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iPodNN: Volvo at the Chicago Auto show this morning said it would give its XC70 crossover wagon a unique rear seat entertainment system.

The RSEi-500 will be a full-fledged touchscreen computer based on Windows XP but will have its own custom interface for media navigation, including cover art and details for music and DVDs.

It should also have an always-on Internet connection and will uniquely run on a Sprint Overdrive that can share a 3G or WiMAX connection over to both the RSEi-500 and to other devices in the car through Wi-Fi.

The system has its own 500GB hard drive and will link to an unlimited music download service as well as video exploration, but Volvo promises support for outside devices as well. A USB interface should give it access to devices that register as external storage, and an aux input will let it play audio and video from most common portable devices, including iPods and Zunes.

The short-range Wi-Fi access extends resources further by supporting network-attached storage when it appears. Volvo is hinging some of its plans on reactions to the RSEi-500 at the Chicago event but so far plans to make it an option for multiple cars by this June.

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Engadget: The 2010 Detroit Auto Show has just kicked off and Ford’s plans for the 2011 Focus have been made official.

While others might care more about the 155bhp or new six-speed dual-clutch transmission, we’re best pleased by the inclusion of the MyFord touch control system.

This setup was designed to drag the car dash into the modern touchscreen era, and our comprehensive hands-on revealed it to be a most impressive bit of tech.

Two displays flank the analog speed gauge, but the pièce de résistance is an 8-inch, 800 x 480 optional screen landing in the center of the dash.

Endued with a web browser, it’ll connect via 3G or 4G modems and concurrently act as a WiFi hotspot. Add in a bunch of forthcoming apps and compatibility with any Bluetooth device, and you’ve got a tech lover’s dream system.

The next generation Focus should enter production near the end of 2010, giving us a full year to write a “vroom, vroom” app for our smartphones.

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CNet: Remember Fiat Blue&Me — the Windows-powered entertainment system for your car? Well Kia’s been busy working with Microsoft to produce a similar system, known as ‘UVO’, which apparently stands for ‘your voice’.

Like Blue&Me, it’s based on the Microsoft Auto software platform. Unlike its rival, however, UVO incorporates full Microsoft speech-engine technology, so users can control almost all of its features — access music, control the radio, make and answer phone calls, and dictate and hear text messages — with their voice.

We had the chance to play with UVO in a 2011 Kia Sorento, and the system’s performance was impressive, if a little unreliable.

It understood perfectly when we asked it to tune the radio to a specific frequency or preset, it read aloud incoming text messages with aplomb, and it even obliged when we asked for a specific song that we’d ripped from a CD to its built-in 1GB hard drive (a USB port is present for storage upgrades).

It occasionally failed, however, to understand even basic menu-navigation requests, which led us to abandon our efforts with the text-dictation feature.

Basically, it works, but it can be frustrating and isn’t the sort of thing you want in your car if you suffer from road rage. Despite our disappointing initial experience, we’ll give UVO the benefit of the doubt until we get some private face-time with it. It is, in theory, a very good system, and we suspect a loud show floor at CES 2010 wasn’t the best place for Kia to demonstrate voice-command features.

UVO will debut this summer in the 2011 Kia Sorento. Watch out for a hands-on demo in our Car Tech section soon, and click ‘Continue’ for some more photos of UVO.

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Electronista: Pioneer has expanded its line of vehicle products with several new receivers, a navigation system, and three amplifiers.

The AVIC-X920BT (European model: AVIC-F920BT for April 2010 launch) navigation system features a new interface claimed to offer advanced features while reducing the number of layers required for operation. Users can navigate the menus directly from the 6.1-inch touchscreen, while speech recognition technology enables the system to be controlled without physical interaction.

Along with the standard playback support for CDs and DVDs, the system also integrates 4GB of flash memory and a USB port for connecting an iPod, iPhone, or other compatible devices. Users can install an iTunes plug-in, MusicSphere, that analyzes music and creates playlists based on musical attributes.

The USB port also enables Pandora playback, although the service is currently limited to the iPhone. The iPhone requirement will be in place through 2010, although company executives claimed they are considering other options for the future. Pandora founder Tim Westergren, also present at the Pioneer event, expressed a similar desire to expand the service.

An ECO Driving function analyzes driving characteristics such as acceleration and speed, which are used to create reports estimating environmental impact. Users can view suggestions for improving fuel efficiency, while a Drive Score compares performance between trips on the same route.

Pioneer also introduced new double-DIN receivers, the AVH-P3200DVD, AVH-P3200BT, and AVH-P4200DVD; along with the AVH-P5200DVD and AVH-P5200BT single-DIN models.

The devices integrate touchscreen displays ranging in size from 5.8 inches to 7 inches, along with USB connections for attaching iPods and iPhones. Each integrates the company’s MOSFET50 50 Watt amplifiers driving four channels.

For further customization, the company has announced three new “GM Digital” Class-D amplifiers including the four-channel GM-D9500F and two monoblock models, the GM-D8500M and GM-D7500M. The 8500 variant produces 75 Watts across four channels, while the monoblock 8500 and 7500 push 300 Watts and 200 Watts, respectively, on a single channel.

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iPodNN: Some Ford cars shipping next year will support iTunes Tagging, the automaker has announced.

In vehicles equipped with HD Radio receivers, people will be able to push “Tag” buttons on their displays, automatically saving the track data from on-air music.

Once an iPod is docked with a car via Ford Sync, up to 100 tags will be transferable for later display in iTunes. Tagged songs are generally meant to be bought through the iTunes Store.

HD Radio remains a relatively niche technology, but is now said to be an option for just under 2,000 radio stations in the US. Ford has not revealed which car lines will support the tagging technology.

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Engadget: We’re guessing it won’t be the tipping point that finally convinces you to buy an Audi A8, but it looks like those in the market for the car will be able to add a nice little option to the 2011 model: a built-in nav system complete with Google Earth and a GPRS / EDGE modem.

Yeah, so it’s not 3G, but it is apparently the first time that Google Earth has been made available in a production vehicle, which certainly counts for something.

In addition to serving up various Google-sourced points of interest, that modem will also let you download a range of other up-to-date information to the nav unit, although it’s not clear exactly what that will entail. No word on how much it’ll add to the cost of the A8, but it looks like it won’t be available right when the car rolls out early next year — Audi is only saying “mid 2010″ at the moment.

Update: As some commenters have helpfully noted, it seems that while the A8 won’t initially roll out with 3G, it will be getting a UMTS modem in mid 2010, which should provide the bandwidth necessary for Google Earth and allow for simultaneous voice and data connections.

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Pioneer Europe: Three new high-power CD tuners, providing the versatility of both SD cards and USB connectivity, will be available from Pioneer across Europe in January.

All 3 models allow you to connect an iPod, iPhone, portable MP3 player or USB device, or simply insert an SD card.

Each tuner also offers complete flexibility when it comes to connecting extra amplifiers, speakers and subwoofers. Engineered to the best-in-class audio standards that Pioneer has set over the years, these new tuners enhance the sound quality of compressed music to ensure a dynamic in-car listening experience.

The new CD tuners each have an SD Card Slot discreetly hidden behind their front panels, compatible with both SD and SDHC cards. The units allow playback of MP3, WMA, WAV and AAC files from SD.

Other versatile connections include a front USB high-speed 2.0 direct interface to simply link USB audio devices and immediately enjoy a selection of tunes.

All three new models are designed as the most dynamic solution to connect and improve playback performance for iPods and iPhones. With iPod Direct Control, consumers can connect their iPod straight to the tuner’s Front USB terminal and take charge of their music from behind the wheel. As a handy extra, the iPod will charge while connected.

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Electronista: Chevrolet today became the latest automaker in the US to add roving Internet access to its vehicles.

The Avalanche, Equinox, Express, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe and Traverse all now have an after-sale option of an Autonet router that provides a 1.5Mbps connection even at speed.

Like the Chrysler option, it accomplishes the feat by sharing a 3G link over a local Wi-Fi hotspot that shares the connection with passengers and those within a 150-foot radius.

Service costs $29 (€19) per month and requires a dealer install, but the router itself will cost $199 (€136) on a two-year contract if bought before the end of the year. It normally costs $399 (€272).

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Engadget: Now here’s a good idea: a built-in GPS navigation system that’s actually priced to move. Co-developed with Bosch, Nissan has put together a $400 (€265) option with a 5-inch touhcscreen, Bluetooth support for phones, USB connectivity for media players, iPod integration, XM Satellite and NavTraffic.

The Detroit News was certainly impressed, testing it on a new Sentra and calling it a moment where the benefits of the built-in nav systems outweigh the costs — although the display was maybe a bit too small for its liking. Look for it to these to hit in some of its lower-priced models starting this January. Hit up the source link for the full impressions.

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Engadget: One could argue that the Motorola Droid is in fact the first-ever Android-based in-car navigation solution, but we’re surmising that ArcherMind would disagree.

Over at the Embedded Technology 2009 trade show in Yokohama, the outfit has demonstrated an Android-laden navigation system that could actually be inserted as a factory option; curiously enough, it looks an awful lot like the AutoLinQ initiative that hit our radar back in June.

The outfit is reportedly shopping the system — which includes a 7-inch, 800 x 480 display — to a variety of Chinese automakers, and given that it can browse the web via WiFi or 3G, connect with music players and phones over Bluetooth and even play back audio files stored on the HDD or SD slot, we can’t imagine it being a tough sell.

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NewLaunches: There are may already be quite a few iPod compatible car stereo systems but nothing like this so far.

The XML8110 Mechless Mobile Audio system combines a full fledged iPod docking station with a car stereo.

From the front the system looks like any car stereo till it’s flipped down to expose a well integrated universal iPod dock (not for the shuffle).

The dock, like all others, will also charge the device while connected. It allows users to access the all playlists and music stored on the device. The stereo system also comes with a built in FM radio, EQ presets and an AUX In for connecting other devices.

The system will also allow users to take calls from their iPhone and with a corresponding iPhone application that’s also in the works, the integration between these two devices would only be better.

The XML8110 is priced at just $99 (€66). This relatively well priced iPod dock is all well and good but the down side with this model is that it doesn’t have regular plain old CD player or US port, well you can’t have everything.

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Bloomberg: Pioneer Corp., the Japanese maker of car-navigation systems and audio equipment, halved its fundraising target, citing improving earnings, cost reductions and asset sales.

Pioneer, which had previously estimated it would raise 40 billion yen ($442 million) by March 2012, will continue to consider all possible funding measures, President Susumu Kotani said today. Pioneer separately reported its first-half net loss shrank 7.3 percent to 40.9 billion yen, in line with preliminary estimates disclosed last week.

Lowering the target amount may help Tokyo-based Pioneer find buyers of its new shares after postponing a planned offering to Honda Motor Co. in June. The company, which is forecasting a sixth straight annual deficit this year, is withdrawing from the television-panel business, eliminating 9,800 jobs and closing down nine factories to focus more on car electronics to restore its profitability.

Pioneer fell 0.9 percent to close at 226 yen in Tokyo trading before the announcement today. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average slid 1.3 percent.

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