FEMA is announcing a text message-based emergency alert system. This complements the Emergency Alert System currently used on mass media sites to alert the public to danger. Voluntary participation by the phone companies must be activated by April of 2012.
Peter Marks, chairman, president and CEO for Bosch's North and South American operations, said as many as 10% of new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. might have diesel engines by 2015. While much attention has been given to the emergence of hybrid and electric cars, Mr. Marks said diesel is also on track for rapid growth from its current 3% share of North American sales.
Used vehicle prices sold at auction are very hot right now ? probably too much. Tight inventory of new vehicles has been driving bidding frenzy at auctions, especially for fuel-efficient vehicles. Dealers say retail demand for those vehicles has yet to catch up with wholesale, and warn that used-vehicle auction prices could drop sharply.
While President Obama's challenge that one million plug-in electric vehicles make it to American roads by 2015 appeared to some observers as a lofty dream, fleet managers appear to be going even farther than this benchmark within that time frame. A recent report from Pike Research forecasts that by 2015, more than 1.3 million PEVs will be purchased for use in fleet operations.
In talks with dealers, Black Book managing editor Ricky Beggs is getting a sense of "obvious reluctance" in paying higher premiums at auction. Overall wholesale unit prices dipped for the first time since early March. Cars continued to move well, but some truck segments saw significant declines.