Los Angeles might seem to be the nation's capital for gridlock, but according to Inrix, a provider of traffic data and information, the City Of Angels doesn't have the worst traffic in the United States.

Inrix says that the city of Honolulu wins that dubious honor, with drivers wasting 58 hours a year on average on congested roads.

The Inrix study shows that drivers in other major cities are still spending a fair number of hours stuck in traffic, too. While Los Angeles ranked a close second to Honolulu, those in San Francisco spent almost 48 additional hours in the car because of traffic.

The news wasn't all bad, though. Inrix says overall congestion was down 30 percent in 2011 from the year before, and notes that of the 100 cities it surveyed, 70 of them logged lower rates of congestion year over year.

These cities had the worst traffic in 2011, according to Inrix, which lists the average hours wasted per driver after each city:

(1)         Honolulu – 58 hours

(2)         Los Angeles – 56 hours

(3)         San Francisco – 48 hours

(4)         New York – 57 hours

(5)         Bridgeport, CT – 42 hours

(6)         Washington, D.C. – 45 hours

(7)         Seattle – 33 hours

(8)         Austin – 30 hours

(9)         Boston -  35 hours

(10)      Chicago – 32.8 hours

The study also finds that, nationally, the worst morning commute occurs on Tuesday, while the worst evening commute is on Friday.

Inrix also says some of the worst traffic corridors in the country include the 405 freeway in Los Angeles, from the 105 to Getty Center; a 16-mile stretch of the Long Island Expressway in New York; and three miles of the Penn Lincoln Parkway in Pittsburgh.

For more information and complete results of the survey, see the Inrix report card and methodology.

General Motors has issued a recall for 2012 models of the Chevrolet Malibu built between October 24, 2011 and March 31, 2012. In all, 4,304 vehicles are affected.

According to a bulletin from the National Highway Safety Administration, the recall stems from a problem with the software that controls the sensing and diagnostic module, or SDM. The SDM controls a variety of things on the Malibu, including how and when airbags and safety restraints are deployed.

NHTSA says that "After an event of hard braking, the sensing and diagnostic module...may reset itself", which could cause problems with the Malibu's safety system. For example, if you're forced to brake and turn aggressively to avoid an accident and the SDM resets, then sees a potential for rollover, it may trigger the roof rail airbag before the rollover has been confirmed.

More worryingly, in some cases a resetting of the SDM could actually prevent it from deploying airbags or activating seatbelt pretensioners in the event of a crash. 

Given the severity of this problem, GM is fast-tracking the Malibu recall. The company says that owners should receive official notice of the recall around June 1. At that time, they'll be able to take their Malibu to a Chevrolet dealer, who will reprogram the SDM, free of charge.

If you have additional questions, we encourage you to contact NHTSA at 888-327-4236 and ask about recall campaign #12V224000.

With Hyundai’s recent announcement that brake throttle override, which it calls brake pedal throttle override capability, is now standard on all 2012 Hyundai models effective with May production, consumers may be curious about what this safety technology is all about, as well as what other automakers have it and why.

In essence, brake-throttle override technology lets drivers control a vehicle’s speed and stop it in case of unintended acceleration. With Hyundai’s system, any brake pedal input by the driver has top priority in all driving situations and overrides any throttle inputs.

The 'why' is fairly straightforward. Brake-throttle override, although called by different names, is an additional “failsafe” safety technology. Beyond that, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that is posted on its website (a 98-page PDF document). The proposed brake-throttle override regulations would go into effect September 1 two years from the date of the final rule.

The NHTSA’s proposed brake-throttle override regulation would set minimum requirements for existing as well as future light brake-throttle override systems. Based on the agency’s experience with them, existing systems will meet the proposed standard without modification. In the event that some systems do require changes to meet the proposed standard, the NHTSA believes those changes would be minimal.

Automakers that have it

Although the safety technology is currently making news, some automakers have offered it for years, while others are just now implementing it, either on select models or across their lineup.

BMW

BMW originated the electronic throttle pedal or “drive-by-wire” system in the 1988 BMW 750iL. By 1994 all BMW products sold in the United States had electronic throttle pedals. Since the very first system in 1988, every BMW Group electronic throttle system (including BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce) has incorporated a brake override feature. The brake override feature is installed on all transmission versions: automatic, manual, sequential manual gearbox (SMG) and dual-clutch transmission (DCT).

See why our editors give the 2012 BMW 3 Series an overall 8.6 (out of 10) rating in this review.

Chrysler

Chrysler implemented brake override with production of the 2003 Ram 1500 with the 5.7-liter HEMI engine. The safety feature has been on all gasoline engines with Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) since that timeframe. The last production vehicle without ETC was the PT Cruiser, which ceased production in 2010.

Here’s how brake override works in all Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Fiat vehicles built in the U.S.: The vehicles are calibrated such that the brake pedal must have been applied after the accelerator pedal to dial back throttle In addition, the duration of the accelerator-pedal application required to trigger this response is approximately two seconds.

Ford

Ford began migrating brake-throttle override, or Brake Over Accelerator (BOA), as the automaker calls it, in 2004 and the first product it appeared on was the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. By the end of calendar year 2010, it was implemented on nearly 100 percent of Ford and Lincoln light-duty models (excluding select low volume vehicles, such as certain trucks with a Cummins diesel engine). Owners of these trucks may not want BOA because they are backing up trailers or putting boats in the water, etc.

Brake Over Accelerator is a Ford-designed system. It is on manual and automatic transmission vehicles and operates the same. BOA is also on Ford hybrid and electric vehicles but operates a little bit differently than conventional powertrain vehicles. The system works the same way but the software calibration is a little different.

The BOA system monitors the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal position. If it senses brake pedal application and accelerator position not changing (for example, the accelerator is stuck or trapped), the electronic throttle is driven closed to idle position by the powertrain control module. As the throttle is driven closed, the brake force acts on the vehicle and it slows down—to a complete stop if the driver continues to apply the brakes.

Ford says that the system acts “very quickly.” When the brake is released, the system resumes normal operations, but the throttle is ramped back to the requested pedal position to allow a controllable acceleration. It also works in reverse.

General Motors

At General Motors, the safety feature is known as “enhanced smart pedal technology,” and will be implemented globally on all its passenger cars with automatic transmissions and electronic throttle control by the end of 2012.

Also known as brake override, the change involves modifying existing electronic controls to reduce power to the engine in cases where the brake and accelerator pedal are being simultaneously depressed.

General Motors says that brake override is an additional safeguard to the braking performance standard GM has had for several years, applicable to all cars, trucks and crossovers, requiring that the brakes can stop the vehicle within a specific distance.

Honda-Acura

Honda announced two years ago that it was committed to applying “Brake Priority Logic” on 100 percent of all Honda and Acura passenger vehicles with automatic transmissions, with the first application coming to market in August of 2010. The vehicle was the all-new hybrid-only subcompact car, the 2011 Honda CR-Z. For the remainder of the 2011 model year, about half of Honda and Acura vehicles had the system. For 2012, the system, which Honda now calls Brake/Throttle Override, is on all Honda and Acura vehicles.

How the system works is explained to buyers in Honda and Acura vehicle owner’s manuals, but here’s a brief summary. The Brake/Throttle Override function applied to Honda and Acura models monitors the electronic throttle control (accelerator pedal) output signal. If that signal becomes static (meaning stuck) AND then the brake pedal is applied, after 0.1 seconds the throttle will be gradually reduced to near idle level over the course of about one-half second.

Ed Miller, Honda spokesman, tells The Car Connection that Honda chose to have a less abrupt throttle system than some other systems in the market. “The one-half second is quite noticeable to the driver, but we judge it to be less unsettling, so the driver can recognize the vehicle is slowing down due to reduction of engine power, but does not confuse the condition with a stalled engine,” said Miller.

Brake/Throttle Override is not applied to vehicles with manual transmissions because Honda believes that clutch is sufficient to allow the driver to decouple the engine power from the driven wheels.

Kia

In addition to Hyundai, corporate sibling Kia also now has brake throttle override technology standard across all model lines. Kia calls its system “smart pedal” technology and the automaker began implementing it 2010 on the 2010 Forte, Optima, Rondo and Sedona and the 2011 Sorento.

See how our editors rate the 2012 Kia Optima in this review.

The smart pedal system monitors and corrects for simultaneous application of both the brake and the accelerator. In such a case, the brakes override accelerator input and revert the engine/RPM to “idle” status. There is no difference in how the system works between manual and automatic transmission-equipped vehicles.

Mazda

When Mazda launched the 2011 Mazda2 subcompact car in the U.S., its press material indicated that this was the first Mazda in the U.S. market to have brake-throttle override technology. All 2012 Mazda vehicles now have brake-throttle override as standard equipment. Mazda doesn’t have any different name for it.

Mazda’s brake-throttle override system works based on a signal from the brake pedal switch. If it detects a conflict where the car’s computer is receiving signals from both the accelerator and the brakes, the brakes take precedence. Brake-throttle override works on all vehicles, regardless of transmission or starting systems.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz started introducing “smart pedal technology” or “brake override system” in its vehicles as early as 2002 in the S600 and CL600. It is now in 100 percent of all Mercedes-Benz and Smart vehicles.

According to Mercedes-Benz, when the brake pedal is pressed and the accelerator pedal remains engaged, the electronic signal propelling the car is interrupted, and the vehicle is automatically slowed to idle.

There is no difference in general function of the smart pedal technology between manual and automatic transmission. Also, how the engine is started or stopped (e.g. key fob or push-button) does not influence the smart pedal technology function.

Check out our comprehensive review of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C Class.

Mitsubishi

The phase-in of Brake Override in Mitsubishi vehicles began in 2010 with the 2011 Outlander Sport and was added as a running change in December 2010 to the rest of the lineup (except Endeavor).  As of the 2012 model year, all Mitsubishi vehicles are equipped with the brake override system as standard equipment, regardless of whether manual, automatic or push-button start.

The Mitsubishi brake override system works by monitoring both the throttle pedal sensor and brake sensor. In the event that both the brake pedal and the throttle pedal are applied at the same time, the system will automatically override the throttle pedal, giving the brake pedal priority.

Nissan-Infiniti

The entire lineup of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles has brake-throttle override systems, something the company first applied to its products in 2002 on the 2002 Infiniti Q45 and implemented across its vehicle portfolio in 2004. It has been a standard feature on every vehicle since that time.

How it works in Nissan and Infiniti vehicles: The system will not allow for the application of the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time. If they are pressed simultaneously, the electronic throttle will be cut instantaneously, once the brakes are applied. There is also an override for the push-button ignition system.

Nissan doesn’t brand the system, as it considers brake-throttle override to be an important safety feature that’s part of a safety suite of technologies working in the background to protect occupants, just like airbags and anti-lock brakes. But it did market the feature briefly in an ad, “Brake on a dime,” last summer that also appeared at the end of an educational video on the safety technology. Click here to see the video.

And, for a look at the redesigned 2013 Nissan Altima, see our review here.

Subaru

Subaru incorporates brake throttle override in its new EyeSight system debuting on the 2013 Legacy and Outback models arriving in dealers this summer. The comprehensive safety system will be available on subsequent models. See more about the 2013 Subaru Outback in this review.

While EyeSight pricing hasn’t been announced yet, Subaru says the system will be one of the most affordable in the U.S. market.

Toyota

Toyota began incorporating brake override in early 2010, and it was standard in all Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles by the end of 2010. In addition, it was retrofitted into all vehicles that were subject to the floor mat interference recalls. (For a recap of the Toyota sticking gas pedal and floor mat recalls, click here.) Toyota was the first full-line automaker to have this safety system standard across all car and truck models.

Toyota calls its system “smart stop technology.” There is no difference in how it works if the vehicle is equipped with push button start. The short version of how it works is this: If the accelerator is depressed beyond a certain low-power point and the brake is then depressed, the engine will return to idle speed as long as the brake is depressed.

Mike Michels, Toyota vice president of communications, tells The Car Connection that smart stop technology “is pretty much unnecessary” on manual transmission cars because the nature of the manual transmission makes the clutch readily available to disengage the engine.

Hybrid vehicles use motor/generators. “They are a motor when the car accelerates, and a generator, slowing the car down, when the car decelerates,” Michels said. “The motor/generator cannot do both at the same time, so in the case of the accelerator pedal being stuck and the driver hitting the brakes, it shuts off the electric motors and gas engine, and defaults to a generator to prevent damage and overload. Essentially, it acts like brake override, making any additional brake override logic unnecessary.”

Michels added that there are certain situations where drivers would want to intentionally use both pedals simultaneously, such as starting from a stop on a steep hill, or rocking the vehicle to get it unstuck from snow. For that reason, if the brake is depressed first (e.g., in order to hold the car on a hill), the engine will respond and the vehicle can be driven from a standstill, assuming the brake is then released.

For a comprehensive look at the 2012 Toyota Camry, check out our review of the mid-size sedan.

Volkswagen-Audi

All Volkswagen and Audi vehicles have had brake-throttle override system since 2002. It applies to manual and automatic transmissions.

Called “smart pedal technology,” the Volkswagen system monitors the application of the vehicle’s throttle (gas pedal) and brakes. If the driver applies the brake pedal while driving with an actuated accelerator pedal, the engine control system returns the engine to idle, disregards gas pedal input, or, in situations where a vehicle’s brakes have not been properly maintained, reduces engine torque, allowing the vehicle to be stopped with its brakes.

Learn more about the 2012 Volkswagen Passat, the German automaker’s first American-made vehicle since 1985, in this review.

Memorial Day means many things to Americans:

• An opportunity to remember those who've died in service of their country.

• A chance to get together with friends and relatives.  

• Cookouts.

• Picnics.

• Box socials. (They still have those, right?)

Thanks to the three-day weekend, Memorial Day is also a great time for road trips. If you're planning one, though, you should know that travel conditions will be slightly different than they were last year. AAA has put together a list of things you ought to expect.

1. Cheaper gas: Back in January, it seemed as if gas would soon hit record levels, but prices have dropped dramatically in recent weeks. The average price for regular unleaded is now $3.68 a gallon -- almost 20 cents lower than it was last year. (That's due to cheaper oil and increased domestic production here in the U.S.) 

2. More traffic, especially near major cities: AAA expects a small uptick in the number of drivers this weekend. In all, 30.7 million folks are expected to undertake road trips in the coming days, which is 400,000 more than last year. Why the jump? There appear to be several reasons:

• Gas is cheaper (see item #1 above)

• Rental cars are also cheaper: Weekend rates for rental cars have dipped about 4% in recent months. As a result, driving has become a more attractive option, even for people who don't have a car of their own.

• Air travel is more expensive: Delta and American recently jacked up fares for domestic flights, which has put mini-vacations to Vegas, D.C., and other locales out of reach for many families.

4. More expensive hotels: The rates at AAA's Three Diamond lodgings are expected to be 8% higher than last year, so plan accordingly -- or impose on family and friends. 

5. Wealthier travelers: Families with household incomes under $50,000 are less likely to hit the road this year -- in fact, only about 26% will do so. Families in the $50,000 to $100,000 bracket will travel less, too. In fact, the only folks who are traveling more are the ones who can afford it: the $100,000-earners. About 36% of them will hit the road this weekend, up 6% from last year. (Note: this fact is a little curious, since gas prices are lower this year.)

If you haven't yet planned your road trip, we've got compiled a handy infographic showing the best (and worst) states for driving. You can find it right over here.

How do you value a brand -- not a company, not a world-renowned CEO, but a brand? Marketing research firm Millward Brown knows, and its recent rankings of international brands puts BMW, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz at the top of the automotive sector.  

Millward Brown starts with quantitative data, looking at how much money brands have made and how much they're likely to make in the future. The firm is careful to strip away distractions related to marketing, product placement, and such to calculate the earnings that can be tied back solely to the brand itself.

Then, the firm looks at things qualitatively, asking consumers to express their feelings about various brands. Do they love them? Hate them? How much? Combine the two, and you've got brand value. (Methodology fans, there's a much fuller explanation here.)

Millward Brown just released the data from its 2012 BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands study (PDF). The tip-top of the chart is dominated by a bunch of likely suspects: Apple, IBM, Google, McDonald's, and Microsoft. But a bit further down the line -- around #23 -- we start seeing automakers. Here's a list of the top ten, with overall rankings in parentheses for those brands that landed in the BrandZ Top 100.

1. BMW (23)

2. Toyota (28)

3. Mercedes-Benz (46)

4. Honda (65)

5. Nissan (81)

6. Volkswagen (96)

7. Ford

8. Audi

9. Hyundai

10. Lexus 

In its comments, Millward Brown gives some interesting perspective on the auto sector as a whole.

As we know, the strength of auto markets varies wildly from country to country. However, consumer demand in the U.S. has been huge, hitting heights not seen since 2006. That's due in part to the increased availability of high-tech, inexpensive vehicles.

In fact, Millward Brown says that's causing problems for luxury automakers. Conveniences once available only in the cushiest of rides are now found on vehicles that cost less than $20,000. Lexus and its ilk are going to have to engage in some major innovation to differentiate themselves from the mass-market pack.

Two other factors at play in the auto sector are fuel-efficiency and Generation Y. The increased importance of the former explains how Toyota has been so quick to recover from the recall fiasco of 2010 and from the natural disasters that curtailed production in 2011. Thanks to the company's Prius lineup, when consumers think of fuel-efficient vehicles, they often think first of Toyota.

And as for Generation Y, Millward Brown believes -- as we've mentioned before -- that those young whippersnappers are forcing automakers to think very differently about the vehicles they make. Millennials are more interested in gadgets than gears, so finding effective, cost-efficient ways to turn 18-to-35 year-olds into car buyers will be key going forward.

If you've got some time to kill this Tuesday, you can peruse the complete 2012 BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands study here.

"I'm not dead yet!"

It's the favored sound bite of legions of Monty Python fans, and it also could be the battle cry for the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, now returning to the U.S. lineup again for the 2013 model year after a second close call with death.

The G-Class is "the founding father of the Mercedes-Benz SUV family," says model line director Axel Harries, explaining that the passenger version of the military Gelaendewagen gives the Mercedes SUV lineup a halo vehicle like Land Rover has with its Defender, or Toyota has with the Land Cruiser.

Updated with new drivetrains and safety features for the 2013 model year, the G-Class now will be in production through at least 2015, Mercedes-Benz confirms--and Harries told TheCarConnection that it's possible the utility vehicle will be around even longer than that, since it now meets all coming requirements for its most important global sales markets.

The G-Class is Mercedes' most rugged SUV. Engineered in the 1970s--by some reports, at the suggestion of the Shah of Iran--the brutish ute has been through relatively few major changes in its almost 35-year life span.

A low-volume niche vehicle, it's also been on the chopping block at least twice. The first close call came in 2005, when Mercedes had decided to replace it with a more passenger-friendly vehicle based on a new architecture, built at a new plant in the U.S. That vehicle would become the Tuscaloosa, Alabama-built GL-Class--but even while that vehicle was being engineered, Mercedes decided to update the G-Class to remain in its lineup as long as it could, upgrading its powertrains to meet stricter emissions requirements in Europe and the United States.

A few years later, the company was faced with the same decision as the G-Class' V-8 powertrains and interior again needed a major refresh. Harries--who had worked at the Tuscaloosa plant during its construction and the M-Class launch, before returning to Germany to work on the Mercedes car portfolio--inherited the G-Class project, with the job to determine whether to refurbish it, or to let it go.

Ultimately the decision was in favor of keeping the slab-sided vehicle that's become an icon. It's plugged away at its extreme duties around the world, serving as a military vehicle around the globe, while it's also become a celebrity favorite in the States, and has even been modified to serve as the "Popemobile," ferrying the Holy Father beneath a specially made bulletproof bubble.

For the 2013 model year, the G-Class earns a round of improvements that should stoke interest anew in some mature markets racked by recession, in Europe and America. Sales haven't waned at all in markets like China or the Middle East, Harries says, with record sales in the final model year of the current generation.

In the U.S. market, the 2013 G-Class goes on sale in August as the G550 with its carryover V-8 powertrain, and as the newly dubbed G63 AMG--which gets a 544-horsepower, twin-turbo V-8 and a seven-speed automatic found in other AMG vehicles. Both versions of the 2013 G-Class get new gauges, a new infotainment LCD screen and connectivity apps, as well as new safety features.

For markets outside the U.S., there's even a G65 AMG edition with the first V-12 engine ever implanted in the Gelaendewagen--an effort that beats long-rumored, long-mothballed BMW and Land Rover V-12s to the showroom.

In this form, the G-Class will be built at a Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria, where it's been assembled for more than 30 years in military and civilian spec. The current deal with Magna Steyr runs through 2015, but now that it's been updated, Harries says it's possible the G-Class could live on beyond 2015--and that if it's up to him, it will.

After all, it's already survived two brushes with death, he points out.

"This car is simply indestructible."

Although many consumers might still be unfamiliar with stop-start technology, once they learn how it works and the potential benefits, a new survey finds that 97 percent of Americans say they’d accept it.

Briefly, stop-start technology automatically shuts off the engine during idle and restarts it when the brake pedal is released or the clutch engaged.

The survey, conducted in a series of eight focus groups in four U.S. cities, was commissioned by Johnson Controls, a leading supplier of automotive batteries.  Most of the respondents said they liked the idea of saving on fuel costs, while 25 percent said stop-start technology “just makes sense.”

How much were consumers surveyed willing to pay for such a system? More than one-third said that for a 5-percent improvement in fuel economy, they’d be willing to pay up to $500.

Vehicles with stop-start

As automakers try to comply with increasingly stringent Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards – 35.5 mpg by 2016 and 54.5 mpg by 2025—the incorporation of start-stop systems in mainstream non-hybrid vehicles is likely to take hold.

Now, annual production is about 3 million, and that’s mostly in the European market. That’s expected to grow to 35 million worldwide by 2025.

Which vehicles are available today with the technology? Originally offered in some luxury models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, stop-start technology will be available on the new 2013 Ford Fusion mid-size sedan and the 2013 Kia Rio subcompact. The 2013 Porsche 911 will also get the technology.

As for the price point of the system in mainstream cars, Auto Start Stop in the 2013 Ford Fusion costs $295 and is available as an option with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine. Fuel economy is projected to be 26 mpg city/37 mpg highway.

In the case of the Kia Rio, the technology was supposed to deploy in late 2012 model year, but has been moved to the 2013 Rio as part of the Eco package. Pricing for the Eco package is $400, but it also requires the $1,150 Convenience package. Fuel economy is 31 mpg city/40 mpg highway, although commuters navigating through highly congested stop-and-go conditions may see 10-percent improvement (compared to Rios without stop-start). Read more about the 2013 Rio in this review.

Progress in technological advancements, easy and instant access to information and entertainment, and a host of other new and better items to make everyone’s life more convenient on-demand: It's all good, right? Who really longs for the good old days anymore—the days when kids played stickball and kick-the-can and jump rope in the streets?

Over the years since most of adult Americans were born, something changed rather dramatically. The streets became an unfriendly place for children, so much so that parents increasingly opted to drive their kids to and from every possible destination.

This may be having a profound effect in how today’s kids not only view their surrounding environment but also how they learn how to function in society.

Sound far-fetched? According to a recent article in The Atlantic Cities, kids who get driven everywhere have difficulty connecting with their neighbors and community. The article goes on to say that these children don’t even know where they’re going, citing work by Bruce Appleyard, the son of urbanist researcher Donald Appleyard, who’s been looking into how children’s constant exposure to traffic affects their perception and understanding of their “home territory.”

Appleyard studied and worked with children in two suburban communities, one with light traffic and infrastructure conducive to the kids walking and biking to school on their own, and the other with heavy traffic where the kids traveled almost exclusively by car. Using a technique called cognitive mapping, Appleyard encouraged the children to draw maps of their neighborhoods, showing places like school and the houses of their friends, as well as marking places they liked or disliked.

Not surprisingly, the results of the study showed dramatic differences between the children’s perspectives. In heavy traffic neighborhoods, the kids expressed feelings of dislike and danger, drawing little detail of their surroundings. In contrast, kids in light traffic neighborhoods drew rich detail, more places they liked, and fewer cars or signs of danger.

What’s the take-away from this? Is there anything that can be done to change our high-traffic neighborhoods and encourage children to once again walk or bike to school? Appleyard points out that there are groups and programs committed to helping communities improve infrastructure and make streets and sidewalks safer for kids.

One such group is Safe Routes to School, which began research on children safely walking and bicycling to school in the early 1970s. The first modern safe routes to school program began in 1997 in the Bronx, New York.

In 2005, Congress passed federal legislation establishing a National Safe Routes to Schools program. The Federal Highway Administration administers the funds to states to use in infrastructure projects and non-infrastructure activities.

What programs such as Safe Routes to School can do is to help communities build sidewalks, pedestrian paths and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, reduce speeds in school zones and neighborhoods, address distracted driving among drivers of all ages, and educate generations on pedestrian and bicycle safety.

With a goal of creating safer and more pedestrian-friendly streets and neighborhoods for our kids, parents and communities can help children begin to view their home turf, at least, as a much more kid-friendly environment. If the research is on point, this small but very important change may give them a boost in learning how to be more functional members of society.

The Mercedes-Benz R-Class, the six- or seven-passenger crossover vehicle spun from the same architecture as the ML-Class and GL-Class SUVs, is officially off the Mercedes-Benz USA docket for the 2013 model year.

The fastback wagon was conceived as a sleeker, lower-riding version of the family of vehicles that are built at Mercedes' U.S. assembly plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. With a flexible interior and an available diesel model, it also had some ironic styling resemblance to another vehicle in the company's distant past--the Chrysler Pacifica, a minivan derivative engineered and put on sale a few years after Chrysler was acquired by Mercedes' parent company Daimler in 1998.

Introduced in 2006, the R-Class never lived up to sales projections, or to the strong sales of the other vehicles that used the same running gear. While the M-Class moved almost 37,000 units in the 2011 model year, the R-Class accounted for only 2,385 sales, off 19 percent from 2010. Even the smaller, German-made GLK crossover bested the R-Class by a wide margin, at more than 24,000 sales.

With sales of the 2012 model trickling to a halt, Mercedes will keep building the vehicle in Alabama. However, if you're eager to buy one, you'll need to look to Canada or China to find one. Sales will continue in those markets, possibly through 2015, until the next major model change at the Tuscaloosa plant.