Category Archives: Automotive News

2010 Los Angeles Auto Show

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The Los Angeles auto show is one of the most anticipated auto shows in the world. It attracts thousands of media from around the globe to view new vehicles from top car manufacturers. This year’s show will feature a record of debuts. Twenty world debuts and another twenty North American premieres bringing the grand total to forty.

The LA Auto Show will provide a look into the industry’s present and future as it transforms to meet the changes in economic conditions, environmental factors and changing consumer preferences. The large variety of innovative vehicles, from high end sports cars, ‘green’ concepts, to minivans and sedans, will feature advanced technologies in fuel economy, safety and telematics.

Two of the highly anticipated debuts are the introduction of the Chevrolet ‘Volt’ and the Nissan ‘Leaf’, the electric cars that will be offered to the general public later this year. As well, there will be a number of other manufacturers showing their electric vehicles, due to come out in 2011.

The show will be held this fall at the Los Angeles Convention Center. November 17-18 will be opened for the press (Media registration opens in September), and on November 19-28 the doors will be opened to the public.

Air Or Nitorgen In Tires

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We have been told that maintaining the correct tire pressure of your vehicle helps optimize the performance and fuel economy of the car as well as stabilizes the tire’s structure giving better responsiveness, traction and handling. Nitrogen has long been used in aircraft tires and in race cars and has recently become controversial on whether it would be beneficial to be used in tires of the average road cars.

Proponents of nitrogen argue that studies show that less than 60 percent of drivers check the inflation of their tires regularly so the use of nitrogen can offer drivers many benefits.

  • Because the nitrogen molecule is larger than oxygen, it will not leak out of the tire as quickly.
  • Nitrogen does not expand and contract as much as oxygen, so tire pressure will be maintained at an optimal level.
  • Nitrogen contains no water vapor, so it is less likely to degrade the interior rubber of the tires and corrode the rims of the vehicle.

As for the cons of using nitrogen, the air around us is already 78 percent nitrogen, with 21 percent oxygen and 1 percent other gases, so going to pure nitrogen reduces the amount of oxygen a small amount.

  • A Nitrogen filling station is more difficult to find, and as soon as oxygen is used, all the benefits of nitrogen will be lost.
  • The biggest factor, the price. Filling your tires with air is free, so will the price of using nitrogen outweigh the benefits claimed by using it? That could be difficult to prove.
  • Finally, the claim that nitrogen reduces the degradation of tires and rims, is questionable, since tires wear from the outside from use and road conditions, so the protection offered by nitrogen from the inside is quite minimal.

Whether nitrogen is better than oxygen is difficult to prove. The best defense in keeping your tire pressure at the right level is to check your tire pressure regularly. Many new vehicles have tire pressure monitoring, and many after market tire monitoring kits are affordable, so monitoring your tire pressure is easier than ever. Regular maintenance and care is usually the best for keeping your vehicle running optimally.

Hydrogen Cars – Still An Option?

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It seems that lately there has been much talk about the electric car. The automobile companies have been investing large amounts of money into electric cars with the hopes of becoming the leaders in the industry. The installation of more charging stations has not only made it more convenient to charge an electric car, but the installation of solar charging stations has made the drain on the power infrastructure less of a problem.

Still, the hydrogen car lurks in the background. Tucked away on the Torrance campus behind a security guard and a locked gate, a system designed to power Honda’s limited-production FCX Clarity sedan and other hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles uses solar panels to power a machine the size of a mini-refrigerator. This system converts water into hydrogen and oxygen gases and then pumpes the hydrogen directly into the car. No fossil fuels, no pollution, no additional strain on the power grid — and all done at home. It’s called a residential hydrogen refueler, and only one currently exists. According to statements from automakers like Honda, General Motors, Toyota, and Mercedes they hope to begin selling hydrogen-powered production cars to consumers as early as 2015.

Other hydrogen fuel-cell cars, only available by lease, exist. Made by GM, Toyota and Mercedes, most of the lessees are in “station clusters,” specific geographic areas that have hydrogen fueling stations. It’s the scarcity of these hydrogen stations that’s seen as one of the biggest barriers to mass adoption of fuel-cell cars.

The installation of these residential hydrogen refulers would solve this problem, but at what cost? Honda won’t say, but it’s a promising technology that advances the trend toward consumers detaching from a fossil-fuel economy and becoming more self-sufficient. It’s a future in which American homes are less reliant on a large-scale infrastructure — power grids, and water districts — and provide at least some of the solutions themselves via solar panels, gray-water systems, rainwater harvesting and home-based car-refueling technology.

GreenRoad Technologies Saves Companies Money

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Launched in 2003, The California-based GreenRoad Technologies Inc.®, provides a cost-effective service that helps reduce emissions, vehicle wear-and-tear and helps save lives. While billions have been invested in building safer and more fuel efficient vehicles and roads, virtually nothing was being done to address what contributes to wasted fuel and 90% of all crashes… driver behavior.

After four years of extensive testing in more than one million driver trips, GreenRoad’s comprehensive service is proven to be effective, especially in the commercial fleet industry. GreenRoad responds to unsafe and inefficient driving by enabling commercial fleets, insurers and consumers to measure, improve and sustain safe and fuel-efficient driving behavior. GreenRoad continuously measures and analyzes maneuvers which most impact safe driving, fuel efficiency and emissions and positively motivates drivers to change their behavior behind the wheel. Constant reinforcement in the form of a simple red-yellow-green display encourages them to maintain improvements. Fleet management and risk and safety professionals gain complete visibility into driving behavior and have easy-to-use tools they need to help drivers achieve safety and fuel-efficiency goals. Customizable, Web-based and e-mail reports provide individual trip detail, risk analysis and coaching to help drivers maintain improvements.

More than 70 industry-leading fleets in trucking, public transit, telecommunications, service delivery and public safety, have implemented the GreenRoad service and are realizing sustained improvements in the safety and fuel efficiency of their fleets.

Regulations For Auto Dealers Financing

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Consumer advocates say more government supervision is needed when it comes to auto dealers financing automobiles for consumers. Next week, a joint congressional committee will be discussing exactly that, as they head into the final stages in overhauling financial regulations.

Dealers that offer financing say they are helping buyers secure the best loans, and that abuses are rare and covered by anti-fraud regulations enforced by state officials and the Federal Trade Commission. But, Tom Domonoske, a Virginia attorney who works on auto financing issues says that while dealers are shopping for the best rates, they often don’t pass the savings on to the consumer. Dealerships have been giving good deals on purchase prices, but have been trying to boost their incomes through service contracts and auto financing. Some say, resorting to questionable tactics.

Auto dealers are fighting back saying it is unnecessary and will add to their costs, ultimately driving up prices for consumers. Last year they successfully persuaded the House to exempt them from oversight by the proposed consumer protection agency, but with strong opposition from the Obama administration, who said members of the military often complain about getting ripped off in buying cars.

After settlements in a series of auto financing discrimination lawsuits in the 1990s, dealers say they agreed to cap their cut at 2% of the amount financed. California is one of the few states with a legal cap on that difference — 2.5% for loans up to 60 months and 2% for longer loans.

Consumer advocates argued that auto dealers are similar to mortgage brokers — making deals with consumers, pocketing a profit and then selling the loans to banks. Mortgage brokers would be covered by the new agency and so should auto dealers.

Summertime Driving Safety

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The summer holidays are just about here and everyone is looking forward to vacations and summertime activities. Unfortunately this also means an increase in accidents and injuries. Inexperienced teen drivers will be spending more time on the roads, children out of school will be spending more time outdoors, there will be an increase in RV’s, bikes, and motorcycles on the roads, and in general, a greater hub of activity everywhere.

  • Safe driving practices are the best way to deal with increased traffic. Try to stay calm, drive at a safe speed and be courteous to other drivers. Speeding, tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic and not yielding the right-of-way can lead to collisions.
  • Make sure everyone in your vehicle is buckled up, and babies and young children are in car seats or booster seats. Proper use of seat belts and child car seats is the best way to reduce vehicle-related injuries and fatalities.
  • Summer also brings increased construction on roads and highways. Keep road workers safe by being prepared to stop and slow down in construction zones. Keep your gas tank full, in case you need to change your route or are caught in traffic along the way.
  • People driving RV’s and trailers are usually inexperienced with such a large load. Take extra precaution while driving these vehicles, and give them the room they need to maneuver. Don’t let items block your view of the road, make sure loads are securely tied down, and slow down.
  • Make sure your vehicle is in good running condition before your go. Always keep a roadside emergency kit and a first aid kit for emergencies.
  • Plan your route before you go. If you don’t have someone to read the map or GPS for you, pull over if you need to review your route. Distractions behind the wheel greatly increased your chance of an accident.
  • Give yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going and if you become tired, stop to rest and stretch your legs. It’s better to arrive late than not arriving at all.
  • Finally, Don’t Drink And Drive!

California One Step Closer To High Speed Railway

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The $2.25 billion in federal stimulus funds recently awarded to the California high-speed rail project ensures that construction can proceed on a 520-mile route between Anaheim and San Francisco within three years, rail officials said Thursday. Although this project has been in the works for more than a decade, it has been mostly theory. Voters approved a $10 billion bond measure in 2008 and the recent federal stimulus moves the project one step closer to becoming reality.

This stimulus will not only provide much needed jobs for California residence, but promises to reduce the amount of traffic on California roads by getting people to where they need to go, fast and efficiently. The route is also projected to create a profit of $1 billion annually that will initially go back into the high-speed rail system itself for maintenance and further extensions.

But last month a panel of experts in the fields of transportation engineering and city and regional planning urged caution. “It is a complex endeavor and requires a complex understanding of the engineering, economic and environmental issues.” warns Samer Madanat, director of Berkeley’s Institute of Transportation Studies and CEE professor.

There are two proposed routes through the heart of the city, both following an existing railroad track. The plan is for the route to enter Bakersfield from the northwest, stop at a downtown terminal and exit to the east on the way to the Antelope Valley and beyond to Southern California. Because of the speed, both routes deviate a bit from the existing railroad, running through historic areas, causing controversy in the city.

Bakersfield is not the only ones concerned about the path the high speed rail will take. Farmers up and down the San Joaquin Valley are expressing objections. And battles have broken out in the Bay Area and Southern California.

Bringing a high speed rail line through any community will be disruptive, as well as beneficial. Issues of safety and noise will need to be addressed for any route. Rather than deciding that the exact alignment will be, the design engineers and environmental reviewers should be refining a route that would least impact the community. Wherever possible, they need to avoid schools, hospitals, homes, businesses and churches.

Factors That Affect Your Insurance Rates

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If you have ever compared your auto insurance rates with a friend or family member, you will see that they can be quite different for the same coverage. Insurance companies decide how much you pay according to factors that indicate how much of a risk you are. When you buy a new vehicle, it is always a good idea to keep these risk factors in mind to avoid huge rates when you go to insure your new vehicle.

  • New or Used: A brand new vehicle carries a higher value therefore making it a greater risk. What you buy and how much it costs will determine how much repairs will cost and whether you want collision coverage on the vehicle.
  • Driving History: Non-moving violations such as parking tickets have less impact on your premiums than moving violations such as speeding tickets and DUIs.
  • Age and Gender: Insurance companies use statistics to calculate your insurance premiums. Age group, gender, and marital status statistics collected over the years allow insurance companies to classify you either as a high or low risk client.
  • Accidents: If you have had a previous accident, insurance companies see you as higher risk. Depending on the severity of the accident and who was at fault, you may see your premiums go up 20% to 40%. Some accident claims may result in your insurer dropping you completely.
  • Where you live: Some states have higher rates. This has to do with how much traffic is on the roads, road conditions, where your car is stored, and how many automobile thefts are in your area.
  • Gaps in Coverage: Insurance companies view individuals who frequently let their insurance lapse as poor risks. If you are in this group, your choice of providers will be limited and you’ll likely have to pay much higher than normal premiums, even if you have a spotless driving record and claims history.
  • Credit Score: Some insurance companies believe that people with bad credit are higher risk when it comes to automobile insurance. As you shop around for insurance, ask each agent if your credit score determines your insurance rates. You should make sure your credit history is accurate so you don’t pay higher insurance due to false credit information.