A fading push for national regulations governing driving and cellphone use means auto makers are adding more new technologies to their vehicles, and customers love the electronics. Kia Motors' Michael Sprague said, "Consumers are going to continue to drive with phones and all we can do as a manufacturer is to provide what the consumers are asking for and make it as safe as possible." The NHTSA plans to issue results of a study on cognitive distraction caused by the new technologies later this year.
In an alliance with global fuel card provider FleetCor, PHH Arval will now offer a new corporate universal PHH MasterCard, powered by Comdata. The program will be available for Canadian clients and deliver a comprehensive North American fuel program for PHH Arval heavy truck fleets, as well as enhanced coverage in Puerto Rico. Using the card, managers can design a program for their company which includes enhanced fraud prevention and cost reduction features.
Alec Gutierrez, Kelley Blue Book senior market analyst, projects a 3-5 percent spike in used-car values heading into April, but then followed by a leveling off period that will leave used-car values similarly high for the rest of the year and with less volatility than the market experienced in 2011. The situation in Iran, higher gas prices, or another recession, could significantly change the playing field.
A growing number of retailers are installing electric vehicle charging stations in their parking lots so customers can plug in and charge up their vehicles while browsing inside. Retailers see the chargers as a good investment and an opportunity to maintain goodwill with their eco-conscious customers. For now, most are providing electricity for free.
A recent study by the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute found that new vehicles are getting an average 14% better mileage than four years ago. The average mpg for all 2012 light-duty vehicles is 21.5 compared to 18.9 mpg for model year 2008. The typical car sold in 2011 got 22.5 mpg, up from 20.8 mpg as recently as 2008. The study found a drop of 3 mpg for hybrids.