Continental has completed development of their second generation Intelligent Headlamp Control system which will appear on a German premium model soon. The mirror-high video camera senses the surroundings and the computer adjusts headlamp illumination typically giving drivers a better view of the road than low beams for improved safety.
The private vehicle-sale market is growing as more people are unable to fix and maintain their vehicles. Many people who do keep their cars are forgoing insurance coverage, and owners of wrecked-yet-drivable vehicles are less likely to get professional body repairs. The final destination for such vehicles that are sold privately is unclear.
Underinflated tires are unsafe, waste fuel and lead to premature tire replacement. Simple, routine pressure checks would save consumers more than having the service performed. The California Air Resources Board has adopted a measure to require shops to check and correct tire inflation of customer vehicles at every visit by July 2010. CARB is urging US EPA to mandate the same nationally.
Disablers will prevent a vehicle from starting if the owners gets behind on payments. More dealers are expanding their financing of used vehicles as credit tightens for many customers. Disablers help encourage customer payments and allow dealers to expand finance opportunities.
According to a recent market study by R.L. Polk, about one-third of those interviewed plan to buy a vehicle within the next year, and two-thirds of them plan to buy used -- creating a state of optimism for the industry reinforced by auction center trends.