With in-car navigation systems becoming more and more common, the dusty, old stereotype of men being unwilling to stop to ask for directions may also extend to women, too. With a good (and easy to use) nav system, now you don’t have to rely on the kindness (and accuracy) of strangers to help you find where you need to go. But not all factory-installed navigation systems are equal and many of them don’t include one of my favorite features: real-time traffic. If a factory navigation system is high on your new car must-have list, you’ll want to check out this article on the best in-car nav systems that feature real-time traffic.

Sarah Fisher and Hillary Clinton have a certain amount in common. They are both groundbreakers, advancing women's position in areas strongly dominated by men. So it wasn't unfitting that Fisher decided to endorse Clinton.

Today the AP reported on Clinton's visit to Fisher's garage at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where Fisher gave Clinton a team helmet and introduced her around. Of course, today is the Indiana Democratic primary, so we'll see if Clinton needs that helmet (crash and burn?) or if she'll be crossing the finish line first.

For photo, see here. For more information on these pioneering women, see Sarah Fisher's Web site or Hillary Clinton's Web site.

(And please, even if you don't like Clinton, restrain your comments to something relevant.)

Drive a smart fortwo in NYC and you can instantly achieve rock star status. Sounds like an advertisement? But it's true. Everywhere I went people gave me the thumbs up for 'driving green', let me pass if I wanted (unheard of in the city), asked me for a ride or asked me where to get one. In other words, I got respect!

Who would ever think that a smart fortwo could garner as much praise as other flashier, more upscale and expensive models I've driven in the city.

All the right ingredients:
It's great looking, eco-conscious, inexpensive and new to the US. And it's tiny-tiny enough to create it's own lane, to park anywhere and skittle between cars like a bicycle. But deceptively enough, the interior is very spacious with cargo space big enough to contain 10 bags of groceries with room to spare! Upfront there's plenty of head and elbow room. My 6' teen was comfortable enough to ask me if I'd buy one for him!

Driving the smart fortwo is a blast:
In the city, the car was so quiet that everyone was asking if it was electric. And it's so nimble that I was able to skirt around pot holes, tuck into half parking spaces and hustle down narrow streets.

The engine:
The 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder engine puts out 70 hp, 33/40 miles to the gallon and was given the ULEV for low exhaust emissions.

When you try to get some juice in automatic the gearing is jumpy  but once you get it up to speed on a highway this guy rocks. I found that driving in manual (with paddles or the shifter)is much smoother and more responsive than in automatic.  If  you're not manual savvy an arrow in the console lets you know which direction to shift.

As safe as a brick:
The smart fortwo was designed by the Mercedes engineer of the S-class, who confirms that this is just as safe. For instance, the metal body is reinforced at strategic points with high-strength steel, the high-seating position gives the passenger and driver advantages in frontal and side impact crashes, the engine and starter battery are housed in impact protection zones. The smart fortwo also comes standard with two head/neck side airbags, a seat occupancy sensor and kneepads, ESP and ABS.

The price:
The smart car comes in three versions; Fortwopure starts at $11,590; Fortwopassioncoupe starts at $13,590 and the Passion cabriolet starts at $16,590.

There has been a lot of Top Gun quoting around the office here lately. “You can be my wingman anytime.” “That’s right, Iceman. I am dangerous.” “Because I was inverted…” It’s at epidemic proportions, really. But I’m not complaining. As a child of the ‘80s, Top Gun quotes are near and dear to my heart. So you’ll have to forgive me for getting all nostalgic again, but that movie brings back yet another car-related memory from my youth. This time, it’s station wagon-related.

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Each year the Automotive News Pace Awards reward innovation in the automotive supply chain.

This year, three of the 12 awards focused on parking and backing up. 

While I have used a lot of the new technology for parking, I have yet to see anything this comprehensive. But, I admit, I feel a bit worried about the future of my teenagers. With all this hi-tech stuff will they be able to park in a pinch, I asked Dr. Bill Sharfman, Director of Judging for the Pace Awards.

 “There is no substitute for learning how to operate your car properly,” he stressed. 
However, he explained that these innovations will lead to a safer, less anxiety provoking and more confident driving experience.

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A few weeks ago, racing and sport seat specialist, Recaro, sent us two of its latest child safety seats to try. While Bryn's toddler has been spending time in the Como Convertible toddler seat, my 45-pound, seven-year-old daughter is the perfect size to road-test Recaro's Vivo high-back booster.

The Vivo, designed for children 3-12 years, 30-100 lbs, retails for $99.99, and provides ultra-thick side bolstering and head protection wings, as well as a height-adjustable back and washable micro-fiber and velveteen cover.

We plan to try the Recaro Vivo in a variety of test cars and monitor its ease of installation, along with comfort commentary from the Peanut Gallery.

It appears Emma is looking forward to the test. Maybe next time she'll actually allow us to install the seat in the car before she hops in.

"I believe that automotive recycling is one of the greenest industries in the world," noted Sandy Blalock, president of the Automotive Recyclers Association tomorrow, at a recent IMPA (International Motor Press Association) meeting in Manhattan.

"Every minute 26 vehicles are recycled in the US," she said.

Actually, I never thought about recycling autos. Jeans, paper, trash-sure...but my big understanding of recycling cars was the junk yards that I've seen in multitudes of scary movies. The dog snarling at the gate, the toothless guy that lives in a hut...you know what I'm talking about.
 
But this is 2008 after all. The auto salvage business that started over 75 years ago, has gotten way a lot more sophisticated. And more ecological.

In a typical recycling plant, inoperative motor vehicles are brought into a facility where the hazardous and recyclable fluids are properly drained. Undamaged parts are then disassembled and cleaned, tested and inventoried for storage until sold. The remaining vehicle hulk is then prepared for scrapping.

Something I never considered is the fact that automotive recycling helps to preserve natural resources and reduce the demand for scarce landfill space. For example, the industry recycles over 4 million motor vehicles annually (in the U.S. and Canada alone), saving an estimated 11 million gallons of oil that would otherwise be used to manufacture new replacement parts.

Some other interesting data:

Recycling vehicles provides enough steel to produce almost 13 million new vehicles.

Automotive recyclers provide wholesale and retail customers quality parts that sell for up to 50% less than the comparable new parts.

Automotive recycling keeps highways and roads clear of abandoned and disabled vehicles by providing a place to deposit them.


And forget that scary movie stuff. Automotive recycling has evolved into an advanced technology-driven industry. Professional recyclers use computer and satellite communication systems for fast inventory assessment and to locate parts across town or across the continent.
   
   

Earth Day is approaching fast (it’s next Tuesday, in case you didn’t already know), and if you’re in the market for a new vehicle, it’s the perfect time to consider buying a car that gets the best fuel economy in its class. (Truthfully, every day is a great time to do this, but I needed a hook, didn’t I?)

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India's Tata Nano is not even for sale yet, but the $2,500 car is already changing the rules on how to develop low-cost vehicles.



When the Tata Nano hit the Geneva auto show this year, the buzz was skeptical. People were predicting that it would be nothing more than a shell on wheels. Not so. The vehicle proved significant enough to give automakers pause for thought.

It looks like Toyota, General Motors, Fiat, Suzuki, Renault and Nissan have jumped on the bandwagon to develop super-low-cost vehicles.

It's what the public wants.

A.T. Kearney consultancy predicts that the global market for vehicles priced below $5,000 will grow to 15.7 million units annually by 2020 from 1.9 million this year, forecasts.

Tata Motors says that it will initially produce 250,000 units a year. However, it is alerting its suppliers to prepare for an eventual 1 million units annually.

How did Tata do it? Their approach is novel and that's why manufacturers are studying the company's methodology.

Tata's focus was on lowering the weight and the cost of parts and production. (But, considering that they are producing it in India, where the cost of labor is cheaper, this was not such a big factor.)

To keep the weight low (580kg) they lightened the engine to two cylinders vs. three to four, they installed only one windshield wiper and they mounted 12-inch tires and wheels that use three lug nuts instead of four or five.

As far as amenities go, keeping it simple means no radio, power steering, power windows or air conditioning. The instrument panel only has the basics-speedometer, odometer and fuel gauge. Oh, and there's no glove box either.

But then again, Tata isn't coming here anytime soon... unless they find a way to pass US emission and safety standards. And that's gonna' add some pounds and some dollars to this lightweight. 

It will be interesting to see what the other manufacturers come up with.

(sourced from Automotive News Europe April 14, 2008)

NHTSA's done a lot of good work under Chief Nicole Nason, about whom we wrote only weeks ago. Here's another new annoucement  that The Driving Woman is applauding: At NHTSA's consumer site, Safercar.gov,  you now can signup for automatic e-mail alerts if the government recalls tires or child safety seats.

This is great news, because so many people miss these recall notices. (More than a few lives would have been saved a few years back if everyone riding on Firestone tires had known about the recall.) According to Consumer Reports, the agency plans to extend the automatic e-mail notification service to passenger-car recalls in the future.

Lest you be concerned about too much spam, there are only about 20 tire recalls and 8 car seat recalls per year, so it's not overwhelming. And you can get the notification via email or RSS feed. So if you don't already know, determine what kind of tires you have and go sign up!