August Car Sales End Summer on a Hot Streak

New car sales continued their strong pace in August, with many automakers experiencing their best month in years. General Motors saw a 22-percent increase compared with a year ago, Ford was up 20 percent, Honda sales were up 27 percent and Toyota saw an increase of 23 percent. Ford says it had its “best retail sales month since August 2006,” while Toyota Division Group Vice President and General Manager Bill Fay says, “August capped a great summer for new vehicle sales, and it was Toyota's best month in more than five years.”
The New York Times says that leases are helping drive sales of new vehicles, thanks to low monthly payments and the fact that leases that are available on a wide range of vehicles, including non-luxury models. “Higher residual values, thanks to a robust used car market, and record low interest rates mean lower monthly payments for buyers with good credit,” The Times writes.
In addition to enticing financing rates, The Associated Press says that consumers simply couldn’t wait any longer to buy a car. “More people are working as the economy improves, and they need cars to commute to their jobs,” the AP reports. “The cars on U.S. roads have reached a record 11.4 years old and need to be replaced.”
Not only are consumers more willing to take on a car payment, but they’re paying more for their new car, truck or SUV. Kelley Blue Book reports that the average price for a new vehicle in August was $31,657, which is up 0.7 percent compared with August 2012. Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book, says, “Chrysler and Honda continue to strengthen their transaction prices from this time last year with strong redesigns among some of their popular models, including RAM 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Honda Accord. Consumers are spending top dollar for some of the latest and greatest models, while other brands are forced to cut prices in order to move vehicles off dealership lots.”
Forbes adds that all-new or redesigned vehicles are drawing shoppers into dealer showrooms. “… carmakers are turning out some of the most appealing, high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles ever, like the Chevrolet Impala, Ford Fusion and Toyota Corolla. That may be the best reason of all to buy a new car.”
Although car sales are up and people are paying more for new vehicles, it’s still possible to find a good deal, but it depends on the model. Alec Gutierrez, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book, suggests shoppers consider older models that haven’t been redesigned in a while. “Forced to discount their aging lineup, Volkswagen has experienced significant drops in transaction prices from this time last year,” Gutierrez says. “Jetta, Passat and Golf are among the most discounted models, and car shoppers are certainly benefitting from the brand's lack of fresh new product.” 

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Best New Car Deals in August

As automakers look to clear their lots of 2013 model year vehicles to make room for the 2014 models, they’ve added significant discounts to many vehicles. This month, there are many interest-free financing deals, cash back rebates and great lease deals on new vehicles, including both 2013 and 2014 models. Some lease deals don’t require a down payment, and there are low monthly lease payments available on a number of vehicles as well.
Purchase Deals
General Motors is offering low-interest financing deals on many of its vehicles, including Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles. For buyers who prefer to bring their own financing, GM is also offering a number of cash-back deals. For example, affordable midsize SUVs like the 2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia are available with either no-interest financing for five years or $1,500 cash back. Chevrolet is offering up to $5,000 cash back on the plug-in electric hybrid 2013 Volt.
Other automakers are offering great purchase deals as well. Mazda is offering the 2013 Mazda3 with no-interest financing for five years in addition to $500 or $1,000 cash back, depending on where you live, or just $1,500 cash back without financing. Volkswagen is offering five years of no-interest financing on all of its 2013 models. Subaru is also offering no-interest financing on some of its 2013 models, including the Tribeca, Forester and Outback.
Lease Deals
Nissan is offering a good lease deal on the 2013 Altima, which is available for $199 per month for three years with $1,999 due at signing in most regions. Or if you’d prefer something a bit smaller, you can lease the 2013 Sentra for $159 a month for three years months with $2,399 due at signing. If you’re looking for something with a lower down payment, you can lease the 2014 Kia Forte for $179 a month for three years with $1,999 due at signing. If you like the redesigned 2014 GMC Sierra 1500, you can lease one for $399 a month for three years with $2,509 due at signing.
There are a number of leases that don’t require a down payment at all. Keep in mind that the monthly payment on these models is typically higher than comparable models that do have a down payment. The 2013 Honda CR-V can be leased for $300 a month for three years months with no down payment, as well as no first-month’s payment, so you’re only paying for 35 months. Honda is offering a similar deal on the 2013 Accord, which can be leased for $280 a month for three years with no first month’s payment. Kia is offering the 2013 Soul with for $219 a month for three years with no down payment.

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Why Don't Teens Want a Driver's License?

In a recent study, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that just 44 percent of teenagers get a driver’s license within one year of reaching the eligible age to do so. The study also found that 54 percent of all teens have a driver’s license by their 18th birthday. AAA says in a press release that these recent findings contrast with 20 years ago, when more than two-thirds of individuals had a driver’s license by the age of 18.
AAA says that safety experts find these statistics troubling, as “young adult drivers are missing the benefits intended by graduated drivers licensing (GDL).”  According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, GDL is a way to gradually introduce driving to newly-licensed individuals; GDL typically starts with a restricted learner’s permit, and then a limited license that restricts the newly-licensed driver from driving after dark or with peers.
AAA Director of State Relations Justin McNaull says the benefit of teens getting a driver’s license before 18 allows novice drivers to gain experience driving under parental supervision and in generally lower-risk situations.
According to the press release, the AAA Foundation found in past studies “that states with comprehensive GDL systems have experienced a 38 percent decrease in fatal crashes involving 16 year-olds and a 40 percent reduction in injury crashes.”
Further research shows that despite the drop in teenagers getting driver's licenses, teenage driving fatalities are on the rise. The Washington Post cites data from the Governors Highway Safety Administration, which found a rise of 197 percent in highway fatalities among 16- and 17-year-olds in the first half of 2012.
According to the study, the following primary reasons were cited as reasons for teens putting off licensure: not having a car, not needing to drive to get around, gas being too expensive, driving being too expensive or simply not getting around to it. The study also found that teens in low-income households were less likely to get a license than their counterparts in households with an income of $100,000 or more, and that more non-Hispanic white teens are more likely to get a license than non-Hispanic black or Hispanic teens.

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New-Car Sales Continue Strong Pace in July

Sales of the Ford Fiesta are up 89 percent compared with last July. (Ford Motor Company)

On your way into work today, you may have seen more temporary tags on the cars around you than you normally do. That’s because more consumers are buying new cars. July new-car sales are expected to reach their highest levels since 2006, according to Edmunds.com.
“July car sales suggest that shoppers are willing to make their car purchases a priority over other goods,” says Edmunds.com Sr. Analyst Michelle Krebs. “That's because low interest rates and a wider availability of leasing deals are making new cars much more attractive to the average buyer.”
Many automakers offered attractive lease deals in July, including leases with no down payment and leases with low monthly payments. Even luxury brands had some tempting lease offers in July. For new car purchasers, zero-percent financing was also not difficult to find last month, as several carmakers promoted interest-free financing, especially on outgoing 2013 vehicles. Some car companies also offered low interest rates of generally less than 3 percent or up to thousands in cash incentives.
There are other factors that are boosting new-car sales, in addition to enticing automaker incentives. Reuters attributes the strong new-car sales in part to “an improving housing market that has boosted demand for full-size pickup trucks.” Reuters adds, “Monthly [car] sales are regarded as an early indicator of the U.S. economy's health. The industry has held up better than the broader economy because of easier access to credit and consumers' need to replace aging vehicles, which now average more than 11 years.”
High car sales could make it more difficult to negotiate a lower price on a new vehicle, but some analysts say that automakers will likely still offer good deals right now. Kristen Andersson, analyst for TrueCar.com, says in a statement, “Incentives are up almost eight percent in July as the summer sell-down season begins, dealers have more vehicles to clear out from lots than last year.” So if you’re planning to buy a new vehicle, buy soon, as deals may dry up in the coming months.

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Mercedes Tops List of Stolen Luxury Vehicles

You may not be the only one eyeing your neighbor’s Mercedes, as a new report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau indicates that car thieves prefer Mercedes-Benz to other luxury brands. NICB says that the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, E-Class and S-Class are all among the top 10 stolen luxury vehicles. The report found that 4,384 luxury cars from the 2010-12 model years were stolen between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2012.
Of the models analyzed, the Mercedes C-Class had the most thefts reported, followed by the BMW 3-Series, Infiniti G, E-Class and Cadillac CTS. The BMW 5-Series, Lincoln MKZ, Acura TSX, Lexus IS and S-Class round out the list of the top 10 most stolen luxury cars. The Detroit News points out that Mercedes-Benz sells more C-Class coupes and sedans than any other model. The automaker sold 7,639 C-Class models in June. In comparison, BMW sold 10,957 3-Series models, while Infiniti and Cadillac sold 4,730 G37 and 2,416 CTS models, respectively. “Mercedes has been around forever,” says Frank Scafidi, spokesman for NICB, in a phone interview with The Detroit News. “It’s really the car. They sell a lot of them.”
Certain areas of the country are also more prone to luxury vehicle thefts. NICB reports that the New York City area (including northern New Jersey and Long Island) had the most thefts with 806 incidents reported. Los Angeles and Miami came in second and third, with 491 and 452 thefts, respectively. Detroit, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago and San Diego follow as the metropolitan areas with the highest rates of luxury vehicle thefts.
Of the 4,384 vehicles stolen, NICB reports that almost 84 percent were recovered, which leaves 713 luxury cars that were never found. Kicking Tires writes, “Least-recovered among those was the Infiniti G series (83 unrecovered), followed by the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (80) and C-Class (78).”
While NICB says that status and high prices make luxury cars susceptible to theft, a recent report by the Highway Loss Data Loss Institute indicates that other vehicles have a higher incidence of insurance theft claims. HLDI finds that the Ford F-250 has more theft claims than any other vehicle, with six times the average rate for all vehicles. Vehicles with the lowest claims include the Dodge Journey, Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi A4 and Acura RDX.

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Could Hackers Take Over Your Car?

Cars are offering more and more features to keep drivers and passengers connected while they're on the road. While most drivers appreciate being able to make calls, choose their own entertainment or get social media alerts on the road, all that connectivity has a downside. The more connected a car is, the more vulnerable it could be to computer hacking.
Chris Valasek and Charlie Miller received an $80,000 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) grant to explore just what hacklers could do if they gained control of a car. Using a Ford Escape and Toyota Prius, the pair demonstrated for Forbes what their hacks could do to a car, including causing brake failure, blasting the horn and even turning the wheel.

While that sounds terrifying, in order to do it, Valasek and Miller had to physically connect their computers to the cars. NPR reports that while both Ford and Toyota take the research seriously, the companies point out that most people would notice if a hacker wired a computer to their car. However, other researchers have been able to enter a car's computer system remotely.
The New York Times reported in March 2011 that researchers from the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego, had gained remote access to various car systems. Though the team didn't show they could wreak the kind of havoc Valasek and Miller did, the Times writes, "Because many of today’s cars contain cellular connections and Bluetooth wireless technology, it is possible for a hacker, working from a remote location, to take control of various features — like the car locks and brakes — as well as to track the vehicle’s location, eavesdrop on its cabin and steal vehicle data, the researchers said. They described a range of potential compromises of car security and safety."
Even though researchers have shown that they can gain access to cars, the odds of tonight's commute turning into hacker-orchestrated chaos are low. Jalopnik points out that hacking more than one car at once is a much taller order than just taking control of one.

The Toyota Prius (Toyota Motor Corporation)

NPR explains, "It's unlikely, however, that malicious hackers will take advantage of these attacks any time soon. All cars don't all use one operating system and they don't all speak one single language. So before a hacker can take control, he or she has to learn the specific code that runs the systems for that specific car."
If you're concerned about someone hacking your car, you can avoid it by driving an older car with limited electronic systems. Of course, that means giving up features like antilock brakes, air bags, stability control and traction control. All of those features have been proven to lower the risk of being in an accident, while the real-world risk of being hacked hasn't been fully proven yet.

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High-Tech Car Seat Keeps Parents and Kids Connected

Parents who worry about installing their child's car seat correctly, accidentally leaving their child in the car, or their child becoming unbuckled while the car is moving have a new, high-tech ally. The TOMY International First Years True Fit IAlert Convertible Car Seat syncs with a parent's smartphone to provide feedback on installation and lets the parent know if the child is in the seat or not.

In a press release, TOMY says, "Each year, thousands of infants and children are killed or injured in motor vehicles, many of those fatalities as a result of an improperly installed car seat or a child who is improperly restrained while the vehicle is in motion." So far this year, 23 children have died as a result of being left in hot cars. The TOMY car seat seeks to help parents use car seats properly to protect their kids.
Janette Fennell, the founder and president of Kids and Cars, a safety advocacy group, told The New York Times, “When we’re dealing with a situation where our brains and our memory can let us down at the most inopportune time, technology can help."
The IAlert car seat can be used as a rear-facing infant seat or a forward-facing toddler seat. It fits children from 5 to 65 pounds. The app that links the seat to a parent's phone is available on iPhone and Android devices. Kelly Blue Book explains, "The advisory process for this innovative child seat starts with it verifying the recommended angle orientation when being installed in the rear-facing position, which is followed by a reminder to properly buckle up all restraints. It also delivers immediate audible and visual warning alerts if a child exits the seat while the vehicle is moving or is left unattended when the car is stopped. Finally, the synched IAlert seat constantly displays ambient temperature in the rear quarters to help prevent heatstroke -- which currently is the leading cause of non-crash-related infant car deaths - or other types of heat-induced issues."
Right now, Amazon.com is the only retailer that has the IAlert car seat. It costs $349.99.

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GM Promises To Make More Vehicles That Get 40 MPG By 2017

Eight General Motors models will get 40 mpg or higher by 2017, according to a GM press release regarding the 2012 Sustainability Report. The company plans on doubling the amount of vehicles that receive those ratings by 2017 along with other objectives including increasing the number of electrified vehicles out on the road and decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from its vehicles.
Dan Akerson, chairman and CEO of General Motors, says, “Our long-term approach to sustainability enables us to increase efficiency and reimagine personal mobility to best meet customer needs and lifestyles.”
The Detroit News reports that, “Automakers are under increasing pressure to meet U.S. corporate average fuel economy fleet standards of 35.5 mpg by model year 2016, and 54.5 mpg by model year 2025.”
Right now, the Chevrolet Cruze Eco, Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel, Sonic and Volt achieve 40 mpg or higher. Edmunds notes that “the soon-to-launch 2014 Spark EV and the upcoming Cadillac ELR also will handily top that benchmark freeway figure.”
Another objective in GM's 2012 Sustainability Report is to increase the amount of GM electrified vehicles in the United States. GM told The Detroit News that in 2012 it sold 179,801 vehicles powered somewhat by electricity and 48,108 in 2011.
In their press release, General Motors says it plans to “put 500,000 vehicles on the road in the U.S. with some form of electrification by 2017.” GM vehicles that currently have some form of electrification are the Chevrolet Volt, Chevrolet Spark EV, Buick LaCrosse with eAssist, Buick Regal with eAssist, Chevrolet Malibu with eAssist and Chevrolet Impala with eAssist.
By 2016, the company would like to reduce CO2 emissions in their U.S. vehicles by 15 percent. GM says “[It] bases its sustainability priorities on an assessment of the most pressing global economic, environmental and social issues facing the company’s customers and the communities where GM does business.” GM added that key stakeholders, internal and external, believed fuel efficiency, electrification and reducing CO2 emissions are some of the top areas of improvement for General Motors.

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The Best New Car Deals in July

The 2013 Honda Accord can be leased for $280 a month for three years with $0 down. (American Honda Motor Co.)

Even though the big Fourth of July car sales events are over, there are still plenty of great car deals that can help you save money this month. If you plan on financing your new car, we found many interest-free offers, low interest rates and thousands of dollars in cash back rebates. If you’d rather lease your new car, there are many options, including lease deals that don’t require a down payment and leases with low monthly payments when you make a down payment. New car sales were strong in June, and automakers are trying to keep the sales momentum going with these incentives.
Lease Deals
If you’d rather not make a down payment when you lease a new car, there are quite a few $0 down lease deals available this July. Keep in mind that these lease offers generally have higher monthly payments. No money down leases can be found at Honda, Acura and Mazda dealerships this month. The 2013 Honda Accord is available for $280 a month for three years, and the 2013 CR-V can be leased for $300 a month, also for three years. The three-row 2013 Mazda CX-9 is available this July for $319 a month for three years in many areas of the country, and the 2014 Mazda6 has a three-year lease for $269 a month in most areas. Acura, Honda’s luxury brand, is offering the new 2014 RLX for $600 a month for three years, and the 2013 MDX for $500 a month for three years.
Check out July lease offers from Nissan, Kia, Volkswagen, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, Toyota, Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Scion and Subaru if you want a lease deal with low monthly payments. These brands have lease offers with payments ranging from about $100 to $300 a month when you put several thousand dollars down. For example, the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze can be leased for $149 a month for three years with $2,129 due at signing. The 2013 Volkswagen Passat is available for $199 a month for three years with a $2,349 down payment. The 2013 Hyundai Elantra can be leased for $159 a month for three years with $2,199 due at signing.
Purchase Deals
Take a look at the car deals from Toyota, Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Mazda if you’re looking to finance your new vehicle with a low- or no-interest car loan, or are searching for cash rebates. The 2013 GMC Terrain can be purchased with zero percent financing for four years this July. The 2013 Chevrolet Volt has $4,000 in cash incentives right now, and the 2013 Impala is available with either zero percent financing for six years or $4,000 cash back. Truck shoppers can save money on the 2013 Toyota Tundra by taking advantage of zero percent financing combined with $500 to $1,000 financing cash, or $2,750 cash.

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Car Thieves Love the Ford F-250

If you own a Cadillac Escalade, you can breathe a little easier. After years of being the vehicle with the most insurance theft claims, the luxury large SUV is no longer the preferred target of car thieves. According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, the Ford F-250 is now the vehicle most likely to be involved in car insurance theft claims. In fact, the HLDI reports that the F-250 has theft claims at a rate that's six times the average rate for all vehicles.

The Ford F-250 (Ford Motor Company)

Large pickup trucks and SUVs are still the favorite targets of car thieves, but the HLDI reports that, overall, the rate of vehicle thefts is declining. The institute credits ignition immobilizers, which are standard on 89 percent of 2012 model-year vehicles, for the drop. "Fewer pickups than cars or SUVs have the feature as standard, which may help explain the higher theft rates for pickups," says the HLDI.
The HLDI compiles its list of most-stolen vehicles from insurance claims on vehicles from the past three model years and notes, "Many pickup claims result from the theft of equipment from the truck bed, and that may be the case with some of the F-250 claims. HLDI's data don't distinguish theft of vehicle contents or components from theft of a whole vehicle."
According to the HLDI, vehicles with the highest insurance theft claims include the Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Avalanche, GMC Sierra and Ford F-350. Vehicles with the lowest claims include the Dodge Journey, Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi A4 and Acura RDX.
To prevent vehicle theft, it's always a good idea to park in a well-lit, highly visible area. If your car didn't come standard with an ignition immobilizer, which prevents thieves from hot-wiring a car, you can have one installed. When you leave your car, make sure valuables are secured out of sight. If you drive a pickup, a lockable tool box, tonneau cover or bed cap can keep your gear safer.

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Study: Women Are Better At Negotiating Auto Repair Costs Than Men

(Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.)

A study conducted by Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and AutoMD.com, an auto repair website, shows women who don’t seem to know average repair costs will pay more for their vehicle to get serviced than males. However, the study also finds that repair shops are more likely to negotiate with women.
For the study, researchers got male and female volunteers to call auto repair shops to receive quotes on how much it would cost to replace the radiator in a 2003 Toyota Camry. When calling, the volunteers stated that they knew the average price for the repair ($365), said that they expected to pay an inflated price ($510), or stated that they were clueless as to what the repair may cost.
In the end, men who didn’t know the average price of the repair or who said the average price is $365 received the same quote. Those men and women who didn’t have any idea what to the repair should cost were quoted higher prices. Women who knew the average rate were quoted prices similar to what men were quoted, but they received higher quotes than men if they stated the higher price or said they didn't know what the repair should cost.
When both genders tried to negotiate, most auto repair shops weren’t willing to change their prices. However, the researchers found that women were able to negotiate 35 percent of the time, while men were only able to negotiate 25 percent of the time.
The study suggests that you should do your research before getting quotes from auto repair shops. In addition, women should make sure they appear knowledge able about what the repair should cost. For men, researchers said it’s a little easier to get a better price, but they added that men should not hint that they aren’t knowledgeable about repair costs.
You can find the average price for various car repairs in your area by clicking the "Repairs" tab from any of our car reviews.  We have reviews of most cars going back to 2007, so finding repair costs for your car should be easy.

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More Than 650,000 Chrysler Vehicles Recalled

2013 Chrysler 200 (Chrysler Group)

In two separate press releases on Wednesday, Chrysler Group announced that they will be recalling more than 650,000 vehicles in the U.S.

Chrysler Group says one recall affects about 442,000 of the following U.S. models: 2011-2013 Chrysler Sebring, Chrysler 200, Dodge Avenger, Jeep Liberty and 2011-2012 Dodge Nitro. The problem, according to Chrysler, is possible “faulty microcontrollers” that could negatively impact the performance of active head restraints during a crash. Active head restraints are designed to help protect passengers from neck injuries when the vehicle is struck from behind.

Chrysler adds that the microcontrollers “entered the supply chain after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan caused a worldwide microcontroller shortage.” The supplier of this part has not been identified.

For those vehicles affected, Chrysler will notify their owners and Chrysler dealerships will replace the microcontroller or upgrade the software free of charge.

The second recall affects 224,000 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country and Ram Cargo Van models, and is due to a software problem that deploys side airbags on the unaffected side of the vehicle in a side impact.

Chrysler says that after receiving a customer complaint, they investigated the problem and found that, in a collision, the airbag from the side of the car opposite the collision deploys. Only the side affected by the crash is supposed to be deployed. Chrysler adds that the airbags in the steering wheel and dashboard are not affected.

Chrysler will update the airbag-control software to correct this problem.

Owners of vehicles with either of these recalls can call Chrysler Group at 1-800-853-1403 for more information.

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Diesel Vehicles are Less Expensive to Own

2013 Volkswagen Golf TDI (Volkswagen of America)

Although they often cost more up front, a new study indicates that diesel-powered cars, trucks and SUVs have lower ownership costs in the long run. In a press release, dieselforum.org says that diesel models cost $2,000 to $6,000 less to own over three to five years than comparable gas-powered vehicles. The study was conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute for Robert Bosch LLC, which makes automotive parts for diesel- and gasoline-powered vehicles.
Diesel cars typically earn better fuel economy ratings than their gas-powered counterparts, but other variables are also at play when it comes to lower ownership costs. Autoblog writes, “The savings stem not just from improved fuel efficiency but also overall fuel costs and better retention of value, and take into account the added purchase price of a diesel engine over its gasoline counterpart.
The study finds that diesel-powered versions of small cars like the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta save their owners $5,013 and $3,128, respectively over the course of three years. Additionally, the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen costs $3,389 less to own when equipped with a diesel engine.
The savings also translate to luxury cars and SUVs. Diesel versions of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and M-Class save their owners $4,175 and $3,063, respectively, while the diesel-powered Mercedes R-Class costs $5,951 less to own. The diesel-powered Volkswagen Touareg and Mercedes GL-Class offer even bigger savings, with ownership costs that are $7,819 and $13,514 lower, in that order.
Some automotive journalists think that lower ownership costs will bolster consumer demand for diesel vehicles. The Los Angeles Times reports that the diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta is “the third-most-considered vehicle by people shopping for alternative-fuel cars,” according to analysts at Edmunds.

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Ford F-150 is Most American-Made Vehicle

(Ford Motor Company)

The Ford F-150 took the top spot away from the four-year champ, the Toyota Camry, on Cars.com’s 2013 American-Made Index. Cars.com ranks models by analyzing the percent of domestic parts used in the vehicle, where the final assembly of the vehicle takes place and the vehicle’s sales numbers.
Patrick Olsen, editor-in-chief at Cars.com, says in a statement that this isn’t the first time the F-150 has topped the list, as it was first place from 2006 to 2008 before losing out to the Camry, which took second place this year. He adds, “Ford’s top ranking this year is a good indicator of how pickup trucks are dominating auto sales so far in 2013, and how the domestic automakers are bouncing back. While the assembly point and domestic parts content of the F-150 didn’t change from 2012-2013, vehicle sales are responsible for bumping the F-150 to the top spot.”
Bloomberg says that the F-Series is experiencing the largest growth in U.S. sales so far this year. Sales through the end of May are up 22 percent from last year.
The F-150 has 75 percent of its parts made in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Overall, there are only 14 vehicles on NHTSA’s 2013 American Automobile Labeling Act Report that are assembled in the U.S. and have at least 75 percent of their parts made in the U.S. or Canada compared to 20 in 2012.
Even though the F-150 beat out the Camry this year, Toyota still has more vehicles on Cars.com’s list than any other automaker. The Toyota Sienna ranks fifth, the Toyota Tundra is seventh and the Toyota Avalon is 10th.

2013 Rank	Make/Model	Rank in 2012
1.	Ford F-150	2
2.	Toyota Camry	1
3.	Dodge Avenger	N/A
4.	Honda Odyssey	N/A
5.	Toyota Sienna	4
6.	Chevrolet Traverse	6
7.	Toyota Tundra	7
8.	GMC Acadia	9
9.	Buick Enclave	10
10.	Toyota Avalon	N/A

Olsen notes that purchasing an American-made vehicle isn’t a priority for every vehicle buyer out there, but he says it’s important for consumers to know that buying an American-made vehicle isn’t limited to buying only a Ford, Chrysler Group or General Motors vehicle.

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Federal Government Delays Rule for Mandatory Back-Up Camera in New Vehicles

(General Motors)

A possible requirement for automakers to put standard back-up cameras in all their new vehicles has been delayed again. This time, the deadline for the federal government to determine the requirements will be pushed back to 2015. According to Bloomberg, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood sent a letter to Congress last Thursday informing members of this decision. Congress originally passed a law back in 2007 for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to come up with requirements on how to increase rear visibility in vehicles. However, the final requirements have been delayed several times.
In the letter to Congress, Bloomberg says LaHood mentions that the cost for every life saved by having the back-up cameras could be as high as $18 million, and adds that they need to investigate the cost further before making a final decision on the requirement.
[Related: Lawmakers, Advocates Push to Make Back Up Cameras Standard]
In the meantime, The Detroit News says, “the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to encourage automakers to add the cameras by proposing to disclose which cars have the cameras in the government’s New Car Assessment Program.” The distinction will be made by adding a “Recommended Advanced Technology Feature” label on those vehicles on a government website. While NHTSA says making rearview cameras mandatory is not cost-effective, the agency found that back over crashes result in up to 7,419 injuries per year. While most of the incidents are minor, there are still about 183 fatalities a year.
Although the deadline to finalize the rule has been pushed back until 2015, automakers likely won’t be required to install back-up cameras in all their new models for at least another 18 months after that. As of now, it looks like the rule, if finalized, won’t take effect until the 2017 model year.

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Up to 1.56 Million Jeep Owners Will Get Free Trailer Hitches

2007 Jeep Liberty (Chrysler Group LLC)

Chrysler Group has agreed to honor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s request to recall Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty SUVs, but only after NHTSA cut the number of affected Jeeps from 2.7 million to 1.56 million. The automaker says in a blog post that it “will conduct a voluntary safety recall of 1.56 million 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-07 Jeep Liberty vehicles for supplemental improvement in low-speed crashes.” The fix? A trailer hitch assembly, which Chrysler says will “better manage crash forces in low-speed impacts.”
[RELATED: Chrysler Has Limited Time to Respond to NHTSA Recall Request]
Grand Cherokee and Liberty SUVs that already have trailer hitches will be inspected and the hitch will be replaced if necessary, but Chrysler says that Grand Cherokee and Liberty SUVs with factory-installed or Mopar-branded trailer hitches probably won’t need to be replaced.
Chrysler’s recall excludes about 1.1 million 1999-2004 Grand Cherokee SUVs, which were part of NHTSA’s original recall request. The automaker will perform a customer satisfaction action on these SUVs, inspecting and replacing aftermarket trailer hitches if necessary. However, owners without trailer hitches, as well as those with Mopar or factory-installed hitches, do not need to bring their SUVs in for inspection.
[RELATED: Chrysler Denies NHTSA’s Request to Recall 2.7 Million Jeep Vehicles]
USA Today reports that NHTSA says the Jeeps in question are prone to life-threatening fires after rear-end collisions, but Chrysler maintains that the vehicles in question are safe and defect-free. Additionally, USA Today says that Chrysler does not have to say the recalled SUVs are defective, which “will help Chrysler defend itself in any lawsuits over those Jeeps.”
CNNMoney reports, “Chrysler still faces liability risks in numerous wrongful death suits. NHTSA says there have been [at] least 37 accidents that caused fires and resulted in at least 51 deaths.”

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Ford Upgrading MyFord Touch

Responding to customer complaints and sliding ratings in quality surveys, Ford is making changes to its MyFord Touch infotainment system, including adding buttons.

Infotainment controls in the 2014 Ford Fiesta (Ford Motor Company)

Autoblog writes, "The 2013 F-150 with MyFord Touch gives us a glimpse of what the new layout with buttons and knobs might look like, as Ford says a similar balance of touch screen capability and buttons/knobs are what's being planned for future models."
In a press release, Ford says that, combined, its SYNC and MyFord Touch systems are sold on 79 percent of 2013 Ford vehicles. It says that's double the rate of sales of infotainment systems on Honda and Toyota vehicles.
While sales of vehicles equipped with SYNC or MyFord Touch are strong, so are consumer reactions to the systems, which use voice commands, touch screens and capacitive controls. Automotive News reports that MyFord Touch "has hurt Ford's ratings in several quality surveys. Customers have complained the system is bulky, distracting and overly complicated to use. Ford has issued several software upgrades." Automotive News adds that in 2010, Ford was the highest-ranked non-luxury brand in J.D. Power & Associates’ annual Initial Quality Study. After MyFord Touch was launched, Ford dropped from a fifth-place overall ranking in 2010 to 23rd in 2011 and 32nd in 2012.

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Chrysler Has Limited Time to Respond to NHTSA Recall Request

Chrysler Group LLC has just a few more days to formally respond to a request from the government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall 2.7 million Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Liberty SUVs. On June 3, NHTSA asked Chrysler Group to voluntarily recall the vehicles. On June 4, Chrysler Group said it would not participate in a recall. NHTSA gave the automaker until June 18 to formally respond and explain why it would not comply with the recall request.

The 2007 Jeep Liberty. (Chrysler Group LLC)

The Detroit News reports that after Chrysler's response, the NHTSA "could then issue a formal finding and hold a public hearing seeking a recall. Chrysler last objected to a recall in 1997." The Detroit News adds that a public hearing could be a public relations disaster for Chrysler, as the hearing could include “possible testimony from parents who lost children in Jeep fires that the government blames on a defective design." According to the Detroit News, NHTSA says 32 rear-impact fires in 1993 – 2004 Grand Cherokees have caused 44 deaths. In the 2002 – 2007 Jeep Liberty, NHTSA says seven deaths are the result of five rear-impact fires.
It is exceedingly rare for an automaker to refuse to comply with a NHTSA recall request. Michigan Live writes, "Especially since Toyota Motor Corp.’s unintended acceleration problems in late-2000s, automakers have been open to recalling millions of vehicles nearly at the drop of a hat to avoid public scrutiny, lawsuits and collateral damage."
Cars.com says, "Automakers refusing to comply with a recall request are uncommon these days. But not uncommon in the past four decades are government investigations of similar fuel-system issues. One of the most well-known cases involved the recall of 1.5 million Ford Pintos and Mercury Bobcats in 1978 after rear crashes resulted in 27 deaths and two-dozen injuries."
Because the recall covers the composition and placement of the fuel tanks in the affected Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Liberty models, fixing the issue on 2.7 million models would be very expensive for Chrysler Group. In a June 4 statement, the automaker says it "has been working and sharing data with the Agency on this issue since September 2010. The company does not agree with NHTSA’s conclusions and does not intend to recall the vehicles cited in the investigation. The subject vehicles are safe and are not defective."
Until Chrysler and the NHTSA resolve the issue, consumers are left in limbo.  Many analysts agree that whether Chrysler complies with the recall or not, owners of affected vehicles can expect to see a dip in their car's resale value.

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AAA Study Shows Hands-Free Devices Are Not Distraction-Free

Study participant wearing EEG cap in test vehicle (AAA)

The American Automobile Association (AAA) and the University of Utah recently conducted a study on distracted driving. The study focused on the mental workload and reaction times for a driver performing various tasks not related to driving while behind the wheel.
The study concluded that “dangerous mental distractions exist even when drivers keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road,” says AAA. User interfaces such as hands-free, voice-to-text systems may not require drivers to divert their eyes from the road, but they must still divert their attention from the task of driving. “The research found that as mental workload and distractions increase reaction time slows, brain function is compromised, drivers scan the road less and miss visual cues, potentially resulting in drivers not seeing items right in front of them including stop signs and pedestrians.”
At a press conference yesterday, AAA State Relations Director Justin McNaull said that “people are putting themselves in danger without necessarily realizing it.”
For the study, participants engaged in activities with increasing mental workload. These included baseline driving with no distractions as a control, listening to the radio, listening to a book on tape, talking with a passenger, talking on a hands-free mobile device, talking on a hand-held mobile device, interacting with a voice-to-text interface and solving basic math problems and memorizing words.
Participants performed each of these activities in three surroundings: sitting in front of a screen that showed a graphic known as a static fixation cross, using a driving simulator, and actually driving a vehicle down a city street. Throughout the experiment, participant brain wave activity was monitored using an electroencephalographic (EEG) skull cap.
Study participants also performed a detection response task (DRT) throughout the experiment. A small light mounted in their peripheral line-of-sight blinked either red or green. Participants were told to ignore the red light and tap the steering wheel with a finger when they saw the green light.

(AAA)

The results of the study show that as participants’ mental workloads increased, their reaction times slowed and the number of incorrect responses to the DRT increased. It also showed that as mental workloads increased, participants were searching for other dangers less often, meaning they developed a tunnel vision and were less aware of their surroundings. In the real world, this would equate to not noticing a red traffic light or not seeing a pedestrian crossing the street.
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety President and CEO Peter Kissinger says that the results of the study “reinforce previous research that hands-free is not risk-free.”
One of the goals of this study, according to McNaull, is to increase public awareness to the notion that hands-free devices are still very distracting. Ideally, he said he’d like to see automakers and mobile electronics companies collaborate to create solutions that can be convenient but are also safer and less distracting.
Comprehensive in-vehicle infotaiment systems such as Ford’s SYNC system and Kia’s UVO system are becoming increasingly prevalent in new vehicles. USA Today reports that the number of infotainment systems equipped in vehicles is estimated to rise from 9 million this year to 62 million by 2018.

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Apple iOS 7 Drives Car Technology into the Future

(Apple Inc.)

Technophiles get excited every time Apple holds a press conference. Yesterday’s announcement of the new iOS 7 operating system has people talking, mostly about the new look, iTunes Radio and the choice of either a man or woman Siri. In the automotive realm, people are talking about Apple’s iOS in the Car, which is a new feature of iOS 7.
Autoblog calls iOS in the Car “an auto-optimized version of the iPhone’s new operating system, iOS 7.” Basically, iOS in the Car will connect your iPhone or iPad with certain new vehicles’ infotainment systems, allowing you to control your Apple device through the car’s infotainment system rather than the device. iOS in the Car can give you turn-by-turn directions with the Maps app, as well as traffic updates and your estimated time of arrival. In addition, iOS in the Car can play iTunes Radio or your iTunes files through the car’s audio system. If you ask, Siri will return a missed call and play your voicemails for you, as well as read your texts and reply. iOS in the Car will also show incoming texts on your infotainment screen.

(Apple Inc.)

“It's basically Apple making a move to replace the built-in hardware and software that came with your car, and makes us wonder how automakers will react to all those iPhone users circumventing the OEM's own full-featured infotainment and navigation systems in favor of mirroring Apple's,” Autoblog writes.
Forbes reports that iOS in the Car will be available beginning in 2014 in select Nissan, Infiniti, Honda, Acura, Hyundai, Chevrolet, Kia, Volvo, Ferrari, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Apple says iOS 7 will be available to download this fall for free for iPhone 4 and newer phones, iPad 2 and newer tablets, iPad mini and fifth-generation iPod touch devices.

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