AutoTrader.com Acquires HomeNet Automotive
AutoTrader.com has acquired the assets of HomeNetAutomotive. The deal will help provide benefits to dealers posting vehicles for sale on AutoTrader. In recent months AutoTrader has also acquired vAuto and Kelley Blue Book.
Microhybrids Coming to America
Most American drivers have yet to hear about so-called microhybrids, but they can expect a rapid learning curve. The powertrain solution is common in Europe, where stringent fuel economy and tailpipe emissions laws have long been the norm. Now the first microhybrids are coming to North America. The microhybrid system centers on start-stop technology, which turns off engines at traffic stops.
$5.00 Gas Will Change Buying Habits
Predictions of $5.00 a gallon gas are giving auto dealers pause to reconsider their inventory of SUVs. The days of holding large SUVs in inventory with sure profits are gone. Dealers are cautiously stocking both large and smaller units as consumers teeter between the low gas mileage of the larger vehicles and higher mileage smaller SUVs.
More CA Local Governments Adopting ‘Crash Tax’
Many cash-strapped California local governments are adopting a "crash tax" that may be charged against motorists involved in an accident requiring emergency services. If insurance companies don't pay, officials may use collection agents to seek payment from motorists.
EPA Supports Truck Fuel Efficiency Through SmartWay Program
SmartWay Transport, an EPA and trucking industry partnership with over 2,600 members, was created by the EPA to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions in the trucking industry. Medium-duty fleets have gained little from this partnership relative to class 8 over-the-road haulers, due primarily to the unique design and function of medium-duty trucks as well as their varied driving cycles.
