J. D. Power: Lexus ES Scores Highest Ever in Dependability Study
Owners see dependability of their three-year-old vehicles improving in 2020, according to the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) with overall vehicle dependability improving 1.5% from 2019.
The study, now in its 31 year, measures the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of their three-year-old vehicles. The Lexus ES is the highest-ranked model with a score of 52 PP100.
The 2020 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 36,555 original owners of 2017 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The study was fielded from July through November 2019.
Read the press release at J.D. Power.
Electric Vehicles Are the Most Anticipated 2020 Cars In 12 States
The Porsche Taycan is something people are craving for in five states: Nevada, Utah, Maryland, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Tesla’s biggest news for 2020, the Model Y, has the most people waiting for it in California, Washington, and Hawaii. In other words, in two states less than the Taycan, despite the vast price difference.
Ford has the Mustang Mach-E creating the most expectation in Rhode Island and Idaho, while Rivian has the most people in line for its R1T electric pickup truck in Delaware and Vermont.
Read the article at MSN.
Vehicle Tech Improvments Include Navigation Images Sharper Than Your Hi-Def TV
A pair of new technologies, augmented reality (AR) and road noise cancellation promise to make driving easier and more pleasant, particularly on long trips.
Augmented reality (AR) lays computer graphics over video of the real world. The goal is to make it easier to find the right turn, know the addresses of buildings you drive past, drop a big red map pin on top of your destination and more.
Road noise cancellation promises to make cabins quieter and more pleasant in the same way noise-cancelling headphones reduce the discomfort of airline travel.
Read the article at Detroit Free Press.
The Worst Cities to Drive In Every State
While driving conditions vary, there is at least one city in every state where driving stands out as especially stressful, time consuming, and dangerous.
To determine the worst cities to drive in, 24/7 Wall St. created an index assessing the safety, cost, and convenience of driving in America’s metropolitan statistical areas. Data came from several sources including National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
I-59 is the most dangerous road in Tuscaloosa, which is the worst city to drive in Alabama. In Wyoming, Cheyenne is the worst city to drive.
Read the article at USA Today.
Trump’s Path to Weaker Fuel Rules May Lead to a Dead End
The New York Times via The World News
Last April, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Andrew Wheeler, proclaimed at an auto show here that he would soon roll back President Barack Obama’s stringent fuel efficiency standards.
That, the administration contends, would unleash the muscle of the American auto industry. It would also virtually wipe away the government’s biggest effort to combat climate change.
Nearly a year later, the rollback is nowhere near complete and may not be ready until this summer — if ever. In January, administration staff members appointed by President Trump sent a draft of the scaled-back fuel economy standards to the White House, but six people familiar with the documents described them as “Swiss cheese,” sprinkled with glaring numerical and spelling errors (such as “Massachusettes”), with 111 sections marked “text forthcoming.”
The cost-benefit analysis showed that consumers would lose more money than they would gain. And, because the new auto pollution rule lacks the detailed technical analyses required by law, the regulations would be unlikely to withstand court challenges.
Read the article at The New York Times via The World News.
