's back to you all right McFly where we're going we don't need roads thanks for us we have had a great time test driving the future with you tonight thank you so much for joining us as we celebrate the return of the Detroit Auto Show we hope to see it downtown for all the fun this weekend have a great night foreign
2023-09-15 07:16
