Technology the key to reversing Holden’s fortunes.

[csv8]

Technology the key to reversing Holden’s fortunes.

As Holden fans around Australia attempt to piece together the appearance of the new Holden Commodore in an online competition, Carsguide can exclusively reveal some of the key technology that is due to make it the most advanced car ever made in Australia.


The last homegrown Holden Commodore - due to be unveiled on Sunday before going on sale in June and phased out in 2016 - ]will be loaded with technology normally found on luxury cars, including a system that will enable the car to park itself, and an alert that will warn the driver if they are about to crash.

Although self parking technology has been around since 2005 when it was introduced on a Lexus limousine, and is now available on Volkswagens, Skodas and the new Ford Focus, the VF Commodore will become the first Australian-made car with the technology.

The system uses sensors in the front and rear bumper bars to detect the size of a car space, and then steers the car automatically into position. The driver only needs to select reverse and touch the brakes. As with the latest systems it works for parallel and 90-degree parking. It’s made possible by the Commodore’s switch to electric power steering, which is also a fuel-saving measure.

Other technology designed to trim about 10 per cent from the new Holden Commodore’s fuel bill includes a lightweight aluminium bonnet and boot, as well as some underbody components that trim the car’s mass by about 40kg.

Inside, Holden has completely overhauled the interior to give it a more upmarket appearance, but customers will most likely welcome the relocation of the power window switches from the centre console to the door panels. The Commodore’s current clumsy handbrake has been replaced by an electronic one that is operated at the press of a button.

A larger touch screen is the gateway to an overhauled entertainment system that will include access to Internet music service Pandora for the first time on an Australian-made car. Meanwhile a sensor key will enable drivers to unlock and start the car while leaving the key in their pocket or handbag.

The Commodore’s crash alert system won’t automatically slam on the brakes, as it does in some European cars, but it will alert the driver if they’re about to hit the car ahead in low-speed traffic. Holden would not confirm any of the technology in the new Commodore ahead of a secret briefing to the media today inside the company’s Melbourne design headquarters. All information, including official photos of the new car, have been embargoed until Sunday morning.

The ‘new’ Commodore is in fact a redesign of the VE model released seven years ago. The front and rear appearance have changed but the core of the car - the body, doors, roof, engines and transmission - are the same as before. Even the side mirrors are carried over.

The upgrade was due two years ago but was delayed by the restructure of General Motors in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis. Falling sales of large cars meant that an all-new model wasn’t feasible, which is why Holden has invested heavily in technology in the updated model.

The VF will be the last Australian-made Commodore after the boss of Holden told reporters in Detroit it would be phased out by the end of 2016 to make way for a new, as yet unnamed vehicle to be built alongside the Cruze small car until 2022.

By the end of 2016 the homegrown Commodore will have run for 38 years, almost twice as long as the iconic Holden Kingswood it replaced in 1978, which was on sale for 20 years.

For live updates on the new Holden Commodore reveal on Sunday morning, following this reporter on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling
http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and...an_park_itself

[blackf6]

I don't see why all the younger generation need all this tech in their cars for. I just like driving my cars with the air con and stereo on. Any other crap is just **** factor in my opinion. Cars were made to drive, not send emails and park for you.

[csv8]

Originally Posted by teak81

I don't see why all the younger generation need all this tech in their cars for. I just like driving my cars with the air con and stereo on. Any other crap is just **** factor in my opinion. Cars were made to drive, not send emails and park for you.

Thats whats needed to sell cars these days...no tech..no sale..
It will be interesting to see what FORD does with the FG update. match the tech or not ??? Ford has the tech in their American/Euro cars, so shouldn't be hard to put in the Falcon. interesting times ahead. Aussie cars have lagged behind for years in tech..we mightn't like it, but its here..

[Silver Ghia]

The technology seems intended to hide the fact that the new VF is really the old VE underneath:

The ‘new’ Commodore is in fact a redesign of the VE model released seven years ago. The front and rear appearance have changed but the core of the car - the body, doors, roof, engines and transmission - are the same as before. Even the side mirrors are carried over.

The upgrade was due two years ago but was delayed by the restructure of General Motors in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis. Falling sales of large cars meant that an all-new model wasn’t feasible, which is why Holden has invested heavily in technology in the updated model.

Have they updated the thick A pillars, which has drawn considerable criticism since the VE was first launched?

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by teak81

I don't see why all the younger generation need all this tech in their cars for. I just like driving my cars with the air con and stereo on. Any other crap is just **** factor in my opinion. Cars were made to drive, not send emails and park for you.

Well you are entitled to your opinion

[FalconXV]

40 kg weight loss? Thats pretty disappointing, I was under the impression it was going to be c 100 kg. Better than nothing I guess. I think its stupid for the journalists to tell everyone its definitely finished in 2016, why would they invest in the car knowing its a dead duck? You would think that decision would be subject to the cars success, and if VF can jump start the large segment, there might be hope for Falcon yet.

[Road_Warrior]

I could have put money on Dowlface talking this up like it is the Second Coming, especially as he's said he is going to buy one.

Adaptive cruise, blind spot assist and lane departure warning are shoe-ins for the 2014 Falcon update, perhaps Ford Sync but aside from that I don't know. I guess EPAS and park assist could turn up seeing as EPAS is already on the SZ Territory and self park needs EPAS to work.

[buggo]

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

Have they updated the thick A pillars, which has drawn considerable criticism since the VE was first launched?

Probably why they have park assist and collision avoidance haha

With the technology debate, I think it's a great thing. Being 20 may have an influence on my view, being gen-y and all, but why wouldn't you want more technology as well as having a fast loud car?

If technology wasn't a good thing to have, no one would upgrade from an EA and Apple would still operate out of a garage.

[Resurrection]

Technology? Pfft. Having previously worked for a supplier of high technology products I can tell you Holden purchasing are not willing to pay the money required to get technology into their cars.

[buggo]

Also, whats the go with 40kg weight saving equaling a 10% economy increase?
When I have a car full of mates, I don't start suddenly using 80% more petrol.
Well maybe I do but not because of the extra weight.

[Chopped]

Originally Posted by buggo

Also, whats the go with 40kg weight saving equaling a 10% economy increase?
When I have a car full of mates, I don't start suddenly using 80% more petrol.
Well maybe I do but not because of the extra weight.

The weight saving would help. They have also added more under body aerodynamics, electric power steering (less load on engine), the engines would be running a different tune as well.

[GTP534]

Ford are traditionally "late" when launching new or updated models. Been that way since the XR. The way I look at it is that a good thing is worth waiting for. I'm very interested in the 2014 Falcon (although I won't be in the market at that time) and even more interested in what's happening after 2016 when I will be. I'm sure there'll still be great Fords with great tech to choose from. (I'm not reading anything that Dowling has been involved in; he's not impartial.)

[mik]

these days the tech, it`s probably a needed thing to keep up with the joneses so to speak, that said my own belief is while the tech is does no doubt add to the safety, i still think it`s dumbing down the drivers skills to an extent.

[madmelon]

Originally Posted by FalconXV

40 kg weight loss? Thats pretty disappointing, I was under the impression it was going to be c 100 kg. Better than nothing I guess. I think its stupid for the journalists to tell everyone its definitely finished in 2016, why would they invest in the car knowing its a dead duck? You would think that decision would be subject to the cars success, and if VF can jump start the large segment, there might be hope for Falcon yet.

40kg is a big saving, especially if it's from relatively high up like the bonnet and boot lid. Look at all the praise the EcoBoost Falcon has received by knocking 60kg off- it makes a huge difference.

Just for reference- the VE Commodores appear to be about 50kg lighter across the board than their respective Falcon models. Even more in the V8 cases (compared to old 5.4L it's like 80kg).

40kg off the base commodore puts it at ~1570kg. That's EL Falcon sort of weight! It's already the lightest of the RWD cars in it's class and knocking another 40kg off would put it second only to the Aurion (Toyota quote 1525kg for the current model).

[Tysonv48]

The parking **** irritates me, as far as I'm concerned if you can't get your car into the spot you shouldn't park there. I hate getting blocked in by 2 hatch backs because they've cramed themselves were they shouldn't be.

[burnz]

self parking is not the first for an oz car company, HSV has had it since the E3 was released.

[Bud Bud]

Check this out, this is an extract from something I wrote during a discussion (particularly with LTD) in the Orion thread about 7 years ago.

Originally Posted by Bud Bud

The use of FBW is used amongst other things, primarily to save weight. This system is used to eradicate the very reliable but very heavy hydraulic control systems similar to what the 747 and other jets right up to the 90's where designed with. This system (FBW) has many built in safety over ride systems and has now reached a level of price effect confidence within the industry. The very modern Boeing 777 was the first Boeing aircraft designed totally around this system.

All this said, the technology is becoming cheaper and cheaper as it is being developed, to the point where you will see it become more mainstream in auto manufacturing as well. The whole point to throttle by wire is to prove reliability to gain consumer confidence. Once this happens you will begin to see the system introduced to more critical vehicle control.

Can you imagine a time when your car has suspension by wire and brake by wire or even steer by wire. All this will need to be proved over time or otherwise people will be too frightened to drive these things! Most people don’t worry about flying in aircraft controlled by FBW these days.

The other inherent benefits will be well welcomed by every one. As well as having the potential to save considerable weight, direct vibration via steering shafts and brake peddle travel etc. will be minimised because they will not directly be hooked up to the person driving the car.

NVH levels will be better too because there will also be no need to have extra holes that need to be resealed in the fire wall as well. Other benefits include faster build times as most of this type of application will just be plug to plug hook ups, negating the need to spend time threading all the current systems together as they do now.

If Ford want to do something very special with the Orion, then these are some of the areas that would make the next generation Falcon more advanced than any thing else locally made today. Of course this gets back to the original augment. This would still cost money (although it is becoming cheaper as I said) to develop and if these systems where implemented and if the costs were not recovered, then that would probably by spell the end of the Falcon as we know it.

My bet is that while we will still sing the praises of the Orion, it will still resemble much of the BA BF of today, but only better. After the disaster of the AU, I have a feeling that styling will take the lion share of funds for the next generation Falcon to establish a firm ground, with these newer technologies introduced during the Orion's life.

I also have a feeling that VE has already been designed to have some of these features introduced into the not so distant future as well.

Bud Bud

I can't see how the FG update cannot have some of these features when it is released now. This exactly what today's consumer want and is why our local cars seem to be considered inferior (well obviously they are not that deficient) to some cheaper cars on the market that they are competing with today. Dowling seems to think that this will be the last Commodore, but what happens if it is a run away success? Does it just make an exit like Cat Stevens i.e. quit while your ahead because there is no point doing a Meatloaf now is there??? Also sorry for the long read.

Bud Bud

[XWGT]

As I posted in another thread, 2014 Falcon must have

1) Automatic parking
2) Great multimedia set up and decent sound systems.
3) Adaptive cruise control
4) Much better interiors

These are the areas that most people are pleased about with their non Falcon and Commodore purchases.