Category Archives: Automotive News

Traffic Fatalities Down But Education Still Needed

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According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) statistics, traffic fatalities for 2010 have hit an all time low despite the increase in amount of miles driven by Americans. This three percent drop from 2009 reflects a steady declining trend since the middle of the last decade. The greatest drop in fatalities occurred in Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, where they fell by 12 percent, with Arizona, California and Hawaii having a decline of almost 11 percent.

Transportation officials say that the 2009 statistics may have been affected by the downturn of the economy, and that more unemployed youth results in less higher risk drivers on the road. The 2010 statistics, however, show that even though there is an increase in traffic on the roads, fatalities continue to decline. This decrease can be attributed to increased seat belt use, changes in vehicle safety systems, and campaigns addressing drunk driving and distracted drivers. According to U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, “Even though we have had good results for this year, they are not good enough. Our goal is to reduce deaths to zero if that is at all possible.” The next step is to reduce fatalities by educating drivers of the latest threats on the road. Distractions while driving, such as talking on the phone and texting have proven to be deadly and can be avoided by educating drivers..

Part Shortages Slowing Down Auto Production

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As automobile manufacturers and part suppliers continue to experience delays in reopening factories in Japan after last weeks earthquake and tsunami, part shortages are starting to slow automobile production world wide. Toyota, Lexus, Honda, and Mazda have extended shutdowns in most of their Japanese factories, and the ones that have been reopened are not working at full capacity. According to analysts, auto makers will feel the worst of the shortages by early may and as many as five million vehicles will end up not being built because of it. It is estimated that about 13% of the world’s automotive production is out of commission.

The components most affected include semi-conductors, integrated circuits, sensors and LCD displays, but it won’t be long before shortages will also be seen in resins and synthetic rubber, power train parts, specialty materials such as silicon and certain types of glass and metals. General Motors announced that they will be suspending production of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks in their Louisiana factory and plants near Buffalo, New York that makes engines for those trucks. Other automobile manufacturers, are expected to suspend building in some of their U.S. factories as parts continue to become more scarce.

Easier Credit Boosts Auto Sales

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easier auto loans boosts car salesThe headlines in the news would suggest the automobile industry is back. Sales of new automobiles rose about eleven percent in 2010, and the first two month of 2011 are off to an even stronger start. Some say it is due to an improvement in the economy while others say that the increase in gas prices have prompted consumers to purchase more efficient automobiles. Whatever it is, those who are in the market for a new automobile will find it financially easier as well.

The increase of credit in almost every aspect of the economy is an important sign that the American economy is returning to health. Wall street loan packaging has allowed automakers to open up their wallets and start to give consumers loans more aggressively. Even car buyers with bad credit histories are getting financing, some without having to make a down payment. While nobody is suggesting that we are back to the days of the housing boom, the increase in credit is a sign that the American economy is gaining some health from the times where auto makers looked to the government for aid.

Toyo And Nitto Brand Tires Recalled

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recall out of spec rubber for tiresToyo Tire Holdings of America has announced a safety recall for Toyo and Nitto brand tires produced using out of spec rubber. The tires were manufactured at the Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Sendai, Japan during a two week period in September of last year, and distributed to retailers across the United Stated. Because of the out of spec rubber, sections of the tread may become detached potentially causing loss of vehicle control. The recall will be issued to almost 5,000 tires but only about 600 tires are suspect of having the problem. The tires being recalled are:

  • Toyo Versado CUV
  • Toyo Versado LX II
  • Toyo Open Country A/T
  • Toyo Tourevo LS II
  • Nitto Terra Grapplertires

The tires can be identified by the “Made in Japan” stamp and the numbers “3810” or “3910” at the end of the Department of Transportation (DOT) serial number, both located on the tire sidewall. Tires with the “Made in U.S.A” stamp on the sidewall are not being recalled.

A Consumer Relations staff is available at Toyo Tires and Nitto to answer questions such as how to identify and replace recalled tires. Consumers should call the hotline for the tire brand that they own: Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.: 800-442-8696 or Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc.: 888-529-8200 . Consumers can also visit the web site of the tire brand that they own: www.toyotires.com or www.nittotire.com.

U.S. Automobile Sales Strong In November

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You don’t hear much good news coming out of the auto industry lately, but November auto sales are reported to have hit a promising turning point as consumers bought more cars and trucks. Novembers new vehicle sales have been the highest in two years, with the exception of a brief period in 2009 when government rebates encouraged consumers to purchase vehicles that they couldn’t afford. The 17% surge is giving automakers confidence that the industry is on track for a strong year end finish.

Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Nissan, Hyundai have all reported double-digit increases. Hyundai had the biggest increase, up 45 percent from the same month last year, and Toyota, which has been hurt by a string of safety recalls, had a 3% sales drop.

Industry analysts suggest the solid November sales numbers show that consumers who have kept their jobs through the economic downturn are now feeling confident enough to spend money and replace older vehicles. Incentives on lease deals and rebates also helped push up sales.

Automobile Recalls Affecting Insurance Rates

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The United States has one of the largest vehicle markets in the world. There are over 260 million registered passenger vehicles according to a 2007 Department of Transportation (DOT) study. With vehicles outnumbering licensed drivers, the automobile has become an integral part of American life.

With the amount of work that goes into vehicle design, it is not surprising that flaws occur. If you have been paying attentions to vehicle recalls, it seems like there is a new one coming out almost every day. Since the safety of a vehicle is a factor in determining insurance rates, it would seem logical that if a vehicle has had safety recalls, the insurance rate on the recalled vehicle may raise.

In general, car insurance premiums can be increased every time the policy is up for renewal. While an insurer may do this for a number of reasons, a mechanical defect of the vehicle cannot be controlled by the consumer. But, if the policy holder does not follow the recall notice in a timely manner, and ends up getting into an accident because of a failure of the recalled part, they could be held responsible for the damages. If you do not respond to a recall notice at all, an insurance company may drop you altogether. Another way your insurance rates can be affected by recalls, is the recalls decrease the resale value of the vehicle. If the replacement value of a vehicle decreases the insurance rates should decrease as well.

Safety issues that cause accidents and damages, can hold the car manufacturer responsible and may recoup money from them. In this case the insurance company does not need to gain more money from its policyholders since the car manufacturer is paying for what they are responsible for.

Dealing with the auto insurance industry is never easy and, when the vehicle manufacturers gets involved, it just adds to your problem. For now, there should be no cause of concern so long as you pay the premiums on time and take the vehicle in for repair as soon as you get the recall notice. If you believe your premiums have been raised unfairly or in error, you do have some recourse. Most insurance companies have procedures in place through which a customer can file a complaint. When all else fails, a customer can sign up with a competing insurer. Take precautions however: an auto insurance policy is a legally binding contract between you and the company. You need to give advance notice of cancellation and make certain your new policy is in effect. Don’t just stop paying your premium, or you could be penalized.

Californias 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show

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2010 LA Auto Show
– Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

The Los Angeles Auto Show is the last major auto show of the year. This year turned out to be one of the biggest and best seen in a while. Over 1,000 cars, trucks and SUVs were displayed, consisting of electric vehicles, hybrids, high performance super cars, and one of a kind concept cars.

The 2010 show was especially successful with a record number of debuts: 20 world and 30 North American debuts. Many of the car manufacturers debuts showed environmentally friendly and fuel efficient electric and hybrid vehicles. The Chevrolet Volt received much attention, winning the 2011 Green Car of the Year award.

Google Develops Self Driving Car

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According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.2 million lives are lost every year in traffic accidents. Many of these could have been avoided, as often they were caused by distracted drivers or by driver error. The scientists at Google feel that if cars were able to drive themselves, the amount of accidents could be greatly reduced, and that’s just what they set out to do.

Google has developed a self driving car which uses video cameras, radar sensors and a laser range finder to see other traffic. The car is programmed with detailed maps and traffic information and uses Google’s data centers to process the information allowing it to navigate the roads safely. Google feels this technology will not only reduce traffic accident, but will increase the number of people being transported by allowing more cars on the road and transforming car sharing businesses. Because the cars will be safer, safety features could be removed from cars making them lighter and more efficient. The car can also be programed to drive at the optimal fuel efficiency.

These automated cars, manned by trained operators, drove from Google’s Mountain View campus to their Santa Monica office and on to Hollywood Boulevard. They’ve driven down Lombard Street, crossed the Golden Gate bridge, navigated the Pacific Coast Highway, and even made it all the way around Lake Tahoe. In total, the self-driving cars have logged over 140,000 miles.

According to Google, “We’ve always been optimistic about technology’s ability to advance society, which is why we have pushed so hard to improve the capabilities of self-driving cars beyond where they are today.” While this project is very much in the experimental stage, it provides a glimpse of what transportation might look like in the future thanks to advanced computer science.