In Gear offers a fresh look at the world of cars – its technology, economics, and future – through the eyes of Monitor staffers and other automobile writers from around the world.
A Google self-driving car navigates the streets of Las Vegas last week. Nevada's Department of Motor Vehicles approved on Monday the nation's first autonomous vehicle license. (Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles/Handout/Reuters/File)
Self-driving car: Google gets a license
Google's self-driving car is now 100% street-legal -- at least in Nevada.
Last summer, Nevada passed legislation making it the first state in the U.S. to allow self-driving cars on the roadways. Back in February, a governmental committee announced rules and regulations related to those vehicles. According to PCWorld, to pass inspection, autonomous cars need to have logged at least 10,000 miles, and host companies must post a surety bond of at least $1 million. That bond allows companies to have up to five self-driving vehicles in their fleets.
We'd heard that autonomous cars would receive red license plates to set them apart from the pack. Now Reuters reports that one car -- a Toyota Prius specially tricked out by Google's Sebastian Thrun -- has received just such a plate from Nevada's Department of Motor Vehicles. (That's it above, with the "AU" marking -- presumably shorthand for "AUTONOMOUS" -- and the coveted number "001".)
There's no word on where Google's car will spend most of its time, though the report indicates that DMV officials spent time assessing the car in environments as diverse as state highways and the crowded Las Vegas strip. Frankly, we'd be surprised if Google didn't take this opportunity to keep the car in high-density areas to show off its cutting-edge technology.
As a reminder, Google has set a goal of traveling 1,000,000 miles in its autonomous vehicles. To date, it's gone about 200,000 of those miles, with just a couple of fender-benders (and at least one of those happened while a human was in control of the vehicle).
The Nevada DMV says that this kind of autonomous vehicle is the "car of the future". It's already received license applications from other companies with self-driving cars, and though the state's licenses are currently limited to corporations, the DMV plans to award them to individual owners down the line.
But the question remains: will you buy an autonomous car yourself?
A row of new 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles sit for sale in the car lot at the Toyota dealership in El Cajon, Calif., in this 2010 file photo. Most major automakers offer a discount to recent college grads, although Toyota's program is limited to the southeastern US. (Mike Blake/Reuters/File)
Buying a car, college grad? Don’t forget the rebates.
You’ve worked hard to get your college degree. If you’re not swamped in student loan debt and are considering buying a car to help you navigate your new place in the world, there’s some help available.
The good news is that most major automakers offer some form of college graduate discount. The bad news is that some are regional offers, and many are somewhat confusing in their terms.
But you got through college exams, right? So, sifting through the fine print should be a talent you’ve developed by now.
Here’s a sampling of some of the special discounts available from automakers to college grads this June.
Ford College Student Purchase Program
Ford is covering all its bases with a discount program available to full-time and part-time college students (freshmen through seniors), graduate students, trade school students, and recent college grads. It only applies to residents of the United States and to vehicles sold in the U.S.
All you need to do is to sign up for the Ford College Student Purchase Program and then purchase or lease a new 2011, 2012 or 2013 Ford or Lincoln vehicle to receive your $500 student bonus. This is on top of any applicable national Ford incentives available at the time.
General Motors Best in Class Alumni & Student Discount
The program is a little different at General Motors, where the discount isn’t a fixed amount but a Preferred Price that’s less than MSRP. TheGeneral Motors Best in Class Alumni & Student Discount program is available on many new and unused 2011, 2012 and 2013 model year Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles and can be combined with current incentives.
Eligible participants for the GM college discount program include college students from any two- or four-year school, recent graduates who have graduated no more than two years ago, and current nursing school and graduate students.
To get the discount, you apply for an authorization number through the Best in Class Alumni & Student Discount website, print it out and bring it to a participating Chevrolet, Buick or GMC dealer. Be sure to mention that you’ll be using the Best in Class Alumni & Student Discount in your first contact with the dealer. You’ll also need to bring proof of eligibility: evidence of enrollment or your diploma.
Honda Graduate Program
Honda gives graduates a head start by offering flexible, competitive financing through Honda Financial Services on the purchase or lease of a new or Certified Used Honda vehicle. On traditional financing, college grads can also benefit from a deferred first-payment option for 90 days, with 60 days interest-free.
The Honda Graduate Program has a few minimum eligibility requirements, including five percent minimum down payment; no adverse credit history; verifiable proof of employment or a firm job offer commitment with a start date no more than 120 days from the date of the finance contract.
The program is open to graduates with a master’s, bachelor’s or associate degree from a U.S.-accredited two- or four-year college or registered nursing school. Eligible participants must have graduated during the past two years or will graduate in the next four months from the date of the finance contract.
Credit and document requirements must be presented to the Honda dealer at the time of purchase or lease. Certain current offers are also available with the Honda Graduate Program.
Hyundai College Grad Program
The Hyundai College Grad Program offers eligible graduates the opportunity to buy any new 2011, 2012 or 2013 model year Hyundai vehicle with no down payment, an additional $400 on top of current Hyundai rebates and 90 days until the first month’s payment (not available in Connecticut and Pennsylvania).
Visit your Hyundai dealer and bring a copy of your diploma or letter from the registrar’s office stating you graduated or will graduate, along with proof of employment or an offer letter from a prospective employer. Hyundai Motor Finance must deem your salary adequate to cover living expenses and car payments.
Graduates of a four-year university, accredited two-year college or nursing school are eligible. Graduation must be within the past two years or the next six months. Offer includes graduates and graduate candidates attending accredited master’s or doctorate programs. Hyundai vehicle must be purchased between April 3, 2012 and July 2, 2012.
Nissan SignatureGRADUATE Program
Nissan offers recent college graduates a customized finance choice through the company’sSignatureGRADUATE Program. The program includes $500 cash back on 2011/2012 Nissan Rogue, Xterra, Cube, Altima sedan and coupe, Versa hatchback, and Juke, and 2012 Versa sedan, Sentra and Frontier. Ninety days deferred payment option is available on loans up to 60 months.
To qualify, provide proof of graduation within the next six months or the past two years from an accredited U.S. two- or four-year college or university, graduate school or nursing school. Students currently enrolled in graduate school are also eligible. Other requirements are proof of current employment or employment beginning within 90 days of financing approval, sufficient income to cover normal living expenses and car payments, auto insurance and approved credit.
Southeast Toyota College Grad Rebate Program
If you live in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North or South Carolina, are a recent college graduate or will soon graduate, are employed or have proof of employment beginning within 120 days of credit approval, you may be eligible for the Southeast Toyota College Grad Rebate Program.
Qualifying applicants get a $1,000 rebate on the purchase or lease of a new Toyota Camry (gasoline model only), Corolla, Matrix, RAV4, Tacoma, Yaris, or any Scion model. The College Grad Rebate Program may be combined with some other offers. Offer expires January 2, 2013.
Volkswagen College Graduate Program
With the Volkswagen College Graduate Program, eligible participants who buy or lease a new or certified pre-owned Volkswagen through Volkswagen Credit will have their first month’s payment (up to $800) paid by VW. If you lease, there’s no security deposit required. In addition, there’s no credit history required, but if you do have existing credit, it must be in good standing. VW promises great rates even if you don’t have credit, and there’s no co-signer needed.
Getting started is easy. Visit your Volkswagen dealer and bring proof you graduated in the past 24 months or will graduate in the next six months, have a full-time job or written commitment from a future employer. You’ll also need three personal references and be approved by Volkswagen Credit.
Other college grad offers
There are other special college grad offers to check out. See your local dealer for details on the following:
- Acura – Special financing, leasing, and purchase-plan packages; deferred first-payment option for 90 days, with 60 days interest-free.
- Audi – Special leasing offers.
- Infiniti – Special financing and leasing offers, delayed first payment.
- Lexus – No down payment when financing; 90-day deferred first payment, and complimentary roadside assistance for one year.
- Mazda – Special leasing and financing options.
- MINI – Special financing offers.
- Subaru – Special leasing and financing options.
A classic Rolls-Royce leads a procession of more than 100 Rolls-Royce vehicles down London's Regent Street in 2011 in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the brand's Iconic "Spirit of Ecstasy" Flying Lady Mascot. If you own an expensive classic or two, you might want a $849,000 parking place for sale in London. (Rolls-Royce Motor Cars/File)
Would you pay $849,000 to park your car in a garage?
The plight of the urban-dweller is generally this: parking in a big city, anywhere in the world, is expensive, risky or both. London, England is no exception to this rule, and a space in a private, underground garage can cost you as much as $405,000.
That’s a lot of money to spend, especially when you’re still at the mercy of other space holders. Your vintage Aston Martin DB5 may be priceless to you, but do you really think the champagne-impaired escort climbing out of the Porsche 911 Turbo parked next to you will care about door dings?
If you live near Harrods in London, real estate agency WA Ellis can offer you an alternative. As The Guardian explains, the agency is offering up a two-car garage on Rysbrack Street, for the price of £525,000 ($849,000). That money buys you about 350 square feet of space, which is more than enough for a DB5 and an Aston Martin Cygnet.
Robert Lewis, an associate at WA Ellis, admits that interest in the property isn’t yet “at the level we are asking.” Still, a garage of this size in central London is a rarity, so it’s only a matter of time before a buyer with deep enough pockets comes along.
While $849,000 is expensive for a stand-alone garage, it’s a relative bargain for real estate in the area. If you’re thinking about snapping it up and converting the property to a flat, think again: deed restrictions prohibit converting the space into anything but a garage.
All-new 2013 Dodge Dart is shown in this April file photo. The high-mileage Dodge Dart Aero is expected to go on sale starting sometime between July and September. (Chrysler Group LLC/PRNewsFoto/File)
Dodge Dart: high-mileage Aero coming in a few months
The eagerly-awaited new 2013 Dodge Dart compact sedan will start arriving at dealerships in June. But the first volley of Darts won't include every model.
The model with the highest gas mileage will be known as the Dart Aero, and it should go on sale sometime between July and September.
At a Dart drive event two weeks ago, the company revealed a handful of details about the Dart Aero--though not full details on its projected EPA fuel-efficiency ratings.
It will feature the smallest of the car's three engine options, a 1.4-liter turbo four, along with additional modifications that Dodge says will boost its mileage to at least 41 mpg on the EPA highway cycle.
The Dart Aero package will be offered on the base Dart SE trim level (which starts at $15,995 plus a mandatory $795 delivery fee).
It will include:
- 160-hp 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine
- Six-speed manual transmission
- Lighter-weight forged aluminum suspension components (replacing steel parts)
- Electric grille shutters that close to smooth frontal air flow when engine cooling isn't needed
- Aerodynamic aids including fender lips
- Low-rolling-resistance tires
Dodge development engineers said that, off the record, they hoped the Dart Aero would achieve a 34-mpg combined EPA rating.
Fuel efficiency for the standard (non-Aero) 1.4-liter turbo model with the six-speed manual is 32 mpg combined (27 mpg city, 39 mpg highway).
We didn't get close to that figure in our test drive, though, logging just 26.2 mpg in that same model over a relatively energetic 50-mile route.
The Dart Aero will compete directly with the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco, the optional high-mileage version of the Cruze compact sedan.
The Cruze Eco too weighs less than the standard model (via lightweight wheels), includes electric grille shutters, and uses a 1.4-liter turbo with six-speed manual gearbox. The EPA rates it at 33 mpg combined (28 mpg city, 42 mpg highway).
Ford too offers a special package, known as SFE, on its Focus compacts that get that model to the magic 40-mpg highway figure.
Hyundai, on the other hand, proudly touts that all its 2012 Elantra compact models achieve 40 mpg highway--no special-order packages required.
It's worth noting that most Dart models are expected to be ordered with automatic transmissions. Dodge so far has been notably silent on fuel-economy ratings for any of its automatic models.
We'll bring you the full details on EPA ratings for the 2013 Dodge Dart compact as soon as we have them.
The 2012 Prius hybrid plug-in gets the equivalent of 95 miles per gallon. In April, it beat out the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf for the most sales of an electric car. (Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A./PRNewsFoto/File)
Electric-car sales fall in April
Sales of plug-in electric cars fell last month, with especially low sales of the Nissan Leaf, following their strong showing in March.
Last month, just 370 Nissan Leaf battery-electric cars were sold, down from 579 in March, and bringing this year's Leaf sales to only 2,103 in the first four months. Last month's Leaf sales were the lowest monthly number in more than a year.
Nissan has sold 11,796 Leafs in total since the car went on sale in December 2010. Nissan has said it will sell 20,000 Leafs in the U.S. this year, but that will require it to sell 2,500 each month from now through December.
GM had a decent but not spectacular month, with Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric car sales falling back from last month's 2,289 but staying in four figures. The company sold 1,462 Volts in April, bringing total 2012 sales to 5,377.
Chevy has sold a total of 13,374 Volts since its sales, too, began in December 2010. The total so far in 2012, however, would indicate that it will sell between 15,000 and 20,000 Volts in the U.S. this year unless sales improve over the summer.
But the big winner in April was the Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid, which logged 1,654 sales in just its third month on the market. Its April sales beat the Volt by 192 units, and were more than four times the month's sales of Leafs.
Toyota has now sold 2,552 plug-in Priuses since late February.
Among those top three models, the sales total for April was 3,486 plug-ins--versus 3,759. If all three models stay on pace, that means that U.S. plug-in sales might go as high as 40,000 for the year, versus about 17,000 last year.
In the second tier of electric-car makers, April sales of the Mitsubishi i minicar were 79--the best monthly number yet, bringing the year's total to 215 (plus another 80 late last year).
At the time this article was published, Ford had not responded to our query on April sales of its Focus Electric hatchback. The company sold 12 of the cars in December and January combined, but none in February or March.
As always, both Fisker Automotive and Coda Automotive declined to comment on sales of their plug-in vehicles.
We'll be curious to see whether larger media press those companies on this issue, or whether the world simply stops paying attention.
As always, and we wrote several weeks ago, electric car sales will rise--but it will be slow.
Still, with more than 27,000 plug-ins now running on U.S. roads, the progress is steady and the demand--if low--is definitely there.
In this March file photo, a Nissan Leaf tops off its battery in Central Point, Ore., at one of the charging stations along Interstate 5. Can all-electric cars enhance US security? (Jeff Barnard/AP/File)
My Nissan Leaf life: Why I bought a Nissan Leaf
– First installment in an occasional series
I've had a Nissan Leaf for two months now – and things have started to change.
I pass gas stations without thinking about them anymore. I've got new "attitude," scowling at Toyota Priuses for their lack of gas-saving zeal. On Saturdays, when we do most of our driving, my wife and I sometimes calculate whether we can do all our errands on the Leaf's 100-mile battery without finding a public charging station.
I never thought we would own an all-electric car. But the idea began to dawn over a kitchen table discussion last fall about a replacement for our 14-year-old Honda Accord.
Honestly, if we had not just refinanced the house, we might have ended up with a Honda Fit – not a Nissan Leaf. But we decided to use some of the housing-cost savings from the re-fi on new transportation. Fiscal discipline, we decided, would take a back seat this time to all-electric driving for one key reason: We won't have to fill up ever again (except when we use the minivan for long trips).
To be sure, the Leaf will save us $50 per fill-up, maybe $1,000 a year on fuel. But the Leaf lease payments will swallow those savings – unless gas prices go up maybe to $5 a gallon. No, the real reason Laura and I took possession of an "ocean blue" Leaf on an icy winter day in mid-February was 9/11.
After that terrible day, many people began asking: What can I do in my personal life to make sure this never happens again?
Not a lot, really, I thought at that time. But lately my view has changed. One thing is that it might help to refuse to give "people who hate us" a lot of money for their oil. Simplistic? Yes. Am I going to try it? Yes.
Another post-9/11 change: In reporting for the Monitor on energy and environment, I discovered Felix Kramer and a couple of his buddies working out of a California garage, trying to curb US oil use by turning a standard Prius hybrid into a cutting edge plug-in hybrid. It ran mostly on electricity and got the equivalent of 100 miles per gallon.
When Toyota didn't seem interested, Felix and his pals converted a lot more of them, hoping to shame Toyota and Detroit automakers into building production plug-in hybrids. Amazingly, they succeeded.
Last year, the Chevrolet Volt rolled into showrooms. It goes 40 miles on a charge before reverting to a gasoline engine for distance driving. Toyota finally began selling a plug-in hybrid Prius that goes 12 to 15 miles on a charge first, then a gas engine. Ford is deploying an all-electric Focus and a plug-in hybrid SUV. The list goes on – 11 automakers and a dozen new models this year – the year of the electric car.
Since most US oil goes to power automotive transportation – and two-thirds of all Americans drive less than 40 miles a day – a car like the Chevy Volt would let Americans duck the pump and substitute domestic fuel (electricity) for nearly all their driving needs. If enough people drove one, energy-security hawks like former CIA director James Woolsey and a bevy of former generals say it would greatly enhance US energy security.
Of course, you could get really radical and get an all-electric vehicle like the Nissan Leaf. That might save even more gasoline, albeit by living inside a 50-mile radius. This is the first in a series of blogs about what it means to live within that radius, about the often not-very-intuitive things that emerge as you step away from a gas-powered world, and what it's like to electrify your daily ride.
Welcome to my Nissan Leaf life.
In this file photo, a phone is held in a car in Brunswick, Maine. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is proposing a federal ban on cellphone use by drivers, but the legal complexities of getting the law passed could prove overwhelming. (Pat Wellenbach/AP/File)
Should US ban cellphone use by drivers?
For U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, putting an end to distracted driving has become a top-level priority. By now, we've all become used to hearing him talk about it -- particularly, the link between cell phones and distracted driving.
But late last week, LaHood did something new. At a summit on distracted driving in San Antonio, Texas, LaHood called for a federal ban on mobile phone use by drivers.
So far, most of LaHood's efforts have centered on awareness campaigns, which have often drawn on the power of A-list stars like Oprah Winfrey. He's also been hard at work with automakers (and aftermarket manufacturers) to set new standards on telematics systems.
But calling for a ban on mobile phone use at the national level? Well, that's a horse of a different color.
LaHood didn't set out specifics for the proposed ban, like whether it might include hands-free as well as hand-held devices. (That's a valid question, since some studies show that the two are equally distracting, though LaHood denies it.)
We're guessing that LaHood's wariness of going into legal details stems from the fact that doing so would put him in some very deep water -- water that's typically patrolled by individual states.
Can it happen?
LaHood and the DOT have done a lot of very commendable work on the topic of distracted driving. His outreach to automakers has been especially forward-thinking. After all, mobile phones sit increasingly at the center of our cars' infotainment and communications hubs. Looking ahead to find new, simpler ways of employing those mobile phones lays the groundwork for a safer tomorrow.
However, a federal ban on mobile phone use would be unusual, if not unique.
Today, individual states typically control laws governing driver behavior. For example, they set their own speed limits, blood alcohol levels, and seat belt regulations. And in fact, most states --38, plus the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands -- have laws that restrict cell phone usage by drivers.
In LaHood's defense, those laws are pretty varied. Some limit the making and taking of calls, some focus solely on texting. Some prevent the driver from using hand-held devices, while in other states, that's a-okay. Some states set age limits on who can use mobile phones while driving and who can't. And in many states, whole professions (e.g. school bus drivers) are prevented from using mobile phones.
Given that crazy quilt, we agree that it would be nice to have a national standard on what is and isn't appropriate, so folks don't have to look up laws on their smartphones when crossing state lines.
But frankly, we don't see that happening. Not anytime soon, anyway.
For now, LaHood & Co. should focus their attention on what they've been doing. For example: if the phone really does become central to vehicle infotainment, limiting the ability of drivers to take calls while their phones are plugged into the center stack would help address (though not solve entirely) many of LaHood's concerns.
From where we sit, that's a safer bet for LaHood and the nation's drivers than trying to impinge on the touchy issue of state's rights.
In this 2009 file photo, an employee of the Daimler AG mounts the Mercedes star on the hood of a car of the Mercedes-Benz E-class on the production line in Sindelfingen, Germany. A new report suggests Mercedes could grab the No. 2 spot among luxury carmakers by 2015. (Thomas Kienzle/AP/File)
Mercedes-Benz poised to become No. 2 luxury automaker?
Audi has a long-standing goal of becoming the world’s number one luxury automaker, and for the past few years it looked like the four-ring brand was well on its way to achieving this.
Last year, Audi sold just over 1.3 million vehicles worldwide, beating rival Mercedes-Benz (1.26 million) and closing the gap on BMW (1.38 million sales). For Audi, that represented a 19.2-percent gain over the prior year, compared to 12.8-percent for BMW and a modest 8-percent for Mercedes Benz.
Now comes word from Bloomberg that Mercedes-Benz may overtake Audi for the number two position in 2015. Forecasts from the Center of Automotive Research at the University of Duisberg-Essen have BMW selling 1.76 million vehicles in 2015, followed by Mercedes Benz (1.68 million) and Audi (1.63 million).
How accurate any long-term forecasts are in the automotive industry is the subject of much debate, but Mercedes-Benz is clearly taking steps to combat sales gains by Audi. Over the next few years, Mercedes-Benz is launching a plethora of new global vehicles, primarily in the small car segment.
There’s the new A-Class, a new B-Class, the CLA four door coupe (smaller brother to the CLS 550) and even a new compact crossover called the GLA Class. Priced right, these models have the potential of boosting Mercedes-Benz’s sales above those of Audi in the coming years.
Of course Audi isn’t standing idly by, either. Expect to see the new Q3 crossover in the coming months, followed by a new compact crossover dubbed the Q2. Then there’s the new A3 wagon to consider, which will be followed by an all-new A3 sedan.
It may not be perfectly clear which company will take the sales lead in three years time, but this much is obvious: with so much new product to choose from, luxury car shoppers are the real winners.
Previous
Become part of the Monitor community