California residents may be surprised to learn that police and private companies are scanning automobile license plates and building huge databases of information about you, where you are going, and the places you stop.
Tag Archives: auto industry
US Suzuki Files For Bankruptcy
California based U.S. Suzuki, announced yesterday that they will stop selling automobiles in the United States as a plan to restructure the business. According to Suzuki, slow sales, low foreign exchange rates and expensive state and federal regulatory requirements Continue reading
Hyundai Drivers Reimbursed For Lemon Gas Mileage
South Korean car maker, Hyundai, will be reimbursing 900,000 vehicle owners for inaccurate mileage estimates on certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles sold in the last two years. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began an investigation and discovered the discrepancy after consumer complaints Continue reading
Lemon Stitching Problem For Mercedes Benz Airbags
Mercedes Benz will be recalling approximately five hundred 2012 E350 and 2012 E550 Coupes for a problem with the right side window curtain airbag. According to Mercedes, improper stitching of the airbag may cause it to not deploy as intended. Continue reading
Wireless Charging For Your Electric Vehicle
Wireless company Evatran will soon be offering Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf owners an option to have wireless charging installed in their vehicles. The company is expected to announce a partnership with SPX Service Solutions, early next year, making them the official charging supplier for the Chevrolet Volt.
NHTSA Warns Of Dangerous Lemon Airbags
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is warning car owners to get their vehicle inspected for potential lemon airbags. This includes any airbags bought online, used vehicles where the owner is unsure if the airbags have been replaced, and any owner who has had their airbags replaced by an independent repair shop not connected to a new car dealership. It is estimated that only 1% of U.S. vehicles may be affected by the problem, but that equals to tens of thousands units. Continue reading
Honda Accord Sub Frame Rusting
The Center for Auto Safety is urging Honda to issue a recall on certain 1999-2002 Honda Accords after an exclusive 5 On Your Side investigation exposed a potential safety issue. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) there have been 11 complaints since 2009 of sub frame rust that have left owners with vehicles that are unsafe to drive. The complaints allege that water from the air conditioning drain hose dips down onto the passenger side sub frame rusting it so badly that the frame can separate from the vehicle. The above video shows that while the passenger side disintegrated from rust, the driver side is often rust free.
A spokesperson for Honda confirmed that the company has also received similar complaints, but said they do not believe the defect warrants a safety bulletin or recall. In 2003 Honda changed the location of the drain hose, but said that the design change is unrelated to the problem. If the investigation should lead to a recall, approximately 1.5 million vehicles could be affected.
Advancements In Auto Headlight Technology
The first automobile headlamp was introduced in the 1880’s. It used burning acetylene or oil because the flame was resistant to wind and rain. By the early 1940’s, the first round sealed beam headlamp was introduced and soon became a requirement for all vehicles sold in the United States. Since then the shape has changed, there has been the invention of replaceable bulb construction, halogen infrared reflective (HIR) lighting, and high intensity discharge (HID) lighting. For most, automobile headlamps did not offer much excitement, Until Now!
In 2004, Lexus introduced the first light emitting diodes (LEDs) headlight. The LED not only offered a fascinating assortments of tiny bright light sources, but can be used for multiple functions, such as parking lamps, brake lamps, and turn signals. This allows automobile manufacturers develop headlights that fit in with the sleek futuristic design of today’s vehicles. They also offer lower power consumption and a longer lifespan.
The biggest innovation to come with LED headlamps is the ability to allow automatic headlamp systems. Automatic headlamps have been available since the mid 1960’s, but until now, have only been offered on luxury models. These systems can optimize the headlight beam to the vehicles steering and suspension, as well as weather, visibility, vehicle speed, and road curvature and contour. The driver no longer needs to activate the correct beam for driving conditions because everything is done automatically, allowing the driver to focus on the road.
LED’s have had a dramatic aesthetic impact on vehicle lighting. They can be arranged in countless configurations and combined with reflectors and filters to produce awe inspiring effects. Because they are now manufactured in large quantities they can be found on both inexpensive and luxury vehicles, and are expected to eventually surpass the use of HID headlamps.
