Cadillac Debuts Wireless Smartphone Charger

General Motors Co. will introduce an inductive charging feature for smartphones to the Cadillac ATS sport sedan and coupe this autumn and extend it to the Cadillac CTS sport sedan and Escalade SUV by year-end.

The unit tucks behind the heating/cooling control panel at the bottom of the center stack. A user can recharge a wireless charging-enabled phone by placing it on the system's rubberized pad. The phone also can be linked via Bluetooth to the car's audio system during charging.

The GM system uses technology developed by Israel-based Powermat Technologies Ltd. and adopted by the Power Matters Alliance, a trade group whose members include AT&T Mobility, Blackberry, Duracell, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba and Starbucks.