The world’s biggest automakers busy this week with several top automotive companies, most notably Ford, making major announcements involving connected car technology at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. But let’s not forget about the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, where U.S. automotive firms are introducing a wide range of new technologies that could see to a major rebound for North America’s old stand-bys, including Ford, Chrysler and General Motors.Let’s face it, the first decade of the 21st century wasn’t exactly easy on the Big Three, with each and every one of these Detroit-based firms laying off thousands amid a major economic crisis that saw two receive government bail-outs. But in the last two years all three companies have made slow but evident come-backs from the brink of financial disaster, and they’re doing it by beating European and Asian firms in designing fuel-efficient and reliable cars that boast cutting-edge gadgetry.
Take, for example, the new Dart from Dodge. It uses “MultiAir” variable valve-control technology in its tiny 1.4-litre engine to produce surprisingly impressive on-road performance while maintaining startling fuel efficiency. Let’s face it, this is not the Dodge we’ve come to know; for years, this was a firm that thrived on big, powerful, gas-guzzlers like the Ram pick-up and Charger. That hurt the firm a few years back, but now that it’s focusing more on the extremely lucrative compact class, hopes are high for the company and, specifically, the Dart.
Read: Connected Cars Help Detroit Economy
Then there’s the Cadillac ATS, which represents an equally new direction for a car company long associated with the slow, Sunday driver. By offering a new suspension technology called “Magnetic Ride Control,” Cadillac hopes the ATS will challenge long-running sedan class champions BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Of course, the real draw at this version of the NAIAS has been Ford’s 2013 Fusion. Not only does it improve upon Ford’s already popular Sync technology (allowing drivers to interact with their cars via smartphones), but it’s also seen a number of design adjustments, most notably the introduction of a plug-in hybrid engine that Ford says offers better fuel efficiency than the electric Chevrolet Volt.
Together, these three vehicles are predicted to have a major following once they’re released to a wider audience. That’s a major change from a few years’ back, when it seemed like North America’s heavy-hitters were throwing some seriously soft punches.
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