You’re stuck in traffic on your way home from work, about to call your roommate to remind her not to eat the last slice of pizza—and your phone dies. But with Cadillac’s new wireless-charge capability, you might still have a shot at dinner.
Cadillac plans to add wireless smartphone charging to its 2015 model ATS sport sedan and coupe, set to launch at the end of this fall. The charging system will be compatible with Powermat, the wireless-charging platform used by such companies as Duracell, General Motors (News - Alert), AT&T and Starbucks; other in-phone wireless charging technology will also work with the car system. This installation will eliminate the need for charge cords in vehicles.
Seventy percent of smartphone consumers were found to charge their phones at least once a day, with 30 percent charging more than once a day. The demand is clearly increasing for a wider spread of charging locations, and this kind of availability would be much more accessible without the need for cords. With Powermat compatibility, Cadillac drivers will be able to place smartphones on a rubberized pad, and the phone batter will be recharged via an electromagnetic field.
The feature will be located inside a storage bin behind the center instrument panel faceplate of the ATS car model; the smartphone can be hooked up to Bluetooth while it charges, allowing drivers to keep their hands on the wheel while both charging and using their phone’s features.
Ran Poliakine, Powermat CEO, said in a statement, “Our lifestyles have evolved in a more mobile way than ever before and with that comes an even greater need for access to power in those places where we spend the majority of our time. Our integration into the Cadillac ATS is only the first step in the evolution of portable power in places that include your car, your coffee house and even your favorite sporting arena.”
So put your phone on the mat, keep driving, and give your roommate a call—that pizza may still be waiting for you.
Edited by Adam Brandt
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