2011 Ram, 2010 Dodge And Chrysler Models Recalled
A power-steering issue is prompting the recall of 2010 Chrysler Sebring, and 300 models, along with 2010 Dodge Challenger, Avenger, and Journey and 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 trucks.
According to the automaker, in these affected vehicles the crimped end of the power-steering pressure hose assembly could separate, causing fluid to leak out into the engine compartment, possibly resulting in a fire. The issue, likely, could also cause a sudden loss of power assist.
Since identifying the issue this summer, Chrysler took corrective action and implemented a different hose material.
The Dodge and Chrysler cars affected by the recall were assembled between July 27 and August 30, 2010, while the affected pickups were made between June 24 and August 28.
In all, the recall covers more than 19,000 of the 2010 models and an estimated 7,358 of the 2011 Dodge trucks.
Owners can contact Chrysler at 800-853-1403 with any questions; otherwise owners will be notified beginning this month, and dealerships will inspect and replace the power-steering hoses as needed.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2011 Dodge Journey Preview
Going up against the likes of the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4 isn't an easy task. That's why Dodge has significantly upgraded the Journey for the 2011 model year, from powertrain to infotainment and most areas between.
The biggest mechanical change to the new Journey is the addition of the new 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine, rated at 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque in this application--a gain of 20 percent against the previous V-6 found in the 2010 Dodge Journey. The new V-6 is paired to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Ride and handling also get improvements from a "redesigned and retuned" suspension, a better OEM tire choice, and redesigned steering for more precision.
The interior remains a five- or seven-seat configuration, but gets what Dodge calls "world-class levels of craftsmanship and comfort." If the Journey follows on the success of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango, the claim may not be far off the mark. The new Journey interior redesign includes a larger instrument cluster with a center-positioned, full-color electronic vehicle information center, a center stack that's sculpted to be more comfortable for the driver's knees, more cushioning on the center console, redesigned seats, repositioned cupholders, a larger center storage bin, and a range of six new interior colors and trims.
Dodge is touting the new Uconnect Touch media center system as a game-changer for the Journey buyer. Uconnect Touch offers a central control of most of the major interior systems, from navigation to climate controls and multimedia, plus the ability to check fuel prices, and more. Four versions of the Journey come equipped with the Uconnect Touch system.
Exterior styling stays largely the same as the previous Journey, though a new front clip gets the Dodge "split crosshair" honeycomb grille, larger fog lamp bezels, and, for Pentastar V-6 models, a more aggressively styled lower fascia. New 19-inch wheels, a restyled rear clip, and LED taillights complete the exterior treatment.
The new 2011 Dodge Journey will be built in Mexico at Chrysler's Toluca plant, with the first models arriving at American dealers before the end of the year.
[Dodge]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Sign Of The Times: Employee-Leased Vehicles Flood Re-Leasing Market
Work for an automaker—or even a supplier, or have a relative who works for an automaker—and you're likely to have gotten some type of 'plan' discount on your last vehicle.
But according to those at the lease-trading marketplace LeaseTrader.com, the auto-related layoffs of the past 18 months or so are now beginning to take their toll on the market itself, and these employee-leased vehicles are showing up on the market before their leases are even up.
In yet another sign that the economy hasn't yet rebounded, LeaseTrader reports that so far in 2010, the number of drivers looking to ditch their auto-employer lease deals has doubled.
According to LeaseTrader, these employee plans normally save lessees $2,000 or more over the course of the lease, so their leases might look more favorable on the secondary market.
LeaseTrader says that the majority of the listings for those who want to leave their employee leases are GM or Chrysler products; for example, a Dodge Charger with eight months remaining was recently listed and traded for $149 per month, and a Cadillac CTS was traded for $225 a month with 13 months remaining.
Under most leases, consumers are allowed to trade their lease if they can find another person willing to assume the remaining lease payments. Several marketplaces, such as LeaseTrader.com and SwapALease.com exist to provide a place to facilitate this.
If the rash of abandoned leases continues, it could potentially begin affecting leasing residuals—the projected resale value of the vehicle at the end of the lease, and one of the chief determinants of how low lessors—and lenders—are able to go with monthly payments.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Insurance Losses Point To Risky Drivers More Than Vehicle Safety
By most indications, a late-model used Mitsubishi Lancer is a good, safe choice. It's earned four and five stars from the federal government in recent model years, and while some of the model line has lacked electronic stability control, it's one of the better-handling small cars—which should also speak well for its accident avoidance.
Yet the Lancer, from the 2007 through 2009 model years, has the highest insurance losses, or claims, of any model, according to an annual update of insurance loss information released this week from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI).
Adding one more point of potential confusion, the Lancer has been named a repeat Top Safety Pick—signifying top-tier occupant protection—from the HLDI's companion group, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
It's a safe car, with much higher-than-average insurance costs, most likely, for you. And that's even if, by all indications, you're a safe driver.
This emphasizes an important point: The annual numbers are a little hard to interpret, and speak more for the types of drivers attracted to a particular model than to the model's protection or accident-avoidance ability. So don't assume that high insurance claims—even when it comes to medical payments—for a particular model means that it's less safe than another model with low claims.
Corvette and Miata lowest among all models in claims
Among sporty coupes, for instance, the Ford Mustang has 'substantially worse than average' losses in most categories, while the Chevrolet Corvette and Mazda Miata are among those with the lowest losses of any vehicles, standing out as 'substantially better than average' in most. The Ferrari F430, Maserati GranTurismo, Aston Martin Vantage V8, and Porsche 911 Turbo (though not the standard 911 Carrera) meanwhile have very high collision losses.
The latest ratings released include losses for 2007 through 2009 model years
In the Institute's 'Mini' category, all the models included—the Chevrolet Aveo, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, and Toyota Yaris—are all worse than average, especially in the injury-related categories; that's likely because these smaller, cheaper models are favored by both relatively new drivers and those in congested cities.
To its credit, the Smart Fortwo has substantially better than average numbers in most claim categories, with fewer injury-related and collision payments. This is perhaps linked to the idea that the Fortwo has been attracting older and more experienced drivers.
Safe vehicle, safe drivers?
Among small cars, the Mitsubishi Lancer, Chevrolet Cobalt, and Kia Spectra rank at the bottom, while the Volkswagen Rabbit ranks at the top, with average ratings in most categories and a 'substantially better than average' rating with respect to comprehensive claims. Among small and mid-size coupes, the same holds true, with the Cobalt and nearly identical G5 among the lowest, joined by the Scion tC and Mitsubishi Eclipse. The VW New Beetle ranks highest, with a 'substantially better than average' score overall; again, at least by this editor's observation, the New Beetle tends to attract older drivers, and among younger drivers, more women than risk-prone young men.
Looking at mid-size, four-door sedans, the results are more in line with crash-test ratings. The Kia Optima, Mitsubishi Galant, Pontiac G6, and Dodge Avenger rank at the bottom, with the highest insurance losses in all categories—though the Nissan Maxima ranks exceptionally high in comprehensive claims, perhaps an indication that higher-risk drivers are drawn to this model. The Honda Accord, Acura TSX, Saturn Aura, Subaru Legacy, Volkswagen Passat, and Volvo S40 all rank in the top tier here, though overall they all fall in the 'average' range.
The Dodge Charger stands out as having an unusually high level of collision claims along with all types of injury-related claims, while sedans or wagons that rank especially well include the Ford Taurus, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Subaru Outback. The Honda Odyssey and Chrysler's Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans have insurance losses that are well below average.
A number of small and mid-size SUVs ranked in the average-to-better-than-average range, though the one exception is the Suzuki Grand Vitara, which ranked worse than average. The Honda Pilot, Hyundai Veracruz, and Toyota 4Runner were among the top-ranked vehicles, along with the Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia. In the luxury SUV realm, the Acura RDX and Volvo XC90 stand out as having better than average loss rates, and the XC90 is the only SUV to rank 'substantially better than average' in all three injury-related categories.
Moving up to luxury models, the clear trend is that collision and comprehensive claims are high across the class but injury and property-damage claims are quite low. Again here, the results are likely being skewed by more experienced drivers, yet high repair costs.
Shopping for a new or used car? Check these numbers.
"These insurance loss results generally are good predictors of the experience of current versions of the same vehicle models," the HLDI says, though they point out that this doesn't hold true for completely redesigned models.
So, for instance, just because losses have been high with the outgoing Kia Optima, don't assume they'll be that way for the completely redesigned 2011 Kia Optima, which might attract an entirely different type of buyer.
Although these ratings might not be the first place you should consult if you're looking for the safest vehicles—official NHTSA and IIHS crash-test ratings should—you should certainly take a look and consider avoiding some of the vehicle models with the highest claims rates; even if it's a very safe car, you may end up having to pay for the mistakes of others.
[IIHS]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
As Text-Addicted Teens Take To The Roads, Is More Trouble Ahead?
Unless we make some big changes in attitudes regarding cellphone use, there's trouble ahead. Why? Teens who are going to be of driving age this year or in the next few years are texting in record numbers.
It's not just a stirring of interest; it's an explosion. On average, teen cellphone users are sending or receiving an almost unbelievable 3,339 text messages per month—eight percent higher than just last year, according to a new Nielsen report.
Teens now texting six times per hour
Despite traffic fatalities at a near record low, we're not doing as well with safety as we could. Enemy number one in this—ask nearly any safety official—is distracted driving. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has called distracted driving "an epidemic in America," and it doesn't look, yet, like all the state texting laws phased in over the past two years are making that much of a difference.
More than 20 percent of all crashes in 2009 were related to distraction, with cellphone use playing a prominent role.
Now, getting that busy communications hub to grind to a halt while behind the wheel seems like a tall order. All ages are texting considerably more this year than last, found Nielsen; and of teens, 43 percent say that texting is their primary reason for having a cellphone.
The Nielsen results are based on survey data of more than 3,000 teens, along with monthly bill data from more than 60,000 mobile subscribers.
Middle-age adults talk more than teens but text far less
Curiously, teens no longer live up to the stereotype—for teen girls, especially—of being 'glued to the phone' around the clock. Voice usage is now highest among those age 25 to 44, and according to Nielsen, "only adults over 55 talk less than teens."
Teens age 13-17 text the most (with females this age seeing 4,050 texts per month), with those age 18-24 following (at 1,630 texts per month).
A Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study last year suggested that the act of looking away from the road might be the most hazardous aspect. Researchers in that extensive study—with camera-based data from real-world driving—found that the risk of a crash while texting is 23 times higher, due mainly to the driver taking his or her eyes off the road. Dialing itself while driving was nearly three times as risky as simply driving, and talking or listening increased the chances of a crash by 30 to 40 percent.
Texting habits (and texting laws) could be the real danger
Last month, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggested that, after looking at collision claims before and after the enactment of new state rules, that texting laws might actually be increasing crashes—possibly because they don't stop people from texting, but rather cause them to hold the phone even lower, which takes their eyes off the road longer than they would be otherwise.
So how are we going to wrestle cellphones out of their hands? Going hands-free—with Ford's Sync, or any other well-integrated OEM Bluetooth solution that supports text messaging—is a step forward, but with such a volume of texting, it might not make much of a difference. Although some of these systems feature ways to provide automated replies while driving, and block manual texting, the worry is that then teens will simply unpair their phone and manually text.
Inexperienced drivers, text addicts?
What's more, with record numbers of teens opting to forgo driving under graduated licensing programs—instead first getting their licenses when they're 18 or 19—we may have a fresh wave of drivers who are inexperienced behind the wheel but highly experienced with their thumbs and a QWERTY keypad.
When they hit the road, with cellphones of course on board, watch out.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Getting Ready For Winter Driving: Five Things To Remember
Leaves are falling, nights are cooler, and, in some parts of the country, it could be just a couple weeks until that first frost or surprise snowfall.
It's time to get yourself and your vehicle ready. Cold snaps not only expose the weaknesses of dying batteries and balding tires; it's also when you might pay the price for a lack of maintenance. Fraying or glazed belts, bulging hoses, and cracking ignition wires are just a few of the issues that could leave you stranded in damp or cold weather.
And those are all basics that might be spotted in any good mechanics' inspection. Get one, and you'll likely save the added cost, as well as frostbite and inconvenience, of a winter breakdown. If you've been lax in maintenance over the summer, don't press your luck.
Whether this winter you're going up to ski resorts, through the woods to a snowbound weekend cabin, across stretches of Interstates for the holidays, or just to and from work, you'll need a properly maintained car in tip-top shape.
Then, consider the following advice for winter motoring:
Get the car ready. Have your vehicle inspected, make sure wipers are replaced and washer fluid filled, and pack some emergency basics.
Before you leave. Clear all snow off the vehicle, scrape the windshield if necessary, carefully loosen the wiper blades, clear off the nozzles, and be sure you can use the mirrors. And before the snow arrives, don't forget to pack all the tools you'll need, like brushes and scrapers.
Watch your tires. Tires need more frequent checks during winter's extreme weather and temperature swings, so check them visually every time you set out, then check pressures once every couple of weeks, ideally; it's a good time to give them a closer look for wear as well. One other idea: invest in a good set of winter tires.
Check your fluids. Don't forget to pop the hood and check oil and coolant levels at least every other time you fill up.
Take it easy. Get out early and allow lots of extra time if the roads are slippery. Remember, when you're out driving, keep it slow, and stay smooth.
Click to page two to see AAA's in-detail recommendations for getting ready for winter, as well as what you should keep in your vehicle's emergency kit:
2011 Ford F-150: New V-6 Gets Top Highway Rating Of 23 MPG
Ford Motor Co. [NYSE:F] has revealed fuel economy figures for most of its 2011 F-150 lineup, all pending final EPA approval. And while the numbers aren't yet out for the much-anticipated EcoBoost V-6 version, Ford is claiming a best-in-class 23 mpg highway for both its 3.7-liter V-6 and 5.0-liter V-8 versions.
The Dearborn automaker said that it found in a poll of F-150 owners that 70 percent wanted improved fuel economy, and it hopes to conquest more current owners of full-size trucks from the other brands with these higher-mpg offerings.
Regarding Ford's best-in-class claim, the key phrase here is "in the respective segments." However, their claim might be disputed; the figure ties with the highway mileage of the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and 2011 GMC Sierra Hybrid—models that achieve 20 mpg city, 23 highway, for a better EPA combined figure than the F-150. To its defense, Ford assumes—probably correctly—that shoppers looking at the V-6 aren't going to consider the Hybrids; for the V-8, we're not as sure that's true.
The base engine on the 2011 Ford F-150 will be a version of the new 3.7-liter V-6 that's also used in the 2011 Ford Mustang, among other models. Here, it makes 302 hp and 278 lb-ft, effectively replacing last year's base V-8 for some customers, and will get 16 mpg city, 23 highway mated to a six-speed automatic transmission (Ford is the only automaker to equip all of its full-size trucks with six-speed transmissions). Ford has installed a higher-capacity, deep-sump oil pan in the truck application to allow effective lubrication even under severe towing situations—and to extend oil changes to 10,000 miles under normal use. The Car Connection has driven this version and found it
With the new 5.0-liter 'Coyote' V-8, the 2011 F-150 comes with EPA ratings of 15 mpg city, 21 highway. Ford assures truck shoppers that it "didn't just put a car engine in a truck." The engine makes 360 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque, and has a lower 10.5:1 compression ratio to work well on regular fuel, as well as a different intake cam profile that's been optimized for truck use. In a first drive last month, High Gear Media editorial director Marty Padgett especially liked this engine, saying it "rips off squares of pavement at launch if you want it to, and spins pretty freely up through the rev range."
At the top of the lineup is a 6.2-liter V-8, which Ford says brings "the heart of a Super Duty but available in the F-150." The big V-8, producing 411 hp and 434 lb-ft, has two valves per cylinder, but they provide as much flow as four according to engineers, and the roller-rocker valvetrain and overhead-cam design helps allow huge valves that aren't shrouded by the bore. A fuel economy rating of 12/17 mpg accompanies this engine.
The star of the F-150 lineup is quite possibly the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, which will provide a full 11,300-pound tow rating. Versus the car-duty EcoBoost V-6 that's featured in a number of vehicles including the Ford Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKT, the truck-duty EcoBoost is different; Ford points to a different fuel system, completely different airflow, and various durability improvements—such as to the pistons—in the truck.
The EcoBoost model won't be out until later in the model year; stay tuned for the numbers.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
TheCarConnection’s iPhone App Is Now Faster, Prettier, Easier To Use
TheCarConnection's iPhone app has been bringing you the latest news, photo galleries, and reviews for months now. Today we've improved the experience with a sharper look and feel, article-specific photo galleries, and faster performance throughout.
If you haven't grabbed the app yet, you should. It's free in the App Store, and it takes all of the best of our automotive network, condensing it into an easy-to-browse pocket-size companion. Whether you're shopping for a new car and want to reference our expert reviews while on the dealership lot, or just browsing high-res photos on your lunch break, the TCC app is what you're looking for.
To get the app, visit the iTunes store or the App Store on your iPhone. It's tested to work with the latest iOS 1.2 update, and works on any version of iPhone.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
How GM Didn’t ‘Lie’ About The Volt, And Why The Press Is Wrong
You may have seen this morning's media frenzy about General Motors' "lie" about the Volt's ability to directly drive the wheels with its range-extending gasoline engine. What you may not know is that the publications screaming "lie!" are doing little more than running self-serving, tabloid-worthy headlines.
I'm not typically a fan of electric cars, at least in their current states of being. A car that can't go from one town to another across the desert Southwest, or which sees drastically reduced performance depending on the weather isn't really a car, in my book. It's a toy, a status symbol, a raised nose at the "gas guzzlers" that drive by on their way to some distant destination. But the 2011 Chevy Volt doesn't fall into that trap.
What the Volt isn't
In addition to driving 40 miles on nothing but electric power, it carries its own generator on board, making the non-existent national charging network irrelevant. And, as we learned today (though we had off-the-record hints several months ago from some of the Volt's top team members) it can also use the onboard engine to add some direct power to the wheels once the battery is depleted.
For a person that likes cars, appreciates efficiency, and couldn't care less about the definitional semantics the rest of the press is engaged in, that's fantastic. Is it a pure EV? Yes, for the first 40 miles. After that, no, it was never intended to be. Is it a hybrid? Not really, as it can run at highway speeds on nothing but electricity for its stated range of 40 miles, and falls back on mechanical drive power only under certain conditions, which is sort of the inverse of a typical mild hybrid. A plug-in hybrid? Sort of, if you don't mind blurring a few lines.
The question you might be asking now is, "What, then, IS the Volt?" There's an answer for that, but first we need some background.
The "lie"
Sampling the buff book testing, since they got their hands on it early and started the "GM lied" hysterics, the Volt is a family sedan that's capable of real-world mileage in the 30-40 mpg range over a week's period without any recharging. In other words, the first 40 miles aside, the range-extending system delivers performance about on par with real-world results from the Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, Ford Fusion, and other comparable hybrids.
The problem the buff books (and a few online outlets parroting their stance) have with the newly-announced ability of the Volt to supplement power with mechanical energy directly from the on-board 1.4-liter four-cylinder, is that it's no longer purely electric power driving the wheels.
This is a distinction without a difference. You can burn gasoline to spin a generator to charge the batteries to power the electric motors, or you can partially skip the middle man and send some of that gas-generated power straight to the wheels. Either way, gas is burned to turn the wheels.
We've tried to contact the Volt team to clarify whether sending enough power from the range extender to the batteries to enable pure electric highway cruising would have necessitated more expensive circuitry, more elaborate cooling, or other elements that would put the car out of its target cost range, but they're understandably swamped at the moment. We think it's a reasonable assertion, but we'll update you with the official word from GM as soon as we can.
Let's take a look at some of GM's statements that are ostensibly the source of the "lie." Inside Line cites lines like "The Chevrolet Volt is not a hybrid. It is a one-of-akind, all-electrically driven vehicle designed and engineered to operate in all climates." This statement, in light of the ability of the Volt to add direct drive from the onboard engine, isn't strictly speaking, true. But is it a lie? The Volt is all-electric at any speed for the first 40 or so miles. It's all-electric in charge-sustaining mode at speeds below 70 mph. In only one circumstance (speed-limit or higher highway driving) does it augment electric drive with mechanical. And even when the mechancial engine is kicking in some power the wheels are simultaneously being driven by the electric motors. If it's a lie, it's not one of omission, but of addition.
Jalopnik goes on to construct a quotation from Volt chief engineer Andrew Farah with a strictness that would set even Antonin Scalia's teeth on edge. Quoting Farah saying, "you're correct that the electric motor is always powering the wheels, whereas in a typical hybrid vehicle the electric motor and the gasoline engine can power the wheels. The greatest advantage of an extended-range electric vehicle like the Volt is the increased all electric range and the significant total vehicle range combined," Jalopnik responded with "This meant that the gasoline engine was nothing more than a 'range extender' designed to charge the batteries which would allow the electric drivetrain to continue to move the car — and allow GM to claim that the Volt was something different, something new and something worthy of taxpayer dollars. It turns out that's not correct."
Actually, that is still correct. It just does something in addition to Farah's remarks.
What the Volt really is
So what is the Volt? For the first 40 miles (and every 40 miles after that, if you're in the target market sweet spot) it's a pure EV. If you want to treat it as such, it's simply a battery EV with a 40 mile range and a lot of extraneous hardware. Unlike the LEAF or any other number of battery EVs, it won't leave you stranded if you get out too far without an outlet nearby. And unlike any mass-market hybrid, you can simply charge it each night and go about your 40-miles-or-less daily business without ever dipping into the world's diminishing supply of dinosaur juice.
Instead of either the battery-only EVs or the standard/plug-in hybrids, the Volt takes a scene from the heavily-sponsored Transformers movies and becomes an EV that generates its own charge from an on-board generator. Drive it around town, it's still powered purely by the electric motors. It's still an EV, just drawing its power from its own portable grid. Remember--the grid the LEAF and all other EVs pull their power from burns a considerable bit of coal to produce that electricity, too, but you can't put a coal-fired powerplant in the back of a LEAF. Sure, the gasoline engine isn't as efficient or as clean as a powerplant, but now we're talking differences of degree, not of kind.
But imagine now that your Volt has run out of its battery power, and your return trip necessitates some highway driving. Instead of saying "no sir, charge isn't high enough for highway speeds," the system dutifully kicks in and adds a little boost from the combustion engine, allowing you to flow with traffic rather than being an eco-friendly rolling road block. Convenient, confidence-inspiring, and, by the way, something none of those other EVs can do.
Why wait until now to tell us?
So if the Volt's ability to partially drive the wheels through its on-board engine is actually a very useful feature, why did GM hide that fact? The answer lies in patent applications and corporate competitiveness. If GM had laid all its cards on the table at the outset, you can bet Toyota, Honda, Ford, and others would have been hard at work getting a similar concept built before GM could patent the design. The patent acquisition took time--understandable to anyone who knows anything about the patent process. The result? A (relatively) late-in-the-game announcement of the enhanced drive capability.
But GM almost certainly wasn't expecting this sort of negative reaction, particularly from the ostensible enthusiasts at the buff books. In fact, in my interview with Rob Peterson back in June, we touched on this very subject as rumors of a direct-drive solution for the Volt's European cousin, the Ampera, had emerged. He stated only that the Volt would operate purely in electric mode for the first 40 miles, driving at any speed without aid from the combustion engine. As for the possibility of direct drive under other circumstances, Peterson played coy due to the ongoing patent application, but stated clearly that the Volt's powertrain is a "very innovative solution," and that there is "no rush on our part to tip our hand to our competitors." He even said we could expect a good surprise or two as the Volt neared production. We think this is one of them.
Semantic sand castles
Does that mean it's not an all-electric car the rest of the time? No. It just means that in addition to being an all-electric car, it has some hybrid-like capabilities. So Chevy delivers an EV with 340 miles range and adds in a power boost to maintain highway speeds even when the battery is discharged...and the media complains about it? This does not compute.
Put another way, if you drive your LEAF toward the end of its battery range, even if you have a charger waiting at the other end of the road, it'll stick you in a speed-limited "limp home" mode. The Volt's "limp home mode" lets you drive on the freeway at the cost of a little electrical purity. The arbiters of Green Morality may cringe, but at least you'll make it home in time to get the kids to soccer practice.
The "GM lied" fanatics can build their semantic sand castles and kick down GM's own all day long, but at the end of the day, this "lie" means the Volt is more capable than any other vehicle in its class. Is a flashy headline really worth dragging what may be the best EV/hybrid/futuremobile/whatever through the mud over a case of dubitable nomenclature? Apparently, to some, it is.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Google Gets Behind The Wheel With Self-Driving Prius
Google has jumped into the driver's seat. Really.
The Silicon Valley company has revealed some details of a self-driving car project that it's been recently testing out in plain view, on normal streets and highways.
The Google cars have already been tested for about 140,000 miles—with much of that on public roads. Testing even included one 1,000-mile trip with no human input, as well as a trip down a stretch legendary for its steepness and twists, Lombard Street in San Francisco—as well as curvy California Highway One between there and Los Angeles.
And it's legal, says Google. They studied up on California vehicle law and found that as long as the 'driver' in the vehicle can override the systems' errors, they could test it on public roads.
Google claims to have had no accidents yet with the project, except when one car was rear-ended.
Over several decades, a number of automakers and researchers have worked on self-piloted vehicles, though most of these projects have taken place either within a proving ground or test facility, or along a particular test stretch of highway.
Google gave the New York Times a recent demonstration—which began at Google's Mountain View, California, campus and included a merge onto busy freeway traffic, followed by an exit onto city streets with stoplights and crosswalks. The system alerts the human in the car when approaching crosswalks or about to make a turn, but otherwise pilots itself, and can be programmed to be cautious or aggressive.
The project is headed Sebastian Thrun, the director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Google engineer, co-inventor of the company's Street View features, and 2005 winner of the Defense Advance Projects Agency Grand Challenge (DARPA), a robotic-car race.
The Google setup likely makes the test Prius look a bit like a police car from a distance, with a rotating lidar sensor that gets a three-dimensional map of surroundings; a video camera to see moving other moving objects; a position estimator; and several radar sensors.
The company has no clear business plan yet for the technology—a statement that's almost expected for the company, which is known to greenlight projects for inspired scientists and engineers, then find out how to make money from it as a secondary step. So far, the strategy has worked well. According to the New York Times, Google co-founder Larry Page and developer Dr. Thrun share a belief that robotic vehicles could increase safety and reduce energy costs.
As the NYT suggests, there are plenty of legal and ethical questions to be answered before autonomous vehicles might become a reality—such as whether the person in the driver's seat would need to be paying attention at all times, and in the case of an accident, would the occupant or the writer of the software be held accountable if something had gone wrong?
Ultimately, when further developed, the project could be used to help solve distraction issues—perhaps taking control when the driver is sleepy or doing something they shouldn't be doing behind the wheel, like eating, drinking, or texting. And ultimately, it could save lives.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
