Uconnect 430n Rhb Radio on 2040-parts.com

Center stack is new high-stakes battleground; showdown with safety regulators looms

For auto suppliers and gadget companies eager to get a piece of the auto industry, the hottest chunk of vehicle real estate now is the center stack. That corridor of interior space, running from the driver's right hip up through the center of the cockpit to the bottom of the windshield, has become a California gold rush of opportunity. But it is less so for traditional suppliers of molded plastics, cables, levers, buttons and radios.

Autoweek in review: What you might have missed

Mercedes-Benz will offer its flagship SLS AMG as the 2013 SLS AMG GT late this year. It will get a boost in horsepower and a refreshing for the upcoming model year. The SRT Viper was caught on the streets of metro Detroit.

Ford and Dodge upgrade police patrol vehicles for Michigan State Police test day

Ford touted the addition of its 3.7-liter V6 engine to its Police Interceptor sedan, and Dodge boasted about the new Charger Pursuit with all-wheel drive on Thursday. That can only mean that the Michigan State Police force is doing its yearly vehicle testing, and two of the Detroit Three are trying to get noticed. General Motors has its new rear-wheel-drive Caprice to bank on, which we believe is the best of the group.