Another Recall From GM

Can you believe it another recall from GM. General Motors is yet again recalling another 8.4 million cars globally model years 1997 to 2014 most of the cars (7.6 million) are being recalled for inadvertent ignition key rotation that is linked to 7 crashes, 8 injuries and 3 deaths. The models linked to the 3 deaths were 2003 and 2004 Impalas.

Apple and Google phone tech for 2015 Hyundai Sonata by year end

The 2015 Hyundai Sonata is going to be the first non-luxury vehicle to feature Apple CarPlay and Google's forthcoming in-car operating system according to Hyundai Motor America's product planning manager, John shon.  Whether you are an Android user or iPhone user we will have you covered, along with Apple CarPlay  and the Google Android navigation system (available by the end of the year on the Sonata)

we will have your connectivity covered.

Apple's CarPlay mimics the iOS mobile operating system and allows users to use some of their iPhones apps directly on the vehicle's operating screen. By plugging the iPhone into the vehicle's USB port users can navigate using Apple Maps, received and make spoken text messages, make phone calls and select music.

Google's in- car version of its mobile operating system was announce today at Google's annual software developer conference in san Francisco. The in-car version includes Google Maps, voice messaging and Google Play Music.

Even though the 2015 Sonata is current on sale now, the system is not available as the system functionality and integration with infotainment interface is still in development, Hyundai says that Sonata's sold prior to the integration of Apple and Google systems and incorporated into the lineup will have these systems added to the vehicle after the release.

Chevrolet Sonic Recall

General  Motors LLC has yet another recall, this time it is for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Manufactured 3/1/2012 to 6/29/2012 with the 6 speed automatic transmission and 1.8L 4 cylinder engine. The reason for the recall is a possibility of the transmission turbine fracturing. If the transmission were to fracture while in second gear the transmission will not upshift to third to sixth gears limiting the speed of the vehicle.  While in third through sixth gear if the fracture were to occur the car will coast until slowing enough to downshift first or second gear increasing the risk of a crash.

Owners will be notified by GM and replacement of the transmission turbine shaft will be replace at no cost to the vehicle owner.

Traff-O-Data was a company that created machines to record the number of vehicles passing a specific point on a road.  This was Bill Gate’s first business.

Toyota Expands Recall for Faulty Air Bags

Toyota called back 1.62 million vehicles outside of Japan that were recalled last year along with 650,000 more in Japan that had not been previously recalled, bringing the number of vehicles recalled to more than 7 million vehicles equipped with Takata air bags. The reason for the recall and call-back is reports of both driver and passenger side air bags not working properly or rupturing. Toyota expanded its recall and call-back because Takata found record keeping errors at a Mexico plant were the potentially faulty air bags were made in 2001 and 2002.

This recent recall has led NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) to open an investigation into vehicles that have Takata air bags. Takata is the number one manufacturer of auto safety equipment in the world. The NHTAS said that other automakers may soon have to issue recalls due to problems with the tracking of potential air bag inflator defects that date back to more than a decade.

In 1972 the average speed driven in Los Angeles was 60 MPH, by 1982 it dropped to 17 MPH. You have to wonder what the average speed is today, I'm thinking the speed is 5 MPH.  What do you think the MPH driven in Los Angeles today is?

BMW i8 plug-in hybrid

Last Thursday BMW began rolling out the i8 plug-in Hybrid which is set to rival Tesla Motors Inc. and is shaking up the luxury market for alternative powertrain vehicles. The head of  sales and marketing for BMW stated "the i8 is a brand shaper". 

Priced at 126,000 euro ($135.000) BMW's most expensive model combines a lightweight carbon-fiber frame with an electric motor making the car more fuel efficient than the Toyota Prius and can accelerate faster than the Porsche 911.

The i8 plug-in Hybrid's main competition will be Tesla's model S priced from 65,700 euros in Germany. A Frankfurt based analyst at Bankhaus Metzler said that Tesla will win over consumers who would normally purchase a BMW because Tesla is expected to be the biggest innovators. In Germany car buyers are already lining up to test drive the U.S. made Tesla Model S Sedan which is the brands only car.

New Study finds Mercedes-Benz and Honda ranked best in Quality and Value

A study by ALG found the top two car manufacture’s ranked best in quality and value are Mercedes and Honda. In luxury brands Mercedes-Benz placed first followed by Lexus, BMW, Porsche, Audi, Maserati, Infiniti and Acura. At the bottom of the luxury list was Alfa Romeo followed by Tesla, Range Rover and Lincoln. In mainstream brands Honda was top followed by Toyota, Volkswagen, Subaru, GMC, Ford, Buick, Mazda and Chevrolet. At the bottom of the mainstream list was Smart.

ALG is the analytics division of TrueCar which forecasts future car and light-truck values. ALG’s study is part of an alliance with Strategic Vision’s New Vehicle Experience Survey, where 30,000 new car buyers participate  and asked to rate how they perceive all brands in the currently in the market.  The study found that a major factor in how they perceive the brands was based on the participant’s familiarity with the brand. This explains why Alfa Romeo ranked the lowest among the luxury brand as the Alfa Romeo has not been sold in the U.S. and Canada for years.

10 Fun Facts About Google's Self-Driving Car

1) It's 100% electric

2)  the car can be summoned by a Smartphone

3) The car has no steering wheel and no pedals, which could be a good thing as it only has two seats.

4) On a full charge the car will have a range of 100 miles

5)  The car uses GPS and satellite navigation systems for the close-up work it uses radar, lasers, and cameras.

6) It is a shared vehicle once your ride is over the car will remind you to gather your belongings before leaving the car as it may be summoned to another rider.

7) The car is considerably safer than vehicles driven by humans and Google is insuring that in the event one of these cars has an accident the damage to the occupant or a pedestrian is involved the damage and harm with be minimal. The car has a foam bumper and a flexible and windscreen. Which should do a better job of absorbing the energy.

8) 25 mph, max the car has a maximum speed of 25 mph which means the car will have to avoid certain roads and no freeways.

9) The car has a smiley face. That was designed on purposed to make it look it had a face. Google indented to make it very "Googley".

10) Google has no plans to manufacture the car, it is just for fun once the technology is ready Google plans to partner with a manufacture.

NHTSA Opens Query Into Chrysler's 2012 Air Bag Recall

Chrysler's Airbag Recall for its Jeep Liberty and Jeep Grand Cherokee in 2012 may be facing a do over. In at least six instances Chrysler failed to fix the problem of inadvertent deployment of air bags in older Grand Cherokees and Jeep Liberty's. This investigation by U.S. regulators includes model year 2002 and 2003 Jeep Liberty SUV's and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV's model year 20002 through 2004. The National Highway Traffic Administration has opened a query into the 2012 recall of these vehicles.