Chevy to Build Diesel Cruze in Ohio

The Chevrolet Cruze is one of the best selling compact cars in America since its inception last fall. Chevy will continue to improve its latest model with an exciting announcement for the 2013 Cruze.

General Motors Co. announced they will start building a diesel version of the Chevrolet Cruze in Lordstown, Ohio in early 2013. This will add to the current production of the gas-engine Cruze that is already being manufactured at the plant.

The Chevy Cruze has become one of the most popular and affordable cars for consumers this past year. It has outsold several popular competitors including the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla this summer. The 2011 Cruze has also appeared atop many lists of the year’s best-selling cars.

Europe and Australia have already seen diesel versions of the Cruze. However, this will be Chevy’s first diesel passenger car offered in the United States since the Chevette in the late 1980s.

The Cruze Eco, the model’s high gas mileage version, gets approximately 42 miles per gallon on the highway with a manual transmission. Experts believe that the diesel version should get around 50 miles per gallon, but GM has not yet given an official estimate.

To help accommodate production, GM will invest $5.5 million into the factory to upgrade the body shop and assembly line. Also, the plant is expected to add 360 new jobs at the Ohio plant.

Owners of the diesel-powered Chevy Cruze will be able to enjoy increased fuel economy, while the environment will enjoy lower carbon emissions.

Google Takes Robocars Out of Science Fiction and Into Reality

Google recently gave the Singularity University Executive Program class at NASA Ames in Mountain View, California a sneak peak at its newest invention, a Prius that drives itself.

While little has been released on the project, Google has apparently been testing the Robocar, which is said to have navigated 180,000 miles of California’s roads, although always with a team of two human back-seat drivers. The Prius looks much like any other except for a Lidar, or laser radar, that sits on the top of the car and acts as the vehicle’s eyes. The mechanism, which cost $75,000, rotates 360 degrees and creates a three-dimensional point cloud of the car’s surroundings. The point cloud is then transferred in real-time to a server, located in the trunk of the car, and compared to maps generated previously in order to accurately navigate through its environment.

Having had no incidents so far, except for a rumored fender bender while under human control, the Robocar is the future of safety. Brad Templeton, SU facility and design team member, pointed out that 34,000 people are killed in the US and 1.2 million worldwide by human drivers every year with the average US citizen losing 41 hours a year to traffic congestion. All this can change as Robocars are engineered to avoid accidents. The technology behind the car allows it to analyze traffic patterns and intelligently maneuver itself to optimize safety, time and space. The potential benefits are tremendous.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who announced that 10% of the company is working on innovative projects that include self-driving car technology at the Web 2.0 summit in San Francisco, made it clear that the Robocar project is still in research and development. However the future is definitely arriving. Nevada legislature has already begun to draft laws regarding the governance of autonomous vehicles. Plus many other manufactures, including Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Mercedes, and Volvo, are already working on other semi-autonomous features for their vehicles.

Unfortunately, Google’s Prius Robocars will not go on sale anytime soon so we will just have to wait a little longer to fully enter the future of autonomous transportation. But as Brin pointed out, “There's a tremendous opportunity to improve the world."

NASA Launches into Auto Industry

Automakers are always looking for new, innovative ways to improve the quality and performance of the vehicles that they make. Now they may receive that technology from an agency that is out of this world.

NASA will be pitching nearly 40 different space-age technologies to automakers and their suppliers on October 27^th at an event at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The event will show off newer technologies that could be implemented into automobiles to improve quality, performance, and cost.

Over 100 companies have already signed up to attend the event including Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. Toyota and Honda will also be attending the event along with several suppliers from around the country.

Some of the technology that will be on display will include sensors and controls that could help hybrid or electric cars become more efficient; solid oxide fuel cells to power vehicles; new materials that can be used to contain pressurized natural gas; and green polymers that put out only water instead of noxious gases when they are used.

This event should prove to be beneficial for both the auto industry as well as NASA. Automakers can use the latest and greatest technology and materials to improve their cars and NASA brings in more business to help itself.

Not only are automakers excited for the event, but manufacturers are also interested in the event. The event is being co-sponsored by the Center for Automotive Research at Ohio State University and the manufacturing advocacy and consulting group Magnet, which is based in Cleveland.

The auto industry is quite excited to see what type of NASA technologies can be implemented into their vehicles. This event could prove to be the start of a new partnership that revolutionizes how automobiles are manufactured around the world.

All-Electric Chevy Spark Announced for 2013

GM announced its first all-electric car, the 2013 Chevrolet Spark, will be available starting next year in select US markets.

The first of its kind for GM, the Chevy Spark EV will run solely off of lithium-ion battery technology, unlike the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid which was introduced last year and runs on both electric and gas. “The Spark EV offers customers living in urban areas who have predictable driving patterns or short commutes an all-electric option,” said Jim Federico, global vehicle chief engineer for electric vehicles at Chevrolet.

The Chevy Spark EV will compete against other all-electric vehicles including the Nissan Leaf, which was released last year, and the forthcoming Mitsubishi i and Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid. While EVs have been slow to catch on in the US due to few model options, high prices and a lack of charging infrastructure, many automakers are pushing towards more fuel-efficient models as the US begins to require more stringent requirements for the industry.

Chevy has not yet made available the details on specifications, price, or release date of the 2013 Spark EV. A new version of the gasoline-powered Spark, already available in China, India and South Korea, will also debut next year in the US.

The 2013 Chevy Spark EV, entering the US electric vehicle market next year, will bring further weight to the increasing electric market and increase GM’s place within the green movement.

10-minute Car Charger Developed by Nissan

One of the biggest complaints about the electric cars that are being developed is that it takes too long for the cars to be recharged. Nissan has been working to develop a new charger that will significantly reduce that time.

Nissan, whose Leaf is one of the most popular electric cars on the market, has the necessary technology to create an electric car charger that can fully charge an electric car in about 10 minutes. This would be a significant improvement over the current eight hours it takes to charge most electric car batteries.

Nissan has been working with Japan's Kansai University on the creation of this new development. The batteries that were charged in the early testing of the new charger showed no significant effect on storage capacity or voltage.

This breakthrough not only would make it more efficient to charge an electric car, but it could also improve the sale of electric cars across the world. If consumers has the available technology to charge their cars in 10 minutes, it would make the purchase of an electric car more appealing to them.

This technology could take up to ten years to fully develop and commercialize here in the United States. However, Nissan is set to begin setting up similar chargers in Japan this November. This charger would be compatible with all of Nissan's electric vehicles as well as other vehicles produced by companies like Honda or Toyota.

While it may take a great amount of time before we see this type on technology in the United States, it is still refreshing to know that developments and progress are being made today.

October is Fall Car Care Month

With winter right around the corner and the temperatures already falling, it’s a great time to make sure your vehicle is ready to get you and your family through the cold months safely.

According to the Car Care Council, there are 10 basic maintenance steps to take to make sure your car is ready and working at its best for the winter.

1. Check all fluids, including engine oil, power steering, brake and transmission as well as windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant. It is also a good idea to switch to synthetic oil if you have not already as it will help your engine operate more efficiently, especially during cold weather

2. Check the hoses and belts to make sure they are not cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or showing signs of excessive wear.

3. Check the battery and replace if necessary. Make sure the connection is clean, tight and corrosion-free.

4. Check the brake system annually and have the brake linings, rotors and drums inspected at each oil change.

5. Inspect the exhaust system for leaks, damage and broken supports or hangers if there is an unusual noise. Exhaust leaks can be dangerous and must be corrected without delay.

6. Schedule a tune-up to help the engine deliver the best balance of power and fuel economy and produce the lowest level of emissions.

7. Check the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system as proper heating and cooling performance is critical for interior comfort and for safety reasons such as defrosting.

8. Inspect the steering and suspension system annually including shock absorbers, struts and chassis parts such as ball joints, tie rod ends and other related components.

9. Check the tires, including tire pressure (which tends to drop more during cold months) and tread. Uneven wear indicates a need for wheel alignment and excessive wear requires wheel replacement. If you are in an area where temperatures are consistently around freezing during the winter months, it may also be a good idea to look into winter tires. And don’t forget about your spare tire, which should also be checked for pressure and wear.

10. Check the wipers and lighting so that you can see and be seen. Check that all interior and exterior lighting is working properly and replace worn wiper blades so you can see clearly when driving during precipitation. Your wipers will take a lot more abuse during the cold months, so you may want to replace them annually during the fall for best results.

Cooler weather will only make existing problems worse so make sure to have a professional look at issues you are unable to fix on your own. Look for maintenance specials at local dealers and auto shops as many are offering deals for Fall Car Care month.

Taking the time to plan ahead and complete all your car maintenance needs now will save you valuable time and money.