Tag: vehicles

How Ford made vehicles safer with a cadaver’s help

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Ford

Ford’s inflatable seatbelt – Click above for high-res image gallery

While we’re all accustomed to seeing crash test vehicles packed with loveable dummies, the truth is that manufacturers can’t always rely on high-tech mannequins to get the information they need. Sometimes, they have to resort to other testing procedures to research how new safety tech will impact the human body. And, as Jalopnik points out, those other procedures involve genuine human cadavers.

Now, don’t start thinking that your favorite manufacturer has a covert team of grave robbers on the pay roll. According to the Jalop, automakers typically partner with universities that have the facilities for that kind of work. In every case, the family members of the deceased are informed of what kind of research their loved ones’ body is being used for, and the cadaver is disposed of respectfully and properly after the trials.

So why use a body when we have all of these fancy computer models at our disposal? Because unfortunately, neither dummies nor our modeling systems have caught up with the complexities of the human body. Most recently, Ford used the deceased to test the impacts of its inflatable seatbelts on internal organs. Head over to Jalopnik to read the full piece.

Gallery: Ford’s Inflatable Seat Belts

[Source: Jalopnik]

How Ford made vehicles safer with a cadaver’s help originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NADA picks vehicles with best cost of ownership

Filed under: Car Buying, Earnings/Financials

NADA picks vehicles with the best cost of ownership – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’ve all been there. A new car model of some variety or another strikes our fancy, we start playing around with the configurator, and before long we’re staring at a nice, tidy monthly payment on the computer screen. It seems reasonable. With a little starvation and the occasional dabbling in petty crime, it might even be easy to hand over that stack of hundred-dollar bills each and every month. Then reality politely reminds us that there’s more to paying for a new car than the check we write to the bank. Things like fuel, insurance, fees, taxes, repairs and maintenance can quickly add up to more than your monthly payment. There’s even depreciation to factor in. The pros call all of this the cost of ownership.

Good thing, too. We’ve never really been too deft at pick-pocketing.

The good folk at NADA have worked up a list of vehicles with the best cost of ownership compared to their MSRP. Sure, they assumed a few variables – specifically, that the vehicles would be driven around 15,000 miles per year by someone with at least six years of driving experience, but the figures are a good operating base for your own car-buying fantasies. Check out the gallery below for the winners in their segments and then hop the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: NADA vehicles with the best cost of ownership

[Source: NADA]

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NADA picks vehicles with best cost of ownership originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda recalling 383,000 vehicles over runaway risk

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, By the Numbers

Honda has announced plans to recall 383,000 Civics, Accords and Elements built in 2003 and 2004. Due to a fault with the ignition interlock system that normally prevents the key from being removed until the transmission lever is in Park, the affected Hondas could roll away on their own accord.

According to Honda, the interlock system can wear prematurely, allowing the key to be pulled regardless of the shifter position. If the parking pawl isn’t engaged, the vehicle can roll away if parked on a slope.

While this has nothing to do with the sort of problems that Toyota has experienced, there is an interesting parallel regarding the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s defect database. Toyota complained that there was insufficient detail in the database categories, resulting in the appearance that there were more incidents of unintended acceleration than there actually were. This Honda issue is purely a mechanical failure of the locking system and yet it is grouped under Electrical System:Ignition problems. This lack of detail makes it much more difficult and time consuming for engineers to sift through the data to find and prioritize issues to fix. As part of the follow-up to its recalls, Toyota has been talking to NHTSA about revising the database to make it easier to mine relevant information other automakers will likely be following suit.

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Honda]

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Honda recalling 383,000 vehicles over runaway risk originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OnStar expands smartphone control to most 2011 General Motors vehicles [w/Video]

Filed under: Technology, GM

OnStar mobile applications – Click above for high-res image gallery

Early this year, General Motors’ OnStar telematics unit unveiled a smartphone application it had developed for the Chevrolet Volt that allows drivers to remotely manage the charging, locking and unlocking of their vehicle and pre-warm or cool it while plugged in. OnStar is now extending that basic concept to nearly the entire General Motors lineup for 2011.

One of the key hardware differences between OnStar and Ford’s Sync technology is that GM integrates cellular radios into the car while Ford relies on the driver’s existing phone connected via Bluetooth or a cable. This allows Ford to offer services like turn-by-turn directions without charging a subscription fee. OnStar has long struggled to find a way to convince customers to continue paying the subscription after the initial complimentary period expires.

The integrated cellular radio allows OnStar to offer services like remote starting, car location and lock/unlock from anywhere that can’t be done with Sync or just a short-range key fob. The applications will also provide access to vehicle data like tire pressures and oil levels, and allow owners to call an OnStar adviser or schedule service appointments with a dealer. The applications will be available for Androids and iPhones. You can check out a video after the jump.

Gallery: OnStar mobile applications

[Source: General Motors]

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OnStar expands smartphone control to most 2011 General Motors vehicles [w/Video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Senate panel approves $3.6B for electric vehicles and chargers

Filed under: Government/Legal, Electric

A United States Senate bill that would provide a further $3.6 billion in funding for plug-in vehicles has made it past the first of many hurdles toward passage. The Senate Energy Committee approved the legislation, put forward by Senator Byron Dorgan, (D-ND) that would create so-called deployment communities around the country and subsidize the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) and the installation of infrastructure.

By focusing on specific areas for deployment of EVs and charging stations, the bill would take care of the well-known chicken/egg issue of which is needed first, EV chargers or the vehicles that need them. It would also allow for the evaluation of what happens when you have large numbers of EVs in a concentrated area. Of course, there are already regions around the country that are planning for large numbers of EVs – like southern California and New York – and it’s not clear if the bill would support these regions or move to get other areas plug-in ready.

There is no guarantee that the Dorgan bill will be passed by the full Senate or even the House of Representatives, but it is one more step on the way to setting the stage for electric vehicles. Dorgan rather enthusiastically hopes that the results of the legislation will ultimately lead to half of the U.S. vehicle fleet being electrified by 2030.

[Source: Detroit News]

Senate panel approves $3.6B for electric vehicles and chargers originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler Financial to begin lending once again for Chrysler vehicles?

Filed under: Car Buying, Chrysler, Earnings/Financials

Chrysler Financial hasn’t been doing a whole lot since the domestic automotive implosion of aught-nine. When the Obama Administration’s Automotive Task Force found that the lender didn’t have the wherewithal to continue making large loans to dealers, GMAC was forced to take over lending duties for Chrysler. Part of that decision was due to the fact that last year, used car values were at one of their lowest points in decades. Since the majority of Chrysler Financial collateral involves used cars and trucks, that was a bit of an issue at the time.

But that was then and this is now. Used vehicle values have rebounded in a big way, and as such, word has it that Chrysler Financial is once again looking into making large-scale loans to dealerships across the country. Word has it that Tom Gilman, Chrysler Fianancial’s chief executive officer, has been contacting numerous dealerships in order to get a feel for whether or not there’s enough interest for the institution to return to lending, according to Automotive News. Even so, with most dealers now cozy with GMAC, it may be difficult for Chrysler Financial to reestablish itself as the titan it once was.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req’d.]

Chrysler Financial to begin lending once again for Chrysler vehicles? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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