Windshieldtime
Top picks for commuter vehicles
AAA released its top vehicle picks for commuters, after reviewing hundreds of vehicles. They are: Honda Insight (“ultimate in gasoline fuel economy while being reasonably comfortable for the driver”), Ford Fusion (“an appealing combination of power, riding comfort and handling competence”), Volkswagen Jetta TDI (“everything that you ever hated about diesels has been exorcised”), Hyundai Elantra (“good for 35 miles per gallon,” “reasonably accommodating for a driver”), Subaru Legacy/Outback (“much better fuel economy and enhanced rear seat leg room”), Honda Civic (“affordable, dependable, economical and comfortable”), Chevrolet Malibu (“passenger cabin is nicely finished and roomy”), Honda Accord (“roomy, solid and economical”), and Mazda3 (“crisp handling and above average power for the compact field”).
Porsche is ‘coolest’
Porsche has won three 2010 Brand Image Awards from Kelley Blue Book: Coolest Brand, Best Performance Brand and Best Exterior Design for a Luxury Brand. The awards are based on consumer data collected by the company, which surveys more than 12,000 shoppers a year via its Brand Watch Study on kbb.com.
Let’s hear it for technology
Technology was on full display at the recent New York International Auto Show. For example, consumers can buy 130+ models that achieve 30 MPG or more (highway), according to the show organizers. Other examples of technology transforming the way we drive: stop-start technology, which is said to conserve energy by shutting off the engine whenever the car stops; in-car connectivity, providing entertainment and communications capabilities; Google Earth, available in the Audi A8, meaning that Google Earth imagery and 3D terrain models can be integrated with the database of onboard navigation tools; pedestrian detection with full auto brake, available in the Volvo S60, which warns the drivers of pedestrians who walk into the road in front of the car, and then automatically applies full braking power if the driver does not respond; rear-seat center airbags, available from Toyota; and the Mercedes-Benz ATTENTION ASSIST™, which can detect a driver’s degree of drowsiness and sound an alarm if necessary.
Cell phone usage is distracting. Period.
Cell phone usage while driving is distracting, whether the driver is using a hands-free device or not. A report from the National Safety Council references more than 30 scientific studies and reports describing how using a cell phone – hands-free or handheld – requires the brain to multitask, a process it cannot do safely while driving. The paper describes how drivers who use cell phones have a tendency to “look at” but not “see” up to 50 percent of the information in their driving environment. A form of inattention blindness occurs, which results in drivers having difficulty monitoring their surroundings, seeking and identifying potential hazards, and responding to unexpected situations, according to the National Safety Council. The Council estimates that more than one out of every four motor vehicle crashes involve cell phone use at the time of the crash.
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