Hazard Switch Passat Platinum# 2924613 on 2040-parts.com

Volvo picks up Red Dot Design Award for new connectivity system

Volvo's Sensus Connected Touch connectivity system with the world's first voice-activated integrated Spotify connection has been awarded a 2013 Red Dot Design Award. The Sensus Connected Touch accessory turns the integrated 7-inch display into an infrared, beam-scanned touch screen that can be used even when wearing gloves. The system can be controlled using the touchscreen, the steering wheel or the center stack, while you can also voice-activate all music sources. Alain Visser, senior vice president of marketing, sales and customer service at Volvo, says, "The Red Dot Design Award confirms that this approach to an intuitive, human-centric user experience fulfils modern car owners' desire to remain constantly connected also when driving." The WiFi connection can be made using either a car-mounted 3G/4G-dongle or the driver's mobile phone, and the data is transferred by the WiFi between the phone and the Sensus Connected Touch.

Autoweek America Adventure: The search begins

I sit in a darkened hotel room near the Oregon coast waters. The noise I hear sounds like a loud industrial air-conditioning unit in a marginal, national hotel chain. It could not be further from that: The constant thrum is the crashing of Pacific Ocean waves on the beach, no more than 200 yards outside the hotel room.

Koenisgesgg Agera R BLT impounded by China’s customs

The one-off Koenigsegg Agera R BLT has been impounded by China’s customs officials as they believe it was being smuggled in to China. When we reported the Agera R BLT had been created, we also noted that it was already crated up and on its way to China for the delight and delectation of its new owner. Unfortunately, it looks like China’s Customs officers read the same news and were ready and waiting for the one-off Agera.