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Cadillac gets a Volt, HP wants WebOS somewhere--how about cars? AAA takes on OnStar. Can you sell your parking spot? And we drive the Mercedes CLS550

• CNET loves the 2012 Mercedes CLS 550

• Cadillac Converj is now the ELR--a hot Chevy Volt

• AAA gets ready to take on OnStar with tech

• Aptera refunds deposits in a complicated reorganization

• Can you really sell your parking spot?

• CNET's LOLCars gallery!

Hughes Telematics is casting a wider net to catch customers, partnering with AAA Club Partners (ACP) to offer its In-Drive-connected services to the automobile club's 12 million drivers in 20 states.

In-Drive is a telematics service connecting the vehicle and driver to Hughes operators in the event of an emergency or accident. Devices plugged into the vehicle's On-Board Diagnostics port and mounted on the visor connect the driver and the vehicle to Hughes' team of operators, who are available to help drivers coordinate emergency response and detect when a vehicle has been in a crash.

AAA hasn't … Read more

Too busy to keep up with today's tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET (and elsewhere) for Monday, July 18.

• While many consumers are still moaning about the Netflix price hike, CNET's Greg Sandoval asks what it means for the future: is Netflix killing DVDs the way Apple helped kill off floppies?

• CNN and HLN cable-news channels will stream straight to mobile devices such as an iPad or iPhone--helping to broaden their "TV Everywhere" strategy. The service is available to customers of AT&T, Cox, Dish Network, and Verizon--but not … Read more

AAA today announced roadside assistance for electric vehicles, addressing an industry-wide concern over the limited range of all-electric cars.

The motor club unveiled its AAA Roadside Assistance service for EVs at the Plug-In 2011 electric vehicle conference, saying that six metropolitan areas will each pilot-test a truck starting this summer. The intent is to give drivers a limited amount of drive time to get them out of a jam and to a charging station, according to AAA.

The mobile chargers will be Level 2 and Level 3 chargers, which means they operate faster than a normal household outlet. Ten to … Read more

The majority of motorists on U.S. roads feel less safe than they did five years ago, according to a new study from AAA.

AAA reported in its "2010 Traffic Safety Culture Index" that 52 percent of motorists feel unsafe while driving. A whopping 88 percent said that text messaging or responding to e-mails is a "very serious threat to their safety." AAA said 62 percent of respondents consider talking on a mobile phone a serious threat to safety.

The problem is AAA found that those who fear for their safety are engaging in the very … Read more

Most teenagers have driven while distracted even though most know such behavior is dangerous, according to a new survey released Monday.

Almost 86 percent admitted to driving while texting, talking on a phone, or doing other distracting things behind the wheel, according to the results of a survey conducted by Seventeen magazine and the AAA, formally known as the American Automobile Association. The teens said they texted, talked, and ate while driving even though 84 percent of them said they know it's dangerous.

Among those surveyed, 73 percent said they've adjusted their radios while driving, 61 percent said … Read more

The farther you travel from civilization, the more impractical your USB-rechargeable gadgets become. If your iPod runs out of juice while you're backpacking through Borneo, suddenly that high-end MP3 player is just dead weight.

You may not be able to find an iPod charging dock in the Arctic Tundra or the Australian Outback, but your chances of finding a local general store stocking AAA batteries are considerably better. The real trick is finding a decent MP3 player these days that will take AAA batteries. Don't worry, we've got you covered.

See the best five MP3 players that use AAA batteries. … Read more

Founded in 1902, AAA has shown no signs of being stuck in the past with the launch of its fourth-generation mobile service, dubbed AAA Mobile. This service works on GPS-enabled phones to provide mapping and turn-by-turn directions along with a plethora of location-based services. We saw a short demonstration of the service on a Motorola phone at this week's CTIA show. Although the maps were small, and would be difficult to read while driving, they were useful. AAA Mobile includes points-of-interest and can guide you to motels and other locations that offer AAA discounts.

And similar to the new … Read more

A recent AAA survey names some of the most common -- and potentially dangerous -- auto ailments. Fortunately, all of these maladies can be prevented with a little care and attention. Here are the top culprits:

5. Worn-out windshield wiper blades. Old, torn, or cracked wiper blades can greatly reduce visibility when driving in bad weather. Experts recommend changing blades at least once a year, or when streaking begins.

4. Low or dirty oil. Low oil levels can cause overheating and severe engine damage, since there is not enough fluid to lubricate all of the engine's moving parts. Dirty … Read more