The Best Car and Automotive Technologies of 2020
Your car may not have gotten the kind of use it usually does this year. Travel restrictions put a lot of wanderlusty road trips on hold for the moment. Meanwhile, folks who had to trek to work increasingly opted to drive over riding public transit. And yet, the auto industry has continued to push technology forward.
When we’re all back into our regularly-scheduled cruising habits again, the vehicles on it will be a little safer, comfier, and even more efficient. This year’s top automotive innovations include a seat built for snoozing as well as upgrades to key safety features that will save lives.
Grand Award Winner: 2021 TLX Passenger Air Bag by Acura In the US, car accidents account for more than 16,000 fatal brain injuries every year, and a portion of those happen in the passenger’s seat. Acura’s 2021 TLX features a uniquely redesigned bag that eases impact on those delicate noggins. While a conventional airbag inflates into a bulbous balloon that heads can easily slip or slide off, the TLX’s offering looks more like a catcher’s mitt.
Read the article at MSN.
Automakers Propose Policy Changes to Speed Self-Driving Vehicle Roll-Out
Major automakers unveiled more than a dozen policy proposals Wednesday they say would make it easier to roll out autonomous vehicles on a large scale in the coming years.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation — which represents most major automakers including General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV — among other things asked federal policymakers to create a new vehicle class for AVs, and asked state policymakers to harmonize their policies to make it easier for automakers to test and deploy AVs across different states.
“We are releasing this policy roadmap now because we are at a critical time in the development of this technology. Companies have invested billions of dollars into the research and development of this technology and those investments are paying off," said John Bozzella, president of the Alliance.
Read the article
Financially Troubled Hertz Announces Plans to Sell Donlen Fleet Leasing Business
Financially-troubled Hertz has announced plans to sell its Donlen fleet leasing and management subsidiary. With adjustments for fleet equity, working capital and assumed debt, Hertz Global expects the deal to bring a purchase price of at least $875 million.
In the news release, Tom Callahan, Donlen's president, said the sale will position the longtime fleet management and leasing business for "continued long-term success."
"Our fleet customers remain our top priority and we look forward to continuing to be a trusted partner providing high levels of customer satisfaction, impactful technology and fleet solutions," he said.
Donlen, based in Illinois, has been named one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in Chicago and in the nation for six years in a row.
Read the article at USA Today.
Biden Posed in his Vintage Corvette, But He Promises a Big Push for EVs
Electric vehicles make up less than 2 percent of the 17 million or so new cars and SUVs sold each year in the United States. President-elect Joe Biden also wants the country to be all-in on electric vehicles. He has pitched them as a way to fight climate change and reinvigorate American manufacturing.
“I believe that we can own the 21st century market again by moving to electric vehicles,” Biden says while gripping the wheel of his 1967 Corvette Sting Ray. In a campaign video that used the rumble of the car’s engine as a soundtrack, Biden grins at the prospect of an electric version with a 200 mph top speed.
The incoming administration’s plans for electric vehicles underscore how its approach to transportation policy will be shaped by the battle against climate change, as it seeks to reshape the sector of the economy responsible for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions.
Read the article at The Washington Post.
Auto Repossessions Likely to Rise in 2021 as COVID-19 Pandemic Goes On
While everyone has felt the impacts of the coronavirus in some way, one group of people might be about to get hit with another bout of bad news. More people will lose their jobs or will in some way suffer economic hardship. That will mean missed debt payments, which translates to a surge in auto repossessions.
Part of the problem moving forward is that government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic are easing up or have already finished. Some states issued temporary repossession halts, but not all of them.
For people who may be facing a vehicle repossession, the FTC has a page of advice. One of the most important suggestions, in addition to getting in touch with your lender: contact your state attorney general and/or your local consumer protection agency to understand the law and your rights where you live.
Read the article at Car and Driver.
