General Motors will equip the 2012 GMC Terrain with the industry's first "affordable" crash avoidance system. The system is based on a single camera to help drivers avoid front-end and un-signaled lane departure crashes and will cost $295. A high-resolution digital camera mounted on the windshield ahead of the rearview mirror looks for shapes of vehicles and lane markings.
The competition is heating up as automakers introduce a new generation of voice-recognition and Internet-connected systems. Chrysler, General Motors, Toyota, Hyundai and others have raced to catch up to Ford's Sync voice-recognition system. The challenge is to add features that don't distract drivers.
New vehicle sales rose 10% in September, but the figures were even higher in the various light truck segments, which together captured 54% of the market. The increase was linked to declining fuel prices as well as pent-up demand. Many buyers have waited for the economy to improve but can wait no longer. The average American truck is 10.1 years old.
A new study by the IIHS says SUVs and pickups now pose far less risk to people in cars and minivans than in the past. Much of the change is due to improved crash protection in cars and minivans. Also, newer designs of SUVs and pickups align their front bumpers and other crash protection more along the lines of cars.
GE and Nissan are teaming up to help expedite the adoption of electric vehicles. Officials at GE say they do not plan to build vehicles but want to help Nissan make EVs easier to use and more consumer friendly by bringing millions of EVs onto the grid.