User manuals for Cadillac XTS provided on bundled iPad
updated 10:55 pm EDT, Wed May 9, 2012
Siri-like tech at core of XTS iPad application
At the CTIA conference, Cadillac announced an initiative that will teach purchasers about CUE, the new dashboard system in the 2013 Cadillac XTS. A simulated CUE system as well as all the users' manuals for the car will be provided on a pre-loaded iPad.
The CUE technology relies on Nuance, the same tech behind the iPhone 4s Siri implementation, for voice recognition. Developers can use CUE's API to enhance their mobile phone offerings to complement the XTS. Cadillac's head of customer experience, Marc Harland, told Wired "We need to think about helping [owners] with the learning curve. Even if you get a walk-through at the dealership, you’re going to forget about a lot of the features. And we want the customer to learn about CUE on their own time."
The 2013 Cadillac XTS retails for over $50,000.
Cadillac is not the first luxury car purveyor who has experimented with iPads delivering user content. Hyundai has experimented with iPads and custom applications distributed in place of paper user's manuals or PDFs with its luxury Equus sedan line in 2010. The App store still hosts the user manual for the 2011 Equus.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 2010
Not a bad deal.
At least you know that you are guaranteed at least one of the two products will work flawlessly.