GM Lets Customers Shop While Driving

GM lets customers order their morning coffee with their car. Marketplace is the automotive industry’s first commerce platform for on-demand reservations and purchases of goods and services. (General Motors)
GM lets customers order their morning coffee with their car. Marketplace is the automotive industry’s first commerce platform for on-demand reservations and purchases of goods and services. (General Motors)
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GM Lets Customers Shop While Driving

GM lets customers order their morning coffee with their car. Marketplace is the automotive industry’s first commerce platform for on-demand reservations and purchases of goods and services. (General Motors)
GM lets customers order their morning coffee with their car. Marketplace is the automotive industry’s first commerce platform for on-demand reservations and purchases of goods and services. (General Motors)

General Motors Co., the company behind car brands like Chevrolet, Cadillac, and Buick, is introducing the automotive industry’s first commerce platform to its newer vehicles, meaning drivers can purchase goods and services while at the wheel.

Marketplace allows customers to order food, find the closest gas station to save on fuel, and make dinner reservations on the go. This means Marketplace gives drivers of eligible Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles the opportunity to more safely interact with a growing number of their favorite brands in retail, fuel, hospitality, food, hotel and transportation through the in-vehicle touchscreen.

Marketplace also features a “Shop” section dedicated to offers specific to GM vehicles, for instance purchasing Wi-Fi data, discounts for an oil change or deals on GM accessories. Simple on-screen notifications can identify relevant offers.

“Marketplace is the first of a suite of new personalization features that we will roll out over the next 12 to 18 months to nearly four million U.S. drivers,” said Santiago Chamorro, vice president for Global Connected Customer Experience, GM.

GM is adding Marketplace to millions of existing 2017 and 2018 model-year cars, trucks and crossovers that have compatible infotainment systems, with continued rollout to compatible new vehicles, according to the company's website. Drivers will not need to purchase a data plan to receive the update.

“For most retailers and consumer brands the daily commute is the only time not accessible in a consumers’ day,” said Chamorro. “Marketplace gives merchants the ability to more safely engage with drivers and passengers in a meaningful way that provides true value for our customers.”



Wildfires Scorch Greece for 2nd Day, Thousands Evacuated

A man fights against a wildfire in Vounteni village, on the outskirts of Patras, western Greece, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A man fights against a wildfire in Vounteni village, on the outskirts of Patras, western Greece, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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Wildfires Scorch Greece for 2nd Day, Thousands Evacuated

A man fights against a wildfire in Vounteni village, on the outskirts of Patras, western Greece, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A man fights against a wildfire in Vounteni village, on the outskirts of Patras, western Greece, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Firefighters battled multiple wildfires across Greece on Wednesday, including blazes threatening villages and towns near the western city of Patras and on two tourist islands.

Fires have burned houses, farms and factories and prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents and tourists since Tuesday.

Dozens of people have been taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation since Tuesday, public broadcaster ERT reported. Some 13 firefighters have been treated for burns and other injuries, fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told a televised briefing on Wednesday.

Nearly 5,000 firefighters assisted by 33 aircraft were deployed from dawn to contain the flames stoked by winds and hot, dry conditions near Patras, on the tourist islands of Chios and Zakynthos and in at least three inland spots.

"Today, it will be another very difficult day, as the wildfire risk for most of the country's regions will be very high," Vathrakogiannis said. Temperatures were forecast to reach 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 Fahrenheit) in some places.

Flames and dark smoke billowed over a cement factory that was set alight by a wildfire that swept through olive groves and forests and disrupted rail traffic near Patras on Wednesday.

"What it looks like? It looks like doomsday. We came from Athens with our volunteer association Kleisthenis, we can’t do anything more. May God help us and help people here,” said volunteer firefighter Giorgos Karavanis, who was working on the fire near Patras.

Authorities ordered residents of a town of about 7,700 people near Patras to evacuate on Tuesday and issued new alerts on Wednesday, advising residents of two nearby villages to leave their homes.

On the island of Chios, the coast guard used boats to take people to safety on Tuesday as flames reached the shores.

Spain, Portugal, Türkiye and the Balkans have also battled wildfires in recent days as a heatwave pushed temperatures over 40 C (104 F) across parts of Europe. In Albania and Montenegro, wildfires have destroyed houses and possessions since last week.