Chrysler's Uconnect Infotainment System Better Than Ever

All-new for 2013, the second-generation Uconnect touchscreen system debuted in the 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup with added features. The new 4:3 aspect ratio, 8.4 in. touchscreen LCD is mounted high and center, for good visibility from the driver's seat. It seems like a small difference, but the 4:3 aspect ratio actually offers a large upgrade from typical 16:9 ratio screens, offering more screen real estate, which allows for more intuitive access to the radio, other media, seat and steering wheel controls, climate control, navigation menus, and phone and app sub-menus. New Uconnect Access features include integrated cellular connectvity through Sprint's 3G network. This feature is primarily useful for services like 911 emergency calling, roadside assistance, vehicle theft assistance, alarm, and remote locking/unlocking functionality. Uconnect Access also features integrated hot-spot capability for in-car mobile devices, although this feature will cost extra on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

Vehicles with the new Uconnect features include hands-free search, channel changing, and volume controls from the steering wheel, and voice commands which allow you to access playlists on a connected MP3 player or USB drive, switch between music sources, or make a phone call. Additional voice command features include climate control or navigation functions. Available navigation functions include One-Step Voice Destination entry, sensor-assisted GPS, and 3-D graphics with detailed views of terrain, cities, and landmarks. Other navigation apps include SiriusXM Trafiic and Travel Link, as well as Points of Interest Search functionality. Uconnect also offers mobile app control from the touchscreen, including Aha, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and Slacker Radio.