Driving with pets crash prices increases, says study

Michael strong, the Detroit Bureau - 3 days

As head of the U.S. Department of transportation declared repeatedly his goal distracted driving Ray LaHood, such as while driving talk. A new study adds another to his list of driving No. nos: pets, particularly for senior drivers.

To say, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham that both overall and at fault crash rates for drivers 70 years or older higher which were their pet often rode with them.

"This is the first study to assess the presence of pets in a vehicle as a possible internal distraction for older drivers," said Gerald McGwin, co-author of the study and a professor in the Department of epidemiology.

The crash risk for drivers, who drove with their pets was the double of drivers who never drove with an animal. Crash rates for those who occasionally or rarely drove with pets were tariffs for non-pet owner.

LaHood has good reason, distracted driving be worried: it makes more than 10 percent of all U.S. highway deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Government recently policies around the eyes of the driver, mobile phones, and on the road and discouraging car manufacturers prevent troublesome dashboard devices make.

The guidelines are to limit how long drivers look from the street. After Highway Safety Administration, drivers should their eyes off the road for longer than two seconds do not ingest. A playful pet, especially one on the front seats could require too much attention.

More than half of pet owners said, took their pet with them in the car at least temporarily usually riding in the front seat or the back seat.

"The increased crash rate for older drivers who drive always with pets is important in connection with the awareness of drivers of potentially dangerous driving habits."

The problem with pets in the car not have, that they are likely to physically interfere in the operation of the vehicle, but that they are disturbing. Hawaii is the only State that currently the driver before a pet in driver lap prohibits. Arizona, Connecticut and Maine have broader laws restrict conduct or activities which could potentially distract a driver such laws can apply to pets in a vehicle.

The authors suggest that older drivers slower cognitive performance and response time than younger riders displayed when dealing with "a higher cognitive or physical workload while driving."

"Another disturbing element, especially an active, potentially moving animal, provides more options for an older driver to cope with a condition in a satisfactory way less than add", McGwin said.

In the study, researchers noted, that 83 percent of respondents agreed it was unsafe, pets, to allow travel unrestrained in a vehicle but only 16 percent is trying to use any kind of pet safety restraint in your vehicle.

The study employs 2,000 community living - people who do not live in assisted living or nursing homes - licensed drivers aged 70 and over. There were 691 participants had pets.

Copyright © 2009-2013, the Detroit Bureau

Read More

Lexus tops vehicle reliability study

Paul A. Eisenstein, the Detroit Bureau - 1 day

Today's vehicles are more reliable than ever before, according to a new study, although Toyota remains the King when it comes to long-term reliability.

Still, that the gap between import and domestic brands, with motors give close chase to Toyota General and the J.D. power and Associates 2013 vehicle reliability study finds its luxury brand of Lexus.

"The continuous improvement of the long-term reliability of truck, crossover, or SUV, are means that consumers should have more confidence in the three-year-old vehicles, whether they keep their current car or shopping for a used car," says David Sargent, Vice President of global automotive at J.D. power and partner or JDPA.

On the basis of responses from 37,000 owners of 2010 model cars, trucks and crossovers, the annual study shows that the number of reported fallen five percent since the last report, has known under the abbreviation VDS issues. On average, there were 126 problems for every 100 vehicles or 126 PP100 in power-speak, down from 132 in the 2012 study. This is the lowest number since 1989 is often cited measure of vehicle reliability started.

Domestic manufacturers traditionally have to foreign rivals behind, but the gap has Detroit makers, on average a score of 133 against 123 for imports drastically reduced for 2013. The higher the score of the more problems. Until 2011, the gap was 18 points, power points.

But not absolutely there a frequent, that connection between the way that perform individual brands in power short-term studies, such as the initial quality study. Toyota Lexus routinely leads the IQS, and tops in the VDS 2013 with benchmark it is 57 problems per 100. In other words, barely half of respondents Lexus owners reported problems at all.

Porsche came in second followed by Lincoln, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz complete the top five. Meanwhile, arm Chrysler truck, the RAM brand, the biggest improvement of any brand, its improvement by 52 PP100 score written.

Individual product segments Lexus led in two, with the Lexus ES350 tops in the category entry premium car named during its RX model, the midsize premium crossover/SUV models led. Toyota has seven-segment Awards overall, including the brands of Scion and Toyota more than any other car manufacturer.

But General Motors was second on the list with four individual segment awards for models including the Buick Lucerne sedan and the big Chevrolet Tahoe SUV. American Honda took two segment WINS, with Audi, Ford, Hyundai, Mazda and Nissan access also awards.

The 2013 supplied vehicle reliability study some major surprises, especially by the revelation that conventional wisdom is wrong, when it comes to the reliability of the brand new products. "The perception that new or revised models not as reliable as those that for a year or more is not true on the market", emphasizes Sargent, add "The fast improvement of the basic vehicle reliability every year is more than balanced all initial faults, which may have new or redesigned models."

The upward trend in vehicle reliability is certainly good for those, to buy a new vehicle. But it is perhaps even better news for those in the market for a "like-new" vehicle.

"If you can't afford a new vehicle can, or want to simply not one, should you feel confident when buying certified used car (CPO) vehicle," takes a power statement.

There was a significant increase in the demand for CPO vehicles in recent years. Most manufacturers offered now used car program in which models comprehensive controls come a certified from leasing to undergo and if necessary, repaired. You are assured a rule of almost new warranty.

Copyright 2013 the Detroit Bureau

Read More

'Good drivers' pay more for insurance, study often

By Kraut white tree, today registered users
If you believe that you display, good drivers will receive the best insurance rates. But a new study shows auto insurance companies often good drivers require higher premiums than those who caused an accident recently. And it seems from this research that the safe driver, the more numbers often lower income.

How could this happen?

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA), which conducted the study, says that this reflects a common practice in the insurance industry with factors such as education and profession, interest-rate risk.

A CFA survey in 2012 showed that two-thirds of Americans believed taking into account these factors, but driving story was unfair.

Stephen Brobeck, Executive Director of CFA, this is called a "discriminatory practice", which auslost-prices for low- and moderate-income drivers.

The industry rejects any notion that it will be disadvantaged in any way.

"The policies we offer fair in all respects, are," said Michael Barry, Vice President media relations at the insurance information Institute.

How to measure CFA marketplace
The CFA guidelines for two hypothetical customers price: high school receptionist and Manager. Both women were 30 years old, driven for 10 years had lived on the same street in the same zip code with medium income.

But there were important differences.

The reception is single, rents an apartment. She was never an accident or moving violation, but she was without insurance coverage for 45 days.

The Executive Branch is married to homeowners with a master's degree. Your car insurance policy has never expire. But she had an accident on errors with $800 damage within the last three years.

CFA scientists visited sites of the five largest U.S. car insurance - state farm, Allstate, GEICO, farmers and progressive - in search of the minimum liability coverage required by this State. This was for both women in 12 cities.

As a result, two-thirds of the 60 citations were for the Executive Branch (which had an accident) as for the receptionist (had), less often by at least 25 percent.

The insurance information Institute asks whether the test was fair, because the receptionist had a break in insurance and this could be seen as a risk factor. The Consumer Federation of America says the receptionist had no car for 45 days and therefore needed no insurance. Questions that make your car more risky, they?

Why is this happening?
Insurance companies hold a variety of factors determine the risk they represent and the price they should charge if you apply for an auto policy. All agree that your age, gender, type of vehicle and driving history can help to predict the probability that you will have an accident.

However, insurance underwriters should your education, career, or in some cases, your credit score? What have these social and economic factors, to do with your ability, a safe driver?

"These factors was found, that possibilities be insurance statistically solid risk assessment," said Michael Barry, Vice President media relations at the insurance information Institute. "And before they are ever used, these rating criteria are tested, State insurance regulators who have allowed them."

CFA says it's not fair for someone who get a better rate, simply because they have more education and more income.

"Our concern is that these factors are not proved, There is no logical reason to explain why they should work, '' said Robert Hunter, CFAs Director of insurance and former Texas Insurance Commissioner. "The insurance companies say there is a link, and that's all what you need."

Some insurance companies consider your credit scores now, if you set your premiums. Not too good with Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, sit, which calls the practice "blatantly unfair" way to assess the risk.

"I think it's terrible," me Kreidler. "Do you use a credit score in this economy? You have people who have no fault ultimately with less quality credit and yet drivers are still responsible. You should not pay more for auto insurance because of that."

Not in the Sunshine state
The California Insurance Department decides what reviews are factors of car insurers car pricing. Education, not to look at work and credit scores.

"We want criteria that have a relationship to the risk of loss," said Joel Laucher, California Deputy Insurance Commissioner for tariff regulation.

"You want something, that is fair and quite intuitive, so that people understand why there was a difference in price." "It should be something the driver can control and realize, how they change their behavior to improve their rate can be."

Massachusetts restricts the use of socio-economic factors for private car insurance.

"A determination was made that to drive insurance an individual car must listen more closely", said Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Joe Murphy.

The bottom line
There are many insurance companies for your company in the competition. Prices are very different.

A good start is your insurance Department Web site. Find a comparison chart that lists the prices in your area for various hypothetical clients. It is an easy way to see how the different insurance companies to compare, and where you go, would like to receive an offer.

(Find a link to your insurance Department at: National Association of Insurance Commissioners.)

Receive offers from an independent agent who represents several companies or go online and do it yourself sites such as InsWeb, NetQuote, InsuranceHotline, InsuranceQuotes, financial response. Expect no immediate offer from these pages. In most cases you won't find agents be contacted for your company.

Read More

'Green'-models are not the money value, study shows

The Detroit Bureau

Toyota Prius C is "Much fuel, but no thing", according to the consumer reports study.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, the Detroit Bureau
Hoping to squeeze every last mile out of a gallon of gasoline? Automakers were have launched a flurry of new "eco" models designed to do just that. But a new report warns that the minimal additional mileage not value the hefty price - in some cases as much as 38 years go back to lower fuel costs would require.

The new study by consumer reports raises questions about a variety of conventionally powered eco models like the Ford focus SFE, Chevrolet Cruze eco and Honda Civic HF. But it was also skeptical promised by some hybrid models, benefits, such as the new Toyota Prius C, which it is declared, "fuel economy, but not a business."

Lenders loosen car loans

The problem is that the savings are compensated by strong first bonuses average between $500 and $800 on standard models. In some cases, the savings in fuel can however as little as $20 per year. And, in some cases consumers wind Dynamics victims on cheaper Interior and bad way further.

Chevy Cruze eco is a prime example, CR according to researchers. The special model learns some aerodynamic "tweaks" and gets low rolling tires - the price in comparison to similar Cruze lt add $800 but even increased fuel consumption only 1 mile per gallon, to a mid-pack 27 mpg in the city. Highway mileage jumps 4 mpg, 40.

It's season drive. Why are gas prices tumbling?

For the typical owner the income, only $20 per year would save the typical driver speed 12,000 miles a year and numbers $4 per gallon - and a 38-year "Payback" to the Cruze eco require additional cost. Savings would a little better, added the not-for profit publication, for those who follow much highway.

The Honda Civic HF pins on one another $800 to low rolling tires, rear spoiler and closed underbody aerodynamic turbulence reduced. The results in a 3 mpg jump in the compact model kilometers, to a combined 33 mpg. But even annual mileage savings are a modest $135, i.e. a payback period of 6 years - which is longer than most Americans keep a new car.

And the magazine gave the entire driving dynamics of civic HF a bad review, the "it in the bottom places" all small sedans.

The magazine was much more optimistic about the "solid feel" the Ford focus SFE - short for Super fuel economy - which flush wheel covers, a rear spoiler, and the higher mileage tyres. The SFE package gets a bump 3 mpg, $145 per year would save 31 mpg combined, which appreciates consumer reports. The package costs only $495 so payback is one shorter 3.5 years.

VW Beetle: mini 911 or a big mistake?

While Toyota Prius hybrid often has praised original model by CR, the magazine report is far less kind to the new Prius c, the compact addition to the expanding Prius "Family." While the new model city mileage rating of 37 mpg is "stellar", the compromise on the General look and feel of the vehicle is.

At a price of only $20.850 explains, "receive the magazine drivers what they pay." "This subcompact hatchback, with the Yaris linked lackluster Toyota, suffers from a stiff ride, very noisy cabin, slow acceleration and cheap-looking Interior."

"Overall the Prius C test result, said consumer reports, puts it slightly under his chief competitors, the mediocre Honda insight, and is too low for us to recommend the model."

Read More

Turn signal neglect a real danger, study shows

Joe Raedle / Getty Images file

Drivers either neglect to use their signals when changing lanes – or fail to turn the signals off – 48% of the time.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, The Detroit Bureau
Forget distracted driving. A new study says there’s a far more serious problem that’s responsible for as many as 2 million accidents annually.

When’s the last time you used your own turn signals? According to research by the Society of Automotive Engineers, drivers either neglect to use their signals when changing lanes – or fail to turn the signals off – 48% of the time. And when making a turn the failure rate is around 25%. That works out to 2 billion times a day drivers fail to use signals, or 750 billion times annually.

Automakers May Sidestep Resin Shortage

A lack of courtesy? Laziness? Poor training? Whatever the reason, the SAE study says the problem results in about 2 million roadway collisions annually. That’s more than twice the 950,000 accidents linked to distracted driving, which has become one of the central topics of the U.S. Department of Transportation under Sec. Ray LaHood.

“This is a first of its kind report on a subject that amazingly, has never been studied,” said Richard Ponziani, P.E., President of RLP Engineering and author of the report. Yet, despite the fact that turn signals are simple, ubiquitous and “extremely effective,” there is an epidemic lack of compliance even though “all drivers have an ongoing duty to use it, just as they have a duty to stop at a stop sign or at a red light.”

Car-to-Car Link Could Cut Collisions by 80%

Anecdotal evidence suggests that police put little effort into enforcement, less than they devote to speeding, or running stop signs and red lights. Other than shifting priorities, the new study suggests an alternative that it dubs the “Smart Turn Signal.”

They “are the perfect complement to the Stability Control System since Stability Control predominately prevents single-vehicle crashes, whereas the Smart Turn Signal prevents multi-vehicle crashes,” suggested Ponziani.

Such a system would automatically shut off a turn signal, likely by timing out after a set delay or by detecting when a vehicle has finished changing lanes – much as today’s cars automatically cancel the signals after making a turn at an intersection.

Can Chrysler Match Japanese Quality?

For scofflaws who simply don’t use their signals, the system would work much like a seatbelt reminder. It would be able to sense if drivers routinely ignore their turn signals and start to flash what the study calls a “friendly” reminder.

Using the latest electronics, a Smart Turn Signal system would actually be simpler and less expensive than the current mechanical trip mechanism, according to Ponziani, a press release concluding that, “This breakthrough represents a perfect opportunity to significantly reduce multi-vehicle crash rates, reduce vehicle cost and make driving a lot more friendly and courteous across the U.S.”

Read More

Study shows just how 'green' electric cars are

By Paul A. Eisenstein, The Detroit BureauSwitching to a battery-powered vehicle will yield measurable savings in a motorist’s energy bills, according to a new study, while also reducing global warming emissions.

But the report by the Union of Concerned Scientists, or UCS, finds that the advantages vary widely depending upon where you live.  In the best regions, savings on energy can add up to more than $1,000 annually – with battery cars cleaner than anything else on the road.  But even in the worst regions, those heavily dependent upon coal to generate electricity, the UCS report says battery vehicles retain a significant advantage over traditional automotive powertrain technology.

“No matter where you live in the United States, electric vehicles are good choice for reducing global warming emissions and saving moneyon fueling up,” said Don Anair, the report’s author and senior engineer for UCS’s Clean Vehicles Program.

The organization bills the new study as a first-of-its-kind, and unlike some more limited reports, it tracked total energy use on a wells-to-wheels basis.  In other words, it measures everything from the energy actually used to pump and then refine oil to the energy used to run an internal combustion engine.  For electric vehicles, the study also considered such things as the energy used and pollution created while mining coal.

But the advantage, reports the UCS, is clearly in favor of pure battery-electric vehicles, or BEVs, as well as plug-in hybrids.

The study shows that 45% of Americans live in what are categorized as “Best” regions, where battery vehicles result in reduced energy costs and lower greenhouse gas emissions than even the best hybrids or internal combustion-powered automobiles – those now getting at least 50 miles per gallon.

In fact, in California and New York State, a hybrid or conventional gas vehicle would need to yield at least 80 mpg to keep up with the likes of a Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Volt (the latter operating two-thirds of the time on battery power).

About 37% of Americans live in “Better” regions, according to the new study, where a battery car still is likely to meet or exceed the emissions performance of a 40 mpg hybrid.  And in “Good” regions, like Midwest states heavily dependent upon coal power, battery car emissions are equal to the best non-hybrids, such as a Ford Fiesta or Chevrolet Cruze, Anair said.

States in the “Best” category are located primarily along the East and West Coasts and include: California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho and Arizona, New York, Massachusetts and Virginia;“Better” states include Texas, New Mexico, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee;“Good” states are largely concentrated in the Midwest and Plains states and include Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Colorado, Kansas and Minnesota.“No matter where you live,” he added, “electric vehicles save you on fuel costs.”  With the Chevy Volt, for example, the annual savings are likely to range between $580 and $890 annually.  The fully electric Nissan Leaf should bump that to anywhere from $770 to $1220 annually, according to the UCS.

The UCS study acknowledged significant differences in the nationwide electric grid that need be addressed, said Anair, but he added that with such efforts already underway, “The good news is that as the nation’s electric grids get cleaner, consumers who buy an EV today can expect to see their car’s emissions go down over the lifetime of the vehicle.”

Consumers have a fair degree of control over how much they save on energy by choosing rate plans – as well as when they actually charge up their vehicles, noted the UCS.  Many utilities now have or are planning to offer interruptible or time-sensitive rates.  And early adopters appear to be taking advantage of these.  The study found the majority of current electric vehicle owners charge up overnight.

That not only means lower-cost power but also reduces the strain on the electric grid as there is less overall demand.  This could permit a significant increase in the number of electric vehicles on the road without forcing the addition of more generators, the UCS report suggested.

Whether that will continue to be the case is far from clear.  Some industry analysts warn that as more battery cars get on the road – and as the number of public charging stations increases – it will become more common for vehicles to power up during daytime.  This could be especially true with the addition of high-speed “Level III” charging systems that could permit a vehicle like the Leaf to get an 80% recharge in as little as 15 to 20 minutes.

That, experts are betting, will enhance the appeal of battery technology beyond the relatively marginal audience now turning to the technology.  So far, plug-ins and battery-electric vehicles are capturing barely a tenth of a percent of overall U.S. new vehicle sales.

But Anair said the UCS is betting that demand will also increase as new models roll out, giving consumers greater choice.  Before the end of this year, a wide variety of makers will enter the market, including Toyota, with its RAV4-EV and Plius Plug-in; Ford with its C-Max plug-in and Focus Electric, and Honda, with its first battery-electric vehicle since the early 1990s, a version of the subcompact Fit.

Read More

Unintended acceleration study blames older women

A new study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found nearly two-thirds of drivers involved in unintended acceleration accidents were female. NBC's Brian Williams reports.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, The Detroit Bureau

When the National Academy of Sciences earlier this year ruled out the likelihood of unknown electronic gremlins causing so-called unintended acceleration problems with Toyota vehicles, researchers instead suggested that driver error was largely to blame.

A new study echoes the likelihood that drivers may hit the throttle when intending to reach for the brake – while also saying the majority of such accidents involve older women and occur primarily in parking lots.  But the report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also points the finger at drivers under 20.

Particularly striking is the finding that nearly two-thirds of the drivers involved in accidents involving the misuse of the gas pedal are female. In all motor vehicles crashes, nearly two in three drivers are male, NHTSA reports.

“The most consistent finding across data sources was the striking overrepresentation of females in pedal misapplication crashes, relative to their involvement in all types of crashes,” the study’s authors declared in an executive summary.  “Females were the drivers in nearly two-thirds of the pedal misapplication crashes” included in the study.

NHTSA Calls for Brake-Throttle Override Systems

 The federal agency is now proposing new regulations that would require automakers to install brake-throttle override systems.  These would automatically cut power to the engine in the event a motorist inadvertently depressed both the brake and throttle at the same time.  A number of manufacturers have begun installing such systems voluntarily, including Toyota which recalled millions of vehicles in 2009 and 2010 due to unintended acceleration problems.

“We learned as part of the comprehensive NASA and NHTSA studies of high-speed unintended acceleration that brake override systems could help drivers avoid crashes,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland.

Not all unintended acceleration issues are the result of driver error. The first Toyota recall was related to what was dubbed “carpet entrapment,” where loose floor mats could inadvertently jam the throttle open. The second was the result of a potentially sticky throttle linkage. But a series of subsequent studies ruled out electronic malfunctions and evidence in a number of reported unintended acceleration incidents supported the idea of driver error.  In one New York crash authorities found the driver had pressed so hard on the accelerator, thinking it was the brake, its metal linkage was bent.

Why do women in particular have such a high incident of brake misapplication incidents?

The authors noted, “Possible explanations might include greater exposure by women where these crashes occur most often (parking lots); a poorer “fit” in their cars due to shorter stature, which may increase the likelihood of a pedal application error; or a disproportionately high rate of one or more functional deficits that contribute to pedal errors, such as neuropathy.”

The new NHTSA study reveals that the misapplication of pedals leading to a crash occurs most frequently among drivers over 76 years of age, with those under 20 the second most likely age group to experience the problem.  And researchers suggest that may be the result of problems in the area of the brain that handle executive functioning – which are responsible for tasks like choosing which pedal to depress.

Just 21 of 98 Vehicles Pass Child Safety Seats Test

Other studies have found that the areas of the brain responsible for such decisions don’t fully form until around age 25 – while those regions also show declining functionality in the elderly.

The new NHTSA study was based on several sources including analysis of 2,400 gas pedal incidents in North Carolina – as well as an analysis of 900 news reports of unintended acceleration crashes.  In the North Carolina state database 57% of such crashes occurred in driveways, parking structures or parking lots.  That jumped to 77% in the news reports.

The study, conducted by the University of North Carolina’s Highway Safety Research Center, and TransAnalytics, an independent research firm in Pennsylvania, suggested drivers have more time to correct pedal mistakes made on the open road.

Read More

Study: Hybrid owners unlikely to buy another

AP

According to a survey, 41 percent of Prius owners bought another gas-electric model, whether from Toyota or another brand.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, The Detroit BureauHybrid sales have been surging as fuel prices take their latest run towards record levels.  But the news might not be nearly as good as it would seem if a new study by R.L. Polk is any indication.

Despite previous sales surges tied to past petroleum price hikes the U.S. hybrid vehicle market hasn’t been able to maintain its momentum and the Polk study apparently explains why. After living with the high-mileage technology, nearly two of three hybrid owners wind up returning to a more conventional vehicle when it’s time to trade in.

“Having a hybrid in the product lineup can certainly give a brand a competitive edge when it comes to attracting new customers,” noted Brad Smith, director of Polk’s Loyalty Management Practice.   “The repurchase rates of hybrid vehicles are an indication that consumers are continuing to seek alternative solutions to high fuel prices.”

Midsize Makers Set for Shoot-out

According to Polk tracking data, only 35 percent of hybrid vehicle owners purchased another gas-electric model when trading in during 2011.

The number varied significantly depending on the hybrid owned.  Less than 20 percent of Honda hybrid owners returned to purchase another gas-electric vehicle – whether from Honda or another brand.  For the world’s most-popular hybrid, the Toyota Prius, 41 percent bought another gas-electric model, whether from Toyota or another brand.  But it’s significant that even then, nearly three of every five Prius owners did not go back for another hybrid.

Hybrid loyalty rates have also varied significantly from year to year.  During the third quarter of 2011, when fuel prices were reasonably stable, only 30.9 percent of owners traded in on another hybrid.  But when fuel prices started to surge during the final three months of last year, the loyalty rate rose to 40.1 percent.

American Teens Waiting Longer to Drive

Polk officials suggested the technology is having a hard time because of the high cost for hybrids.  Analysts note it can take as long as seven to 10 years to recover the added cost through savings on fuel. The industry is struggling to lower that so-called “payback period,” but gains haven’t come quite as quickly as forecast.

There are other factors that limit loyalty.  For one thing, there are a growing number of alternatives, including diesels – which are being offered in growing numbers – and advanced versions of conventional gasoline technology.  The 2013 Nissan Altima, for example, is expected to deliver 38 mpg on the highway, Ford’s next-generation Fusion close behind at 37 – both yielding only slightly less than the current Camry Hybrid.  Hyundai, meanwhile, boasts five different models now getting over 40 mpg on the highway.

First Drive: Dodge Charger Blacktop

Toyota hopes to boost loyalty rates with its expanded Prius “family,” which now includes the smaller Prius C and big Prius V – those being joined later this year by the Prius Plug-in.

But despite continued optimism by hybrid proponents, the technology has shown little forward momentum.

Demand for the technology – especially the dedicated Toyota hybrid line has traditionally soared and then sunk along with fuel prices, and last month saw a huge surge in Prius sales.  Whether that trend will hold when pump prices peak remains to be seen.  On an annual basis, it peaked at 2.9 percent in 2008 – the year gas hit its all-time record.  Hybrid sales slipped to 2.4 percent of the U.S. market in 2011.

“The lineup of alternate-drive vehicles and their premium price points just aren’t appealing enough to consumers to give the segment the momentum it once anticipated, especially given the growing strength of fuel economy among compact and midsize competitors,” according to Lacey Plache, Edmunds.com chief economist.

Read More

Mitsubishi ranks as 'most toxic' vehicle, study says

The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport was ranked as the most toxic vehicle base on chemical testing of the interior.

Love that new car smell? Well, it doesn’t love you back, according to a new study of toxic materials released by the flame retardants and plastics that sometimes coat the interior parts of a car.

The study by Ecology Center, an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based environmental organization, found the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport was the "most toxic" vehicle among more than  200 popular 2011 and 2012 vehicles tested for group's annual list.

The car's interior was found to contain bromine and antimony-based flame retardants in the seating and center console, chromium treated leather, and seats containing large amounts of lead. Who’s up for a road trip now?

Mitsubishi was not immediately available to comment.

On the other end of the spectrum, the 2012 Honda Civic ranked as the "least toxic" model with an interior (including fabrics and trim) that’s completely devoid of both bromine-based flame retardants and PVC. It also has “low levels of heavy metals and other metal allergens.” The 2011 Toyota Prius and 2011 Honda CR-Z ranked as Nos. 2 and 3 on the least toxic side of the ledger.

Overall, Ecology Center has rated Honda as the top automaker with respect to healthy car interiors every year since 2007, while Hyundai-Kia was ranked the lowest during the last two years, according to the study.

The Ecology Center says the fumes that create the new-car smell that so many people find pleasant actually come from a chemical cocktail of bromine, chlorine, lead and other heavy metals used in automotive interiors.

“Since these chemicals are not regulated, consumers have no way of knowing the dangers they face," said Ecology Center research director Jeff Gearhart in a statement. "Our testing is intended to expose those dangers and encourage manufacturers to use safer alternatives.”

Its report, Toxic at Any Speed, says that driver and passenger exposure to these materials has been linked to allergies, birth defects, liver toxicity and cancer, and says the linkage is corroborated by a two-year study conducted by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia’s national science agency.

The potential toxicity of automotive interiors hasn't received much attention from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, although the U.S. agency does acknowledge the phenomenon of harmful building materials. A separate study from the Technical University of Munich in Germany conflicted with Ecology Center's findings, showing that the compounds in “new car smell” weren’t toxic but could aggravate allergies in some people.

Either way, the amount of plastics used in vehicles grew from 22 pounds in 1960 to over 250 pounds today, according to the group's website, HealthyStuff.org, although some 17 percent of new vehicles now have PVC-free interiors, and 60 percent are produced without bromine-based flame retardants in the interiors.

HealthyStuff.org says that it “only tests for a limited set of chemical hazards."

Read More

Nightmare roads identified in congestion study

SAN ANTONIO — Mario Garibay knows exactly what to expect every morning when he noses his pickup onto Interstate 35 between San Antonio and Austin on his way to his construction industry job.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said with an air of resigned certainty. "Not for a long time."

The road Garibay drives on every morning is one of the 328 stretches of highway listed as the most seriously congested in the country in a report released on Tuesday by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University. (See the report here.)

"This is the first nationwide effort that we have had to really identify reliability problems on specific stretches of highway," Bill Eisele, one of the research engineers who compiled the report, told Reuters.

Vote: How long is your average daily commute?

"Up until now we have identified average congestion levels, but people know that congestion isn't just an average problem."

The single most congested stretch of highway in the United States, according to the researchers, is on the Harbor Freeway in Los Angeles, specifically the three-mile stretch of northbound California Highway 110 near Dodger Stadium.

The report estimates more than 1.4 million person hours are wasted each year by people sitting in traffic at that one intersection, using 2.1 million gallons of gasoline.

A person hour is an hour spent by one person; if six people are in a car stuck for an hour in a traffic jam, that's six person hours lost.

The second-worst stretch of highway is just a few miles to the south, where the Harbor Freeway intersects with Interstate 10 just south of downtown Los Angeles near the Staples Center. In that six-and-a-half-mile corridor, 1.1 million person hours are wasted and 3.6 million gallons of fuel are lost each year.

Six of the seven most congested stretches of highway in the country are in Los Angeles; the other is New York City's Van Wyck Expressway just outside John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Nightmare roads
Farther down the list, it seems every big city has its nightmare road, including:

San Francisco: Eastbound Interstate 80 at the Bay Bridge.Houston: Eastbound Interstate 10 at T.C. Jester Boulevard.Chicago: The Stevenson Expressway at State Street.Seattle: Southbound Interstate 405 at Coal Creek Parkway.

And Mario Garibay's Interstate 35 in San Antonio. "It's horrible," Garibay said. "Such a waste of time every day."

People who drive those highways on a daily basis know where the brake lights start, and where they will end.

"It happens religiously, the same places and the same times of the day," says Megan Bishop, who does traffic reports for several San Antonio radio stations. "It can be a clear day on a stretch of highway with plenty of exits and no entrances and still the traffic backs up."

The 328 corridors identified as congestion leaders account for only 6 percent of the nation's total freeway lane miles and 10 percent of the traffic, but account for 36 percent of the country's freeway congestion, Eisele said.

Don't miss these Travel stories Mom recycles her way to Italy A California mom paid for a “trip of a lifetime” to Italy for her and her husband using only money she made from recycling cans and plastic.

This Thanksgiving, make room at the inn Flying with cremated remains Southwest, TLC team up for reality TV project Pilot stuck in lavatory sparks security scare

"Our hope is that this report will shed some light on those areas around the country that are causing the most congestion, and the areas around the country where added investment would mean real improvements," he said.

In addition, the study looks at roads that are the most congested on weekends, roads that are more congested during after-work commutes than in the mornings and roads where backups are most likely due to a large number of big trucks.

Eisele said the data can be used by local officials to address traffic problems through building roads, adding aggressive responses to crashes to keep traffic flowing, and providing incentives to employers in the area to offer telecommuting and flexible work schedules.

"It is certainly frustrating when we're all sitting in it in our cars," he said. "No matter where you are, it's a painful experience."

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters.

Read More

Hyundai leads in corporate loyalty — study

DETROIT — Long ignored by most American auto buyers, and slighted by others due to quality problems, Hyundai is now tops when it comes to corporate loyalty, according to a new study.

But Ford Motor Co. is also making gains in the marketplace, according to the report by Experian Automotive, a data service that tracks vehicle registration data as well as consumer attitudes. The Detroit maker captured the lead in six of the spots in the top 10 product segments.

Wild Wall St. Has the market volatility got you nervous? These cartoons may give you a little comic relief.

Cyber-thieves create fake Kelley Blue Book site US says Reebok toning shoes don't really Can you live on $9 an hour? Play the game

Hyundai had a loyalty rate of 49.6 percent, according to the Experian study, edging out General Motors and Ford – as well as major Japanese makers like Toyota. It was the first time the Korean carmaker led the list, marking a significant turnaround for a brand that was once the butt of jokes, not a marque that won repeat business.

Hyundai’s loyalty – translated as the repurchase rate of its owners – has also helped drive the brand’s market share to record levels, 9.2 percent during the second quarter of this year, up from 7.9 percent a year earlier. The maker’s performance in the study also reflected well on its sibling brand, Kia actually outscoring the Hyundai brand with a 47.9 percent loyalty rate.

General Motors, which came in second in the Experian study, had the second-highest loyalty rate, at 48.1 percent, and also saw its market share grow by 0.5 points – to 19.6 percent during the second quarter of this year.

Ford was third in the latest Experian loyalty study, at 47.6 percent. But it also took six of the Top 10 sports in terms of loyalty to specific products. That included the Ford Fiesta, third at 63 percent, and the Fusion, fourth at 61 percent.

The product with the highest individual loyalty was the Kia Forte, according to Experian, at 68 percent. The maker’s quirky crossover, the Soul, was fifth at 59 percent, with its Forte Koup ranking eighth at 57 percent.

Makers have become increasingly focused on brand loyalty in recent years. Repeat business not only helps prop up sales and market share but also helps hold down marketing costs. Experts say it can cost as much as 11 times more to “conquest” a buyer from a competing brand as opposed to winning back one of your loyal owners.

Copyright 2011 The Detroit Bureau. All rights reserved.

Read More

Study: Escalade SUV preferred by car thieves

NEW YORK — the Cadillac Escalade, a top pick of the rich and famous of Hollywood stars to Wall Street executives, is also the favorite choice of thieves.

The luxury SUV, which starts at more than $63.000 is probably rogue, is used to target loss to data according to a new study of the highway.

On the basis of insurance claims for model year 2008 to 2010 vehicles, study shows that the Escalade will be six times more likely affected by the thieves as the average vehicle, and his entire theft losses are more than 10 times as large.

The rankings are based on vehicles that were stolen, had taken over the parts such as stereo systems, or had ripped other property in the car.

Matt Moore, Vice President of the Institute, says that the Escalade will be hit more often, because "it so wildly popular, is as far as pop culture is." Television professional athletes to come and see them and other prominent. "It's a status symbol."

Why thieves 1994 find irresistible Honda Accord so

General Motors co. said that it tried to make the Escalade to steal. The SUV includes at present to prevent the vehicles from being a system of Hotwired and steering column lock, which makes it more difficult for thieves to press it removed vehicles or load them on, flat-bed truck.

In addition the 2012 Escalade includes sensors, which set off an alarm if she change in the angle to detect which would occur when the vehicle is towed away is or will be jacked up, along with sensors that sound alarms broken window, column lock is a new wheel lock-system and an improved steering system, GM said.

HLDI, in Arlington, VA-based Insurance Institute for highway safety is calculates the ranking based on the number of robberies per insured vehicle on the road.

The data include not uninsured vehicles or those the 20 percent of the insurance companies to report their numbers not to the Institute.

A total 10.8 claims have been submitted, for every 1,000 insured of Escalades, what average loss payment of $10.555 per claim of insurance to the affected driver, said the study.

Not something new is the Escalade rankings. In combination, have the four versions of the SUV at the top of the list classified says the group for several years.

Pickup trucks are also a favorite of thieves, the next four points in the ranking, including the Ford F-250 crew cab 4WD, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab, the Ford F-450 crew cab 4WD and the GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab. Crew of cabs cartridge with a second row of seats.

Moore says that many of the demands of pickup theft of equipment or other items of truck beds is stolen, while the vehicles on construction sites have been rectified.

The Chrysler 300 sedan was the sixth most likely vehicle be and the only car on the list, with 7.1 claims for every 1,000 insured cars and an average loss of $5.509, the group said.

The vehicle at least probably overwhelmed by thieves was the Audi A6 all-wheel drive, a luxury sedan. But the average loss per claim was $16.882. This is 60% higher than in the Escalade, according to the study.

The A6 was followed by the mercury Mariner, a small SUV and Chevrolet Equinox, a mid-sized SUV.

The average vehicle in the study had 1.7 provisions for reported per 1,000 insured vehicles and an average loss per claim of $6.767, the study said.

© 2011 The associated press. All rights reserved. This material cannot be published, sent, rewritten or redistributed.

Read More