Vehicles are doing a better job of protecting people in crashes, but a new crop of advanced technology aims to prevent many crashes from happening altogether. A new study by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) finds that one kind of advanced forward collision avoidance system is working to prevent about a quarter of the common low-speed crashes that happen in everyday commuter traffic.
The study of insurance claims found that Volvo XC60 midsize SUVs outfitted with a standard collision avoidance feature called City Safety are far less likely to be involved in low-speed crashes than comparable vehicles without the system. City Safety is designed to help a driver avoid rear-ending another vehicle in slow-moving, heavy traffic. Claims under property damage liability coverage — the insurance that pays for damage to vehicles that an at-fault driver hits — were filed 27 percent less often for the XC60 than other midsize luxury SUVs.
For more information: www.iihs.org
Kbb.com Offers Advice on Choosing New Cars Predicted to Maintain Value over Five-Year Ownership Period
Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new and used vehicle information, announces the all-new 2012 model-year vehicle winners of its annual Best Resale Value Awards, recognizing current and forthcoming vehicles for their projected retained value throughout the initial five-year ownership period. Since depreciation (or loss of value) is typically a car buyer's primary expense during ownership, these awards, like all of kbb.com's new- and used-vehicle information, are designed to help consumers make more informed car-buying decisions.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/53276-kbb-best-resale-value-awards-2012/
General Motors’ climate control engineers call him The Iceman – a high-tech top gun whose team created a way to make vehicle passengers feel much warmer or cooler than the cabin temperature in which they are seated. The result: more-precise comfort control on the 2012 GMC Terrain.
The Iceman – his real name is Jeff Bozeman – says an instinctive sense of frugality drives him to find ways to make heating and cooling systems more efficient.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53864-gm-bozeman-virtual-hot-cold-comfort-gmc-terrain
LandAirSea Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer and developer of GPS tracking (http://www.landairsea.com/) systems since 1994, is pleased to feature its exclusive, patent-pending ShareSpot (http://www.landairsea.com/gps-tracking-systems/gps-tracking-silvercloud-demo.html) web-based GPS location sharing application.
The shared online mapping window not only shows where the vehicle is, it also shows where it’s going and how fast it’s traveling. This allows the public to conveniently identify where the vehicle is at any time on a web-browser without having to contact the user directly.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54788-landairsea-systems-sharespot-gps-tracking-location
Today, for the first time in the company’s 86-year history, Kelley Blue Book launches a national television advertising campaign in an effort to leverage the brand’s strength and recognition as a vehicle valuation pioneer and leader for new-car shopping and research. Following the introduction of radio ads that began airing in early 2012, Kelley Blue Book now expands its inaugural consumer marketing campaign to include national television advertising, while also unveiling the first official modernization of its widely recognized and trusted seal logo.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/57257-kelley-blue-book-logo-redesign-national-television-advertising-campaign
The latest test drive marks the final chapter in a three year long project which has seen the development of the next step in autonomous driving technology. Since 2009, Volvo Car Corporation has been the driving force behind the EU funded SARTRE project (Safe Road-Trains for the Environment), bringing vehicle platooning technology one step closer to becoming a reality on Europe’s roads.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/56600-volvo-car-corporation
Silvercar, an Austin-based technology company, today opened its service to travelers visiting Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The innovative airport-based rental fleet comprises only one make and model of vehicle: the 2013 Audi A4, in silver. Mobile integration is key to the Silvercar experience, as the entire customer journey can be managed from a smartphone. This means no waiting in lines or at counters — ever — when renting with Silvercar.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/59940-silvercar-mobile-integrated-rental-service-dallas-fort-worth-dfw-airport
Finding yourself stranded in your car due to treacherous conditions like snow, ice, poor visibility and slick roads only to discover you have junk in the trunk, rather than the necessary roadside emergency supplies, can place you and your family in jeopardy.
According to a new survey by State Farm® and KRC Research, more than 60 percent of drivers had some sort of “junk” (non-emergency supplies) in their trunk ranging from extra clothes and shoes to used food or drink containers. While 99 percent of drivers had at least one emergency supply in their vehicle, such as spare tire or jumper cables, a mere nine percent carried all the essential emergency roadside supplies.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/56805-state-farm-survey-few-drivers-keep-emergency-supplies-in-vehicle
Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., have signed a unique three-way agreement to accelerate the commercialization of fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology.
The goal of the collaboration is to jointly develop a common fuel cell electric vehicle system while reducing investment costs associated with the engineering of the technology. Each company will invest equally towards the project. The strategy to maximize design commonality, leverage volume and derive efficiencies through economies of scale will help to launch the world’s first affordable, mass-market FCEVs as early as 2017.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/58680-renault-nissan-daimler-ford-partnership
The 2014 Subaru Forester is the first vehicle to ace every aspect of the challenging small overlap front crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Forester, the only 1 of 13 small SUVs to earn an overall rating of good in the test, and the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, which earns acceptable, are the latest vehicles to qualify for the Institute’s recently inaugurated top honor, TOP SAFETY PICK+. Each of the other 11 SUVs earns either a poor or marginal rating.
Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC (MBFS) today announced it is adding an in-vehicle account management app to its suite of mobile tools for its customers in the United States.
The new app, called My MBFS, will automatically be added to the cloud-based infotainment system on model year 2013 and newer Mercedes-Benz vehicles equipped with the COMAND Navigation and a subscription to mbrace2™ with Mercedes-Benz Apps. My MBFS joins existing apps from Google, Yelp! and Facebook.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/61684-mercedes-benz-financial-services-mobile-technology-with-new-app
AutoTrader.com® is releasing a new app that gives car shoppers and enthusiasts the ability to experience new vehicles online without physically touching a mouse, keyboard, mobile device or computer screen.
Driver’s View by AutoTrader.com is the first automotive app to be released for Leap Motion. The Leap Motion Controller creates a 3-D interaction zone around a user’s computer, allowing actions on the screen to be precisely controlled through natural hand and finger movements in the air. The Driver’s View app gives users a three-dimensional sense of walking around the exterior of a new vehicle and sitting in the driver’s seat, all controlled by a series of simple hand movements in front of their computer screen.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/59578-autotrader-releases-first-automotive-app-for-leap-motion-controller
