Oser Communications Group

SEMA15.Nov6

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A f t e r m a r k e t D a i l y N e w s F r i d a y, N o v e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 5 7 8 2015 Best of Show PAVING THE WAY FOR THE FUTURE OF AUTO MANUFACTURING Local Motors is gaining a reputation as a company that turns dreams into reality. Look no further than the world's first 3D- printed production car, expected to hit roads next year. The car will be on exhib- it this year at Local Motors' booth at SEMA. However, one car is not all the company has in store for 2016. "You're going to see the launch of four more models, with our money where our mouth is," said Jay Rogers, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Local Motors. The added benefit of 3D printing is that drivers of the future will be able to configure nearly everything, from the interior features to the exterior design, according to their own imaginations. In the Local Motors mircofactory, it only takes a few digital adjustments to make some serious changes to the vehicle. After that, printing the car only takes about 40 hours. Over time, cars will be printed and assembled in a single day. Rogers added that the company is working to make its cars stand out tech- nologically. The touchscreen inside the vehicle will allow drivers to do anything from play music and take phone calls, to navigation and cabin control. A big plus will be the system's Bluetooth capability, which connects to smartphones. This added feature will also tell drivers about malfunctions and provide suggestions for how to fix a specific prob- lem. Unlike other connect- ed cars, this one provides a hack-resistant security system. The operating system is separate from other system components, which keeps hackers from controlling those systems. Though the world's first 3D-printed car turns heads on its own, Local Motors is focused on the future of vehicle design, innovation and manufacturing. The emphasis is on quick changes, environ- mental impact and faster delivery by opening microfactories in cities across the country. In the next 10 years, the company hopes to open 100 such facto- ries. By being closer to buyers, these sus- tainable, flexible factories reduce distri- bution costs by as much as 97 percent while also reducing delivery time. In addi- tion, the factories can provide as many as 100 local jobs and increase the amount of recycled materials. In 10 years, Local Motors wants to bring 10,000 new jobs to American cities. "You may see a microfactory come along quickly in cities such as D.C., Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, Austin, Chicago – those are really big hitters," Rogers said. "These are really powerful places which have a lot of innovation, but they aren't as much on the national map, so it's exciting to see which of those areas are popping up." For more information, visit booth #20353 or go to www.localmotors.com. KENWOOD BRINGS SMALL POWER, BIG BASS Kenwood has three new subwoofers and three power sports amplifiers. The pre- mier producer of quality auto sound prod- ucts for the aftermarket expanded its line of smaller amplifiers built for the out- doors, and upgraded three woofers with enhanced performance characteristics. The new Kenwood woofers all fea- ture an oversized design to provide more cone area in a smaller space, and a redesigned spider that improves sound integrity. A dual venti- lation basket smooths airflow within the basket and lets it out from the back and sides of the subwoofer, resulting in improved heat dissipation and superior bass reproduction. The new square array pattern cone design helps with cone rigidity. From the Kenwood eXcelon line, the KFC-XW-120 12-inch subwoofer can han- dle 400 watts RMS and 2,000 watts peak power at 4 ohms. Its smaller companion, the 10-inch eXcelon KFC-XW-100, han- dles 300 watts RMS and 1,300 watts peak at 4 ohms. Suggested retail prices are $120 and S110, respectively. Like the KFC- WX-100, the KFC-W2516PS (MSRP $110.00) also peaks at 1,300 watts and handles 300 watts RMS at 4 ohms. All woofers are shipping in January. The new power sports amplifiers tout a small design that allows them to fit into the storage compartments of motor- cycles, quads or boats. The circuit boards from the CEA-2006-compliant ampli- fiers are treated with conformal coating to deter damage over time from the ele- ments. The KCA-M1824BT (MSRP $300; March ship date) is designed to allow a Bluetooth-enabled device to act as a source unit. The amplifier includes built- in Bluetooth with sound-enhancing aptX technology, as well as a USB port that charges the paired device. In addition to Bluetooth, high-and low-level inputs work with factory or aftermarket radios, and an RCA output allows the user to expand the sys- tem with an addi- tional amplifier. An IPX5-certi- fied wired remote control enables volume control and media selection. The four-channel KC-M1824BT is rated at 45 watts per channel at 4 ohms (peak output at 100 watts per channel). If the two sets are bridged for two-speaker applications the output is 90 watts RMS per channel at 4 ohms. At $200, the KCA-M3001 is a sin- gle-channel amplifier designed for use with a subwoofer. It includes a variable low-pass filter to optimize bass output and both speaker-level and low-level inputs for installation flexibility. Power output is rated at 200 watts at 4 ohms; 300 watts at 2 ohms. The companion KCA-M3004, also with an MSRP of $200, runs four chan- nels and includes high- and low-pass fil- ters. It is rated at 50 watts per channel at 4 ohms; 75 watts per channel at 2 ohms. About JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JVCKEN- WOOD Corporation and is a leading developer of imaging, home and car entertainment, and navigation products for the consumer market, two-way radio communications systems for public safe- ty, private industry and amateur users, and video equipment for the broadcast and professional markets. For more information, visit www .kenwoodusa.com. RANGE AUDIO PRODUCTS CREATED FOR COUNTRY FANS Bem Wireless has created its newest audio line called Range. The products are made for country music fans, whose demographic continues to outpace all other music genres in the U.S. Country music is the new mainstream, and its music fans make up more than 42 percent of the United States population. With more than 100 million consumers in the U.S. calling themselves "country fans," it sees great potential for creating a long- term heritage brand, one that's uniquely "Tuned For Country." American country music has a rich history that reflects authentic living, and Range audio products are uniquely craft- ed to reflect on our great audio heritage. Celebrating America and the music born from it, Range is crafted with the coun- try music enthusiast in mind. Bem Wireless initiated its soft launch for the Range Strum Bluetooth speaker at a Country Music Association Awards afterparty in Nashville, Tenn. Celebrity guests and friends in atten- dance at the event expressed excitement over the new audio lineup on display throughout the event. Since the CMA event, the Range "Strum" speakers are now in the hands of top celebrity country artists. Bem Wireless is a proud member of the Country Music Association. For more information, go to www.bemwireless.com.

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