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Automotive and Insurance Industry News
Technology Breakthrough at Dow
Reduces Cost to Produce 'Green Tires MIDLAND,
Mich., March 24 / -- In the ongoing search for improved road safety,
better fuel economy and reduced environmental impact, Dow Corning
has announced a breakthrough in the technology needed to manufacture
green tires a safer, more fuel efficient tire whose
production has been stymied by high production costs. "Green"
tires first emerged as a concept in the 1990s when engineers
discovered that if they used silane-treated silica as a reinforcing
filler in tread compounds, tire rolling resistance was improved. Using Phase Transfer Catalysis (PTC) technology, they have
developed a method through which the silane needed for the silica
treatment component could be made more affordably. Underinflated Tires Wasting More
Than $2 Billion at the Gas Pumps AKRON,
Ohio, March 24 / -- American motorists may be wasting more than $2
billion a year at the gas pumps by driving their vehicles on
under-inflated tires. According
to statistics from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, a tire
inflation that's only 4 to 5 pounds per square inch low causes a
vehicle to gulp an extra 10 percent of fuel. Since tires account for
4 percent to 7 percent of a car's fuel consumption -- power needed
to overcome the tires' rolling resistance -- keeping tires properly
inflated has a huge effect on America's pocketbooks. Celine Dion Delivers Life-Saving
Messages In New Automobile Safety Campaign WASHINGTON,
March 25 / -- A new
multilingual series of public service announcements featuring Grammy
ฎ award winning singer Celine Dion has been launched by the
National Safety Council. The spots are aimed at helping keep
families safe by emphasizing simple measures for protecting children
as vehicle passengers. The
spots will air in English, French and Spanish, and will include such
information as proper child safety seat usage and fit, securing
children in the back seat, the usage of booster seats, and general
safety belt usage. Top 10 Auto Trends at the New York
Auto Show NEW
YORK, March 25 / -- The 2004 New York International Automobile Show
opens April 9 18th, and here are the themes and
trends you can expect to see: Supercars
focus on power and speed, 500 hp to enter Cool
Coupes BMW 6 series, Maserati Gran Sport Sedans
in all sizes Pontiac G6, Lexus GS300 Sports
Cars Chevy Corvette, Pontiac GTO Hot
Convertibles Pontiac Solstice, Mercedes SLK Pickups
Lincoln Mark LT, Hummer H3T Minivan
makeovers Nissan Quest, Buick Terraza SUV
Range Stormer, Infiniti QX56 Wagons
Dodge Magnum, Chrysler 300C Touring Hi-tech
gadgets Adaptive headlights, keyless entry, remote starter J.D. Power Says Number of
'Upside-Down' Vehicle Buyers is Increasing Substantially WESTLAKE
VILLAGE, Calif., March 25 / -- According to the Power Information
Network, an affiliate of J.D. Power and Associates, the number of
new-vehicle buyers who owe more on their trade than it is worth
termed "upside-down" buyers -- has increased substantially
over the past three years. While only 25 percent of trades were an upside-down situation in 2001, today, 38 percent of trades are in this category. This trend is one of the consequences of the intense competition in the U.S. new-vehicle market. To maintain share, manufacturers are keeping monthly payments of new or refreshed models the same by lengthening the terms of finance loans.
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