Safety

2011 Hyundai Equus is earns top safety award

Hyundai's flagship model, the 2011 Hyundai Equus, just received a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The $58,000 luxury sedan rated "Good" in all crash protection safety categories including front, side, rollover, and rear.

The Equus features the Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system, which governs the Electronic Stability Control (ESC), the electronic parking brake, smart cruise control, the collision-warning sensor, and the seat belt tensioning system.

Additional safety features include Hyundai's Lane Departure Warning System, nine standard airbags (advanced dual-front airbags, front and rear seat-mounted side-impact airbags, … Read more

LoJacked Honda Accord most stolen, recovered vehicle

In LoJack's annual report of the vehicles most stolen, then recovered, the Honda Accord topped the list for 2010. The Honda Civic got silver, and the Toyota Camry came in with a bronze. The Cadillac Escalade, the most stolen car in the U.S., hits the list in fifth place.

LoJack breaks down its stats further, showing that the 2000 Honda Civic is the most stolen and recovered car, and 1994 through 1997 Accords hold the next four positions. For model years less than 5 years old, the 2007 Camry tops the list, followed by the 2009 Camry, then … Read more

Mercedes issues recall over sticking cruise control

Mercedes voluntarily issued a recall for 2000-2002 M-Class and 2000-2004 M-Class AMG vehicles due to a faulty brake lamp switch that could affect drivers' ability to disengage cruise control.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration investigated Mercedes in September 2010 in response to a driver's complaint about the M-Class's faulty cruise control. The safety organization found that brake lamp switch failures could potentially affect the system under certain braking circumstances.

In some M-class SUVs, drivers can disengage the vehicle cruise control system using the cruise control stalk, or by braking quickly with either significant force or by … Read more

Jetta recall: Honk horn, stall car

Own a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta? Be careful next time you honk your horn at that straggler holding up a green light.

Volkswagen of America today announced a voluntary safety recall affecting its flagship sedans. A wiring issue could cause the car to turn off if the horn is activated, the company said.

Approximately 71,043 Jettas--manufactured from March 2010 through March 2011--are affected by a bizarre issue caused by a fault in the wiring layout, according to VW. The "electrical gremlin" (a popular term in the automotive community) resides in the anti-theft alarm system and horn, which in rare circumstances can short-circuit the converter box that supplies power to the engine, among other components.

No related accidents or injuries have been reported, the automaker said.

As with most vehicle recalls, owners whose VINs fall within the recall range "will be notified via first-class mail regarding the corrective measures and anticipated repair timeline," according to Volkswagen. Concerned owners can also call Volkswagen customer care at 1.800.822.8987.

This isn't the first time the German automaker has been criticized for electrical issues in its eclectic lineup of vehicles. I have a feeling those "honk if you liked your service" signs won't be popping up at Volkswagen dealerships any time soon.

… Read more

Sprint blocks distracted driving on Android

Sprint plans to make it a lot easier for its customers to keep their hands on the steering wheel and off their phones. The mobile operator announced that it will preinstall Drive First, an anti-distracted-driving app, on all Android phones it sells.

Drive First is an Android app that uses GPS technology to calculate the speed at which you are traveling, automatically locking down distracting features when it thinks you are driving. When activated, Drive First directs all calls to voicemail, auto responds to incoming text messages telling the sender that you're unavailable, and blocks all except three mobile applications of your choice, such as music and navigation apps.

An override button lets you turn off Drive First to return the phone's full functionality, useful if you are a passenger. However, override actions are logged so that the account administrator, such as a parent or employer, can see if and when you're talking while driving. When Drive First is activated, you can easily make a 911 emergency call.

Sprint will preload Android devices with Drive First, but subscribers will need to opt in to the service and pay $2 per month per device to use the app. Existing Android phones will be able to download the Drive First app, but details on how much the app will cost won't be available until closer to the product launch date in the third quarter of this year.

Drive First was developed by Location Labs, which also created the DriveSmart Plus app for T-Mobile. However, unlike T-Mobile's offering, Drive Smart gives users easy access to three apps of their choosing. While the developer and carrier are probably expecting users to select navigation and entertainment apps, there's nothing (except common sense) from stopping them from permitting Facebook and Tweet Deck when Drive First is in use. … Read more

Gadget helps Progressive offer insurance discount

With Progressive's Snapshot mileage-based tracking device, not just how many miles you drive but also how you're driving them could affect your insurance rate.

Progressive is the latest automotive insurance provider to promote a voluntary program that lets agencies offer discounted premiums based on mileage. The company recently began promoting the campaign nationally on television, and Snapshot is available in 30 states. The program uses a device that drivers plug into their cars to monitor the time of day that they're driving, the distance they travel, and how hard they're braking. Data is transmitted to Progressive … Read more

Smartphone growth brings Internet to open road

Add e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook to the growing list of distractions that drivers admit to indulging in while behind the wheel--a recent survey found that smartphone owners are using their mobile devices for more than just talking, despite driving laws and common sense.

Insurance giant State Farm conducted a survey of 912 drivers to learn how smartphones were affecting drivers. Of the licensed drivers that owned a smartphone and reported driving at least 1 hour per week, 19 percent admitted using the Internet while on the go. Looking up directions on their phones counted as using the Internet, but drivers … Read more

Mercedes-Benz: Transparent Walls shows possible future of safety

A German advertising agency highlights an innovative idea from Mercedes-Benz in this Web video.

The Mercedes-Benz safety feature, "Pre-Safe," is a collision warning system that anticipates oncoming hazards.

In the ad "Transparent Walls," the Pre-Safe concept plays out more like an art installation piece than a safety feature demonstration. Transparent Walls shows what Pre-Safe would look like as seen through human eyes.

Live video is captured on the onside of a wall and projected around the corner onto another wall--making the wall look transparent. As drivers pass, they can literally see what is coming from behind … Read more

Some states broaden distracted-driving laws, but tech loopholes remain

Apparently lawmakers need to be more specific when it comes to enacting mobile communication and driving laws. Maryland's Senate passed a bill yesterday banning reading text messages while behind the wheel. The state already has a law on the books that makes sending a text message while driving illegal, but it says nothing about reading an incoming text message--until now.

Maryland's new bill closing this loophole is awaiting signature from the governor. And just to be clear, it also applies to reading text message while you're at a stop light and not technically driving. The way the … Read more