I often visit major suppliers to see what technologies they are working on. Recent visits to Visteon Corp. and Valeo North America threw me into a bit of a funk.
They are working to create a cloud-based, always-connected information pod. Taking a back seat is the joy of driving.
Yes, I know safety will be improved by sensor-laden cars able to “see” the road from all angles, communicate with other vehicles and apply the brakes to avoid accidents.
I can see the value in a system that Valeo is creating that enables a vehicle to automatically park itself after depositing you at the entrance of a building. Valeo’s automated valet parking system is truly an amazing piece of work.
At a Valeo press event in June, an early-development version of the parking system installed in a Range Rover Evoque showed great potential.