Roadside Assistance Program

Motorists who own a 2009 BMW in the U.S. are going to be able to access in-car Google, which is already available in Europe.  This service will provide integrated Google maps that will allow the driver or passengers to search for movie theaters, restaurants, and other businesses.  Of course, the thought of this kind of distraction already has people fearing that accidents and roadside assistance calls will be at an all time high, but we will assume that BMW drivers will act responsibly.

Once the driver locates an address or business, the system will access directions from the vehicle’s navigation system.  And, you can even make phone calls to a business via Bluetooth.  Other features include BMW Assist, which will send an emergency vehicle in the case of an accident or track your vehicle if it’s stolen.

And, how much will this luxury cost you?  At $199 yearly, we drivers who are thrifty might just Google a location before leaving the house.  However, in a BMW in-car Google actually may be one of the least expensive options on the price sheets.

Many people are excited about the inexpensive Honda Insight hybrid. The 2010 Insight begins at $19,800.  That price will buy you the LX trim level and doesn’t include a destination charge of $670.  The mileage on this car is rated 40 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway.

The LX trim level includes standard features, such as a steering wheel that tilts and telescopes, power windows and a CD player.  The EX, which is the next level up, will cost you $21,300 and will give you steering wheel shift paddles, stability control, a stereo system with six-speakers that has USB input and side mirrors that are heated.

Navigation is an option in the aptly named EX with Navi trim level, which starts at $23,100.

Drivers are looking for ways to save money, and the 2010 Honda Insight offers car shoppers an inexpensive car that provides reliability.  Of course, with any car purchase you should protect yourself with a roadside assistance program just in case of an emergency situation.

A recent study by Ford shows that its Sync entertainment system causes drivers to be less distracted than with other entertainment systems, according to the carmaker.

Ford claims that this assessment is due to the fact that voice commands are used with Sync, which causes drivers to look away from the road about two seconds during a commute, as opposed to around 25 seconds for a driver using a phone or standard MP3 player.

Ford studied 25 drivers by asking them to do simple tasks, such as dialing a number consisting of ten digits, finding a person in a digital phone book, text messaging and finding a certain song.  The researchers examined time with eyes off of the road, speed changes, swerving out of a lane, and differences in the amount of attentiveness while doing a task.

While, Ford’s report may be true, there is room to be skeptical.  After all, it has been reported that it is just as dangerous to talk on the phone hands-free, as it is to hold a cell phone while driving.  So, whether you’re using Sync or not, make sure to be careful not to end up off of the road somewhere calling for roadside assistance.

With cars today, professional help is usually required for repairs.  A roadside assistance program brings a great deal of reassurance in case of breakdowns.  However, picking a road service program can be difficult.  Here are some things to consider when trying choosing a program that works for you.

Price is a large factor to consider when shopping for roadside benefits.  Yet, keep in mind that this shouldn’t be the only issue.  Determine what aspect of the coverage you find most important, and then proceed with the search.

A lot of times you have the option to choose between auto road services that just help on the road, or those that will also assist you if your vehicle breaks down at home.  It would be wise to purchase the latter.  After all, you can’t choose where your car will breakdown.

Also, you should inquire if the coverage covers you, or the actual vehicle.  The former is a good idea if you are going to drive more than just one car, and the latter is ideal if there are other family members that are going to drive the car.  Also know that it is possible to get discounts for husband and wife policies.

It can be difficult to determine the roadside assistance program that is ideal for you.  Just determine the kind of road service that will suit your needs, and find a company that can provide you with a lot of options.

Motorists traveling on their own fear that at some point they might have car problems.  This isn’t surprising since drivers are spending more and more time in their car.  People are driving long distances to and from work, and have more errands than ever, so it is inevitable that drivers will experience a breakdown at one point or another.  Male and female drivers alike are fearful of this occurrence.

According to a recent survey conducted by Britannia Rescue, approximately two-thirds of the male and female motorists who were interviewed are scared of being alone and breaking down.

The figures break down into ninety three percent of women and forty five percent of men.  The survey also revealed that people become more fearful of someone stopping to help.  In fact, seventy percent of women wouldn’t want a man to stop and offer assistance.

The one thing that motorists can do to avoid being fearful of a breakdown is have an emergency roadside assistance program that will assist them in case they get into trouble.  After all, it can be scary to have a random stranger stop and offer you help.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration created the new website safecar.org, where people can sign up and get emails that notify you about automotive recalls.  It’s a pretty good idea, right?  All you have to do is give your vehicle information to the NHTSA and you will get notifications by cell phone, PDA, email, or RSS feed if your car is affected by a recall.

Consumer advocate groups say not quite.  Groups, such as the Consumer Federation of America, and the Center for Auto Safety claim that the program is a “sham” and also counter-productive.

Approximately 600 recalls are issued by the NHTSA per year, and car owners, who usually receive notification letters by the car manufacturers, don’t usually take notice.  In fact, one out of four owners ignore these notifications, even in the case of a dangerous issue.

NHTSA electronic notifications were designed to help cut down that figure, however the recall notices wouldn’t be sent for specific cars according to the VIN number or model.  Instead, they are sent based on a car’s make and year.  For instance, if there were a recall for a 2008 Toyota Tundra, you would get a notification if you only own a Camry.

The argument by consumer groups is that vehicle owners will be more likely to ignore notices because they may get six emails per month.  In other words, motorists may find themselves calling for roadside assistance because they get bombarded by too many emails.

Almost all light trucks and passenger cars for the 2010 model year are going to be equipped with standard side airbags, thanks to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and an agreement in 2003 that was signed by all of the main carmakers.

Except for fleet sales, all cars are going to have side airbags that are head-protecting and also structural components in the front of the vehicle that will help absorb crash energy.  This arrives before a federal mandate made by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that will require side-torso and side-curtain airbags in all cars for the model year 2013.  The deal that the carmakers made with the IIHS doesn’t contain side torso bags.

According to the NHTSA, in the event of a side-impact, 41% of deaths are the result of head injuries, which means the latest regulation will cause fatality risks to be reduced by 24%.  In the meantime, the IIHS has predicted that when all vehicles on the roads have side-impact airbags, fatalities on the roads could drop by around 2,000 per year.

These new safety measures will help drivers have peace of mind on the roads.  In addition, motorists should have a good roadside assistance program in case of an emergency.

After the presentation of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 there is going to be a version of the luxury sedan 7 Series that is a hybrid.  This vehicle will go on sale in 2010 in the spring complete with a good auto warranty and roadside assistance.  Although the X6 has a full hybrid setup, there will only be a mild hybrid system in the ActiveHybrid 7.  Of course, that means the gains in efficiency will not be as great, however BMW says that there will be a gain in fuel economy of at least 15%. The 750i currently gets about 17 mg, so the hybrid version should up that to about 19 or 20 mpg.

Also, an auto start-stop feature will be added, which will shut off the engine during standing stops.  BMW will offer a version that is standard, as well as a model of the ActiveHybrid 7 with a long-wheelbase.  In addition, there will be wheels that are specially designed to add some efficiency.

Of course people who are buying the 750i most likely aren’t worried about how efficient the ActiveHybrid is because its starting MSRP is $80,300.  The ActiveHybrid X6 is going to be the single most powerful hybrid out there and is designed to please driving enthusiasts, however the 7 doesn’t present the same package.  Of course, BMW claims that it will have 455 hp with 516 pounds per feet of torque, however no one is thrashing the 7 Series with regularity.  It is likely that the ActiveHybrid 7’s price will be at the top of the lineup and will end up being mostly a status symbol.

Talking on a cell phone impairs drivers to the same extent of a drunk driver with a blood alcohol level of .08.  This is one distraction that teenagers deal with while behind the wheel.  They often like to multi-task while driving, which is very risky for themselves and other people.

And in modern times, teens have even more to deal with.  They switch CDs, play with iPods, and have the distraction of all of the modern gadgets on dashboards.  Also dangerous is the temptation to send text messages while at the wheel.  One out of five teens have admitted to doing this.  With statistics like these, it is necessary that teens be covered by a roadside assistance program.

Experts say that our brains aren’t capable of driving and multi-tasking because of the unpredictability of driving.  For instance, a deer could jump in front of your vehicle, or a cyclist could swerve on the road.  These are dangerous events, and especially if the driver isn’t paying attention to the road.

With all of the modern distractions, we need to keep our teen drivers safe.  Parents can help their teens by purchasing roadside assistance, and making strict driving rules.

A big alteration in the auto industry is on the way.  Electric cars and plug-in hybrids are coming, and we have been asking for a while.  But, is America ready?

At the Institute of Transportation Studies, located within the University of California, this question has been the topic of research.

What they have found is cause for concern.  First, they discovered that a large obstacle to acceptance of these cars is a lack in consumer education.  Motorists just don’t have a lot of knowledge about plug-ins, or they get the information confused with already available hybrids.  Car shoppers may not even understand what the benefits are of having plug-in vehicles, including the gas savings that they will receive.

Next, approximately half of households in the U.S. don’t have the infrastructure that will support plug-in cars.  For example, look at Chicago residents.  A citizen who lives in an apartment could really benefit from a car that could drive 40 miles without needing any gas.  However, a person such as this wouldn’t have any garage access, which would mean they wouldn’t have a way to recharge the vehicle.

According to the study, only one-third of households wanting to buy a new car had the infrastructure necessary and an interest in hybrid or plug-in cars.  This is definitely an obstacle for the mainstream success of plug-ins and electric cars.  After all, a lot of people would be making calls for roadside assistance without an infrastructure to be able to recharge their cars.