Hipsters Rejoice! The Retro Airstream Gets a Smart Update
*By Chloe Aiello*
The old school Airstream RV is getting a very modern update. Adventurers can now control and monitor the trailers via an app on their phones.
This type of technology is nothing new for cars and SUVs, but for Airstream, going smart has the potential to change the game for owners on the road.
"If you think about \[when\] you're camping in the wilderness, you only have so much water, only have so much power ー these things really matter. So the technology we've developed in this app helps you keep track of those things and ultimately should be able to predict how much power you have left and tell you, 'Hey, shorter showers are going to be important here in a couple of days,'" Bob Wheeler, President and CEO of Airstream told Cheddar at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Wheeler told Cheddar's Tamara Warren the new updates, called [Smart Control Technology,](https://www.airstream.com/travel-trailers/classic/smart-control-technology/#form) will allow Airstream owners to monitor levels of black, grey, and fresh water; control heat and air conditioning; monitor the battery level; and set interior and exterior lighting by modes, like "away," "cinema," and "sleep" all via a Wi-Fi signal or 4G data.
"We think of connectivity now like any other resource, like water and power. People have come to expect that," Wheeler said.
The shiny metal travel trailers have been manufactured in the U.S. since about 1930, but in recent years they've had a major renaissance. Wheeler has [has told the BBC](http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20141114-airstream-queen-of-the-desert) he attributed the renewed success to intensive marketing and a widening dealer network, but a cultural embrace of the trailer's kitschy, retro aesthetic is also to thank. Wheeler told Cheddar the Airstream has become especially popular among Californians.
"California is our number one state year-in, year-out for retail. It has been for decades. The company was founded here. So there's something about the California vibe and Airstream that really go well together," Wheeler said.
Aside from the "vibe," California's agreeable weather and array of outdoor attractions probably don't hurt. Wheeler said the typical Airstream customer is mostly on the road and on the move, but does take the occasional day to Netflix and chill.
"These things are meant to travel. But when you are parked and you're out having an adventure ー you're backpacking, you're hiking, you're canoeing ー you want to come back to something that's comfortable, feels like home, feels like your little pod of security, warmth, and safety," Wheeler said. "And some days it rains, and that's when Netflix comes in awfully handy."
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
