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Report: José Froilán González, Ferrari’s first F1 race-winning driver, passes at age 90

Filed under: Etc.

José Froilán González, the first driver to win a grand prix race for Ferrari, passed away at the age of 90 on June 15, 2013.

The Argentinian, who was born on October 5, 1922, recorded his historic victory in 1951. The race was at the Silverstone circuit in the UK, and González defeated the legendary Alfa Romeo driver Juan Manuel Fangio, a five-time world champion. González competed in a total of 115 races, winning 46 times, including once at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and was also a successful driver of the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow cars when they took part in Formula Libre events in Argentina.

González, who had been nicknamed El Cabezón (Fat Head) by his fellow racers, is survived by this wife, Elena. A full obituary can be found here.

José Froilán González, Ferrari’s first F1 race-winning driver, passes at age 90 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT studies how age affects distracted driving

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos

MIT researchers in the AgeLab car

MIT AgeLab researches distracted driving – click above to watch video after the jump

Auto Observer recently sat down with researchers at the MIT AgeLab to learn more about a new study about distracted driving and how it changes as we age. By placing drivers of various ages into a simulator, researchers can collect data related to distraction. After studying conditions such as heart rate and eye movement, it becomes clear that different age groups are distracted by different stimuli. For example, young people have a harder time tuning out in-car distractions like text messages and cell phones, while older drivers are more impacted by sirens and flashing lights outside of the vehicle.

Researcher Bryan Reimer said that in most cases, reducing distracted driving isn’t so much a matter of leveraging technology to make current car features easier to use; instead, it’s more about properly educating drivers about said features before they hit the road .

AgeLab also investigated a number of other driving-related technologies, including automated parallel parking systems like the one found on the 2010 Lincoln MKS to discern how drivers of various ages would adapt to theem. Hit the jump to see a video on the research.

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MIT studies how age affects distracted driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 May 2011 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is the age of the sub-$10,000 car passing?

Filed under: Sedan, Hatchback, Hyundai, Nissan

Nissan Versa 1.6 Base

As you’ve likely noticed, new cars aren’t getting cheaper. Pack enough options onto a new C-segment hatchback or sedan, and it’s not difficult to elevate the MSRP to $25,000 or more. At the same time, there are still plenty of B-segment and C-segment vehicles that can be had for $16,000 or less, and the base Nissan Versa can still be snagged for $9,990; albeit with zero options and no radio. The same goes for the cheapest Hyundai Accent, which starts at $9,985.

How much longer can Nissan continue to offer a new car for under $10,000? USA Today thinks those days are about over, as the 2012 Versa is set to bow at next week’s New York Auto Show. The new Versa appears to be better looking and more refined than the model it replaces, making a $10,000 price tag unlikely. The new Accent is another probable candidate to drop its $10K model. It’s also expected to make an appearance in New York, and should be markedly improved over the current car in all respects.

So, does the arrival of the next-generation Nissan Versa and Hyundai Accent mean the end of the $10,000 vehicle? Does it even matter? While the ultra-cheap stripper models are handy marketing tools for their manufacturers, a shopper with $10,000 to spend can get a lot of car for that money on the used market. With a radio and A/C to boot.

[Source: USA Today]

Is the age of the sub-$10,000 car passing? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Apr 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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V8 Supercar champ in Australia wants kids to learn to drive at age 12. How about you? [w/poll]

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Australia

Albert Einstein has commonly been quoted as saying that stupidity (or insanity, depending on your source) is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Which begs the question, with over 100 years of traffic enforcement behind us, why are we still relying on the same methods of catch and punish to modify driver behavior? If it hasn’t worked over the last century, chances are it won’t work over the next. But Australian V8 Supercar champ Jamie Whincup has come up with a zany idea that just might cut down on his country’s driving death toll – education.

In a move likely to draw some knee-jerk guffaws, Whincup is calling for driver’s education to begin at 12 years-old. The tweens in question wouldn’t actually be behind the wheel, but would begin to receive lessons on the components of a car, the effect of drugs and alcohol on your ability to operate a vehicle and the consequences of excess speed. We’re not entirely sure the average pre-teen is going to be able to wrangle enough synapses away from Hanna Montana to make a difference, but we’re all for improved driver education as a means of improving road safety.

Have a look at the story below, then chime in with your own opinion by taking our poll and leaving your thoughts in Comments.

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[Source: Drive | Image: Matchbox]

V8 Supercar champ in Australia wants kids to learn to drive at age 12. How about you? [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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