Your car might just become the new smart home hub for your house. Samsung has expanded SmartThings integration, enabling drivers to control their smart home devices directly from their car’s infotainment system. It’s called Car-to-Home. 

Building on the earlier Home-to-Car capability that allowed users to monitor their cars from inside the house, the Car-to-Home feature flips the functionality so you can control your smart home appliances, such as air conditioners, lighting systems, and other smart switches, from your car’s dashboard. 

What can the Car-to-Home feature do?

The practical scope of the feature is broader than it might sound, as it is compatible with devices such as air conditioners, air purifiers, robot vacuums, lights, and cameras. Connecting is straightforward — drivers scan a QR code displayed on their car’s infotainment screen and link their vehicle to their SmartThings account. 

Apart from manual control (flipping the switches), the Car-to-Home feature unlocks location-aware automation that genuinely changes how your home responds to your day. You can set routines so that the SmartThings network turns on the required appliances as you park your car in the garage.

I can see people using the feature to pre-cool their rooms or run air purifiers before they arrive home after a tiring day at the office. On the contrary, the feature should also shut everything down (automatically), as you get in the car and leave the driveway. There’s a dedicated Away Mode for handling lights when you’re away. 

Who gets access, and when?

For now, the feature is available on select Hyundai and Kia cars, specifically those that feature the connected car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) introduced after November 2022 in Korea. However, both Samsung and Hyundai aim to expand the feature to their customers throughout the world in due course. 

Eligible models include the Grandeur, Santa Fe, Ioniq 5, K5, Sorento, and EV9. Samsung also plans to extend the feature to Genesis vehicles equipped with the ccIC27 infotainment system. 

As and when the feature becomes available to a wider audience, it could drive a behavioral shift in which cars become central nodes in someone’s smart home ecosystem, linking mobility and domestic technology in ways that were, until recently, purely speculative.

Mel Olken

Former executive director of the IEEE Power & Energy Society

Fellow, 92; died 9 January

Olken became the first executive director of the IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) in 1995. In 2002 he left the position to serve as founding editor in chief of the society’s Power & Energy Magazine. Olken led the publication until 2016, when he retired.

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the City College of New York, Olken was hired as an electrical engineer by American Electric Power, a utility based in Columbus, Ohio. He helped design coal, hydroelectric, and nuclear power plants. While at AEP, he was promoted to manager of the electrical generation department.

He joined IEEE in 1958 and became a PES member in 1973. An active volunteer, he chaired the society’s energy development and power generation committee and its technical council.

Olken was elected an IEEE Fellow in 1988 for “contributions to innovative design of reliable generating stations.”

He became an IEEE staff member in 1984 as society services director for IEEE Technical Activities. From 1990 to 1995 he served as managing director of Regional Activities group (now IEEE Member and Geographic Activities), before becoming PES executive director.

He received a PES Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 for his “broad and sustained technical contributions to the development of power engineering and the power engineering profession.”

Stephanie A. Huguenin

Research scientist

IEEE member, 48; died 1 October

Huguenin was an administrative assistant in the physics and biophysics department at Augusta University, in Georgia. According to her Augusta obituary, she died of an illness acquired during her volunteer work in India.

She received a bachelor’s degree in engineering in 1999 from the College of Charleston, in South Carolina. During her senior year, she worked as a mathematics and science tutor at the Jenkins Orphanage (now the Jenkins Institute for Children), in North Charleston. After graduating, Huguenin traveled to India to volunteer at an orphanage run by the Mother Teresa Foundation.

Upon returning to the United States in 2001, Huguenin worked as a freelance research consultant. Three years later she was hired as a systems administrator and archivist by photographer Ebet Roberts in New York City. In 2010 she left to work as an operations strategist and technical consultant.

She earned a master’s degree in communication and research science in 2016 from New York University. While at NYU, she conducted experimental and theoretical research in Internet Protocol design and implementation as well as network security and management.

From 2020 to 2024 she was a research scientist at businesses owned by her family. She joined Augusta University in 2023.

She was a member of the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society and the IEEE Systems Council.

Huguenin volunteered for the Internet Engineering Task Force, a standards development organization, and the American Registry for Internet Numbers. ARIN manages and distributes internet number resources such as IP addresses and autonomous system numbers.

The nonprofits she supported included the Coastal Conservation League, the Longleaf Alliance, the Lowcountry Land Trust, the Nature Conservancy, and Women in Defense.

• FBI and CISA warn of Russian espionage campaign targeting messaging apps
• Phishing and social engineering used to hijack Signal and other CMA accounts
• Thousands of victims’ accounts compromised, including officials, military, and journalists

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are warning about an ongoing espionage campaign by Russian cyberspies.

In a joint Public Service Announcement (PSA) published late last week, the two agencies said Russian Intelligence Services (RIS)-affiliated threat actors are actively targeting commercial messaging applications (CMA). They specifically mentioned Signal, but stressed that other CMAs are most likely targeted, as well.

Presented by Tulsa Innovation Labs

As the global energy system evolves, companies are racing to adopt technologies that can deliver real-world solutions, especially in hard-to-abate industries. Oklahoma, long known as the oil capital of the world, is a center for energy innovation, with Rose Rock Bridge at the forefront.

A non-profit based in Tulsa, Rose Rock Bridge is a pilot deployment studio that connects early-stage energy startups with corporate energy partners, non-dilutive funding, and pilot opportunities that accelerate commercialization. Now accepting applications for its Spring 2026 cohort through April 6, it is seeking early- and growth-stage startups developing practical, scalable solutions to today’s most pressing energy challenges.

Rose Rock Bridge gives startups access to real-world commercial workflows and pilot opportunities through energy partners with more than $150 billion in market capitalization, including Devon Energy, H&P, ONEOK, and Williams. Backed by one of the strongest coalitions of strategic partners and investors of any energy-focused accelerator, incubator, or venture studio, the program enables startups to move quickly from development to real-world testing and deployment.

Here’s how it works:

Discover opportunities for energy innovation

Rose Rock Bridge starts by working directly with corporate innovation teams to identify high priority technology solutions for their businesses, pinpointing which solutions will carry the most impact. Focus areas are formed around these findings.

“We don’t just chase the latest tech and hope to find a use for it. Our process starts at the asset level — identifying the specific operational bottlenecks and unmet requirements our partners are actually facing,” says Nishant Agarwal, Innovation Manager. “By leveraging our background in CVC and engineering, we run technical deep dives alongside partner subject matter experts to define the requirement first. We then source technologies as a direct response to those needs. This ensures we aren’t just presenting ‘interesting research,’ but delivering solutions with a validated deployment pathway and a clear line of sight to a business case.”

Tapping into its network of 40+ universities, 10+ energy incubators, and Fortune 500 companies, Rose Rock Bridge then determines emerging opportunities in the energy ecosystem. Rather than just selecting companies or ideas that might bring in capital, the studio chooses startups that have real potential to commercialize quickly in order to solve the industry’s most pressing challenges.

This year’s focus areas include:

“We’re evaluating deployment probability from day one,” says Andrada Pantelimon, Innovation Associate at Rose Rock Bridge, who manages sourcing strategy and startup operations. “Can this technology deliver a measurable bottom-line impact? Can it realistically pilot within 12 months? Is your team equipped to commercialize? Show us you’ve quantified your value proposition in operator terms and understand which business unit within a corporation might own this solution. If you can articulate those pieces clearly, you’re the kind of startup we want to support.”

Derisk technologies for early-stage startups & energy companies

The benefit is tangible for leading energy corporations seeking proven solutions to complex operational challenges. Rose Rock Bridge provides its corporate partners with validated, field-tested technologies while significantly reducing deployment risk. At the program’s conclusion, partners gain direct access to emerging innovations that have already undergone technical validation and operational feasibility assessment, with identified procurement pathways and pilot plans designed for commercial deployment.

Each cohort cycle, up to 15 startups are selected to enter a six-week virtual accelerator focused on pilot deployment. Founders participate in reverse pitch sessions with oil and gas partners, one-on-one clinics with industry and capital mentors, and hands-on commercialization workshops. Founders have the unique opportunity to refine their solutions, assess pilot feasibility, and build industry relationships. This approach derisks adoption and investments through iterative customer feedback, in-field testing, and pilots, enabling breakthrough technologies to reach commercial viability quickly and effectively.

“Our curriculum is singularly focused on preparing startups for the realities of corporate partnerships.,” says Devon Fanfair, Rose Rock Bridge Manager and former Techstars Managing Director who is scaling the RRB program. “Founders aren’t just learning, they’re actively testing their assumptions with the exact customers who might deploy their technology. That rapid feedback loop is what transforms promising technologies into deployment-ready solutions with clear commercial pathways.”

At the culmination of the accelerator, teams participate in the Rose Rock Bridge showcase with the unique opportunity to pitch their startup to the energy corporate partners they’ve worked alongside for the past six weeks. Four startups are selected to receive up to $100,000 in non-dilutive funding and opportunities for business support services, joining a one-year cohort designed to prepare technologies for market adoption.

“Rose Rock Bridge is a cornerstone of Tulsa Innovation Labs’ strategy to showcase our region as a national hub for energy innovation,” added Jennifer Hankins, Managing Director of Tulsa Innovation Labs. “By linking emerging technologies with some of the nation’s largest energy leaders, we help move innovation from concept to market faster, drawing new businesses to the region, enhancing our existing businesses, and reinforcing Tulsa’s role in the global energy economy.”

Deploy viable energy solutions

Once selected to become members of Rose Rock Bridge, startups then pilot their technology with relevant energy partners and grow their venture in Tulsa. Support includes pilot design, execution, and go-to-market strategy, connections to follow-on investment opportunities, subsidized access to services including legal, marketing, PR, and support establishing a Tulsa presence for partner access.

Rose Rock Bridge’s success is measured not just in pilot deployments, but in lasting commercial relationships. Multiple portfolio companies have progressed from initial field tests to multi-year contracts with Fortune 500 operators. By derisking the path from proof-of-concept to procurement, RRB has helped establish procurement pathways that might otherwise take years to develop, if they materialize at all.

Launched in 2022 with support from Tulsa Innovation Labs, the studio has helped companies advance new technologies, secure patents, launch products, and attract capital. It has derisked 33 startups, supported 16 active or in-development pilots, and invested more than $2 million in early-stage companies, generating a combined portfolio valuation of over $55 million.

Examples of the studio’s success include Safety Radar, an AI-powered risk management platform, which secured its first contract with a Rose Rock Bridge partner, expanded to additional energy and aerospace clients, raised over $2 million, and established a Tulsa office. Kinitics Automation, a Canadian company, successfully piloted with one partner, resulting in deployments across multiple sites, effectively using RRB as their gateway to the U.S. market.

Backed by corporate partners with more than $150 billion in combined market capitalization, Rose Rock Bridge reflects both the scale of the opportunity and Tulsa’s rising influence in energy innovation.

Devon Fanfair is Manager of Rose Rock Bridge.

Sponsored articles are content produced by a company that is either paying for the post or has a business relationship with VentureBeat, and they’re always clearly marked. For more information, contact sales@venturebeat.com.

from the america:-never-greater dept

With the partial shutdown still ongoing and no budget resolution in sight because the GOP is simply unwilling to endure any oversight of its anti-migrant programs, the TSA is leaking personnel. A whole lot of TSA agents walked off the job the moment their paychecks failed to arrive, leaving travelers to deal with scenarios that are somehow even worse than being manhandled by the TSA.

Folks, it’s yet another Long National Nightmare!

Yep, that’s the Atlanta airport, which has never been known for expeditious service, filled to the horizon with unhappy people that bears more than a slight resemblance to USSR grocery store photos from the mid-70s. (Making the resemblance even more uncanny is the amount of visible food.)

Well, the TSA may be temporarily out of money, but guess who isn’t! I’ll leave it to Dr. America to deliver the news — a cure that’s worse than the disease!

President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to send federal immigration agents to airports across the country on Monday if Democrats don’t agree to end the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, now approaching five weeks.

“If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country,” he wrote.

I totally believe ICE will “do Security like no one has ever seen before.” I mean, they’ve already been doing civil enforcement like no one has ever seen before. And what better way to handle a travel crisis then by sending in a bunch of under-trained racists who just spent their ICE signing bonuses on emissions defeat devices and wraparound sunglasses subscription services to our nation’s airports, where they can apply all the skills they never learned during ICE training with the professionalism we’ve come to expect from people who like yelling and brandishing firearms.

What could possibly go wrong? I mean, they’re already not trained to do the job they’re supposed to be doing, so doing a job they’ve never been trained to do can’t be that much of step up on the “promoted to highest level of your incompetence” scale.

Of course, that was just Trump saying some shit on social media because he apparently has nothing better to do with his time now that he’s (again) the Leader of the Free World. Trump says a lot of stuff. He quite frequently says the opposite thing only hours or minutes or seconds later.

It brings me no pleasure to report that this horrendous brain fart will apparently be A Real Thing:

Immigration agents will deploy to airports on Monday under the direction of border czar Tom Homan, President Donald Trump said Sunday, as talks to fund the Department of Homeland Security have yet to yield a breakthrough.

[…]

Homan told CNN on Sunday that the move is about “helping TSA do their mission and get the American public through that airport as quick as they can while adhering to all the security guidelines and the protocols.”

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh. If you don’t need to travel, then maybe don’t? Sending a bunch of over-funded, under-trained, trigger-happy federal officers into crowded airports is a recipe for disaster. And even Homan doesn’t seem to know what ICE will be doing to actually help expedite passenger screening — not when he’s promising they won’t be doing anything they’re not trained to do.

“We’re simply there to help TSA do their job in areas that don’t need their specialized expertise, such as screening through the X-ray machine. Not trained in that? We won’t do that,” Homan told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.”

“But there are roles we can play to release TSA officers from the non-significant roles, such as guarding an exit so they can get back to the scanning machines and move people quicker,” he added.

“Guarding an exit?” What the hell does that even mean? TSA agents don’t “guard exits.” No one “guards exits.” Travelers and terrorists alike are interested in boarding planes. They’re not interested in exiting airports to, I don’t know, wander around the tarmac or wonder how the hell exactly they ended up on the outside of a building they 100% intended to remain on the inside of.

This is going to end up being a case of Your Tax Dollars Trying To Look Busy. And that’s the best case scenario. The worst case scenarios begin directly after that. And I don’t think travelers are going to feel any safer or more secure when there are a bunch of twitchy, camouflaged dudes in masks wandering around like they’re about ready to raid Entebbe, rather than just looking for an exit to guard.

We’re in the midst of pretty hellish times. This… this just seems like we’re being trolled by a Higher Power that’s decided to amuse itself while the rest of the world falls apart.

Filed Under: cruelty is the point, dhs, ice, tom homan, tsa