GM hitting CES in January

The Consumer Electronic Show has become another auto show considering how much attention carmakers give it.

For the past few years, Ford Motor Co. has made the most of the Vegas electronic show, garnering lots of attention for its voice recognizing SYNC infotainment system. Really, it only makes sense to set up a booth or two at CES considering how important of a role electronics play in a modern day vehicle.

Additionally, electronic consumers also need cars.

General Motors Co. is also looking to establish itself as a infotainment leader this year at CES with its all-new CUE (Cadillac User Experience) system, an absolutely brilliant piece of technology that uses a touch screen that actually provides you tactile feedback when you touch it. This means you can “feel” the buttons on the screen and know when you’ve pushed one without actually looking at it the entire time.

Cars with overly complicated touch screens have been getting dinged by groups like Consumer Reports and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for playing a role in distracting drivers. Last year, Consumer Reports kept a few Ford vehicles off of its vaunted Recommended List because of problems it found with MyFord Touch. (Ford meanwhile has said it began addressing those issues before Consumer Reports slammed them.)

Additionally, GM will showcase a rear seat entertainment system that uses cloud-based streaming and massive color screens that will let people do everything from watch movies to play Angry Birds to video chat. (Theoretically, if this system was installed in an Escalade, the people in the third row could video chat with the people in the second row.) The package was developed with Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network and provides a number of mobile applications, according to GM’s press release.

The system is not  quite ready for prime time, though, as GM does not have plans yet to put this incredibly cool set in a vehicle — yet.  CUE, however, will be in the Cadillac ATS when it arrives later next year and then migrate to others.

Additionally, GM says it’s going to announce further advances to OnStar FMV, GM’s aftermarket rear view mirror that allows older cars to install OnStar.

As for CUE, check out this demo video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvzIrzFFH_Y