Cost of owning a car is on the rise

Overall, the costs of car ownership have risen compared to last year, according to an annual study by AAA, which says it now costs 2% more to own a sedan than it did last year.

The costs vary a lot according to the type and size of vehicle, though. It costs about $7,000 a year to own a small car in the United States but about $11,600 to own a four-wheel-drive SUV, according to AAA.

The study factored in costs such as fuel, maintenance, insurance, tires and depreciation.

Maintenance costs have risen the most, according to AAA, going up 11.26% compared to last year. Maintenance costs almost 5 cents for every mile driven. Those costs have gone up because of increases in labor costs, replacement parts prices and extended warranty prices.

Insurance costs have gone up 2.76% for sedans, AAA said. The drivers' group based its annual estimate of $1,029 assuming that a driver has a clean record. Insurance companies in seven states showed small increases for sedans of all sizes.

Fuel costs rose only 1.93% compared to last year. While the price of gasoline rose 3.84%, that was partly offset by improvements in the fuel economy of new cars. The cost of tires was unchanged from last year.

Article from: http://money.cnn.com

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Driving with the Black Box

     The National Highway Traffic Safety Board is proposing that the event data recorder be mandatorily installed during the manufacturing of all new vehicles beginning on September 1, 2014. Also known as the Black Box, it is said to have the capability of improving safety technology because it will be able to detect design problems and safety hazards within any vehicle. 

     Although it may be improving safety on U.S. Roadways some are raising the question that it may be crossing privacy barriers. The Black Box can detect all of the following; speed, brake pedal position, location of vehicle, if the passengers are wearing a seatbelt, and if air bags were deployed during a crash. 

     Insurance companies, lawyers, and police departments seem to be in the highest benefits of this new device. Insurance companies will be able to increase or lower your rates depending on the data provided to them by the device. Lawyers will be able to provide more significant data in wreck-less driving or DWI cases, and policemen will be able to quickly note the speed a vehicle was going before being involved in a crash. The Center for Auto Safety seems to provide sufficient information that the data recorders will in fact be benefiting more than anything. In all, the new device is going to approve the safety of most drivers on the roadway.

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Driverless Technology from Google Inc.

     With breakthrough technology from Google Inc., you may soon be able to sit back, relax, and take a nap in the driver seat of a moving vehicle. With the collaboration of 15 engineers, Google has developed the driver-less car technology. Operating much like the cruise control mode installed in many cars today, the driver-less system allows human drivers to take control of the car if they wish to do so. Although, that is unnecessary, because the creation is organized by elaborate maps that include the details of speed limits down to the slight curvature of the lane lines in the roadway.

     Unfortunately, most law makers are finding it difficult to digest this new innovation. The laws seem to be inadequate in the sense that they were initially structured with the notion that humans would be operating the vehicles. However, Nevada seems to be in favor of the technology. According to the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, they have promptly accommodated the new machinery by passing a law on June, 29 2011 that permits the operation of driver-less cars, and even issued the first license for a self-driven car.

     The self-driving car may perhaps cause a revolution in terms of driving. Concerns of designating a sober driver on a night out could easily vanish if a vehicle has the capability to reliably drive your group home without a worry of harm. It certainly raises questions for many folks in terms of receiving moving violations as well. How will we hold a vehicle at fault in the event of an accident? Much more, determine if the human or contraption was in control? Clearly there is much work to be done in order to iron out these trepidation's,  but it is surely an exciting prospect of future normality.

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How Empty Is Your Tank?

     When your fuel light comes on, it is usually an indication that your gas tank is empty and must be filled as soon as possible. However, the website Tank on Empty is giving drivers a much different view point on their low fuel light with the motto: “How far can you go after the gas light in your car comes on?”  

     The site is solely dedicated to collecting figures from its visitors and turning that information into an estimated measurement of how many miles a vehicle may have until it completely runs out of gas. Even though it might not be the brightest idea to run your gas tank until the last drop, we must be thankful for those who have done so for the sake of others awareness. 

     With over 3 million page views, the site has quickly developed a plausible rating with all recognized car models. For example, a Honda Civic can go an average of 44.12 miles after the fuel light comes on, according to the 255 voters for that specific model. Each car model is also represented by its own easy-to-read chart that depicts how many people have voted for each distance they have gone. So, if you’d like to know how far your car can go, head over to Tank on Empty and type your car's make and model in the search bar! 

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New Innovative Bicycle Helmet - Hövding

       Unquestionably, a large portion of bicyclists consider wearing a helmet, while riding, is entirely impractical and unfashionable.  Others argue that fashion is of no concern when it comes to safety, yet enjoyment is. Hence, Swedish engineers designed the Hövding for those who find that wearing a helmet just isn't quite comfortable or convenient. The Hövding is a safety helmet for cyclists that can be worn without being seen.  This nylon helmet is calculated to inflate with helium gas in one-tenth of a second if the sensors detect any movements of the cyclist being involved in an accident. The Hövding is worn as a collar; therefore no one can detect it as a helmet. The Hövding also has different color pouches to choose from, helping it blend with your outfit even more. The helmet is completely undetectable, and this is why the creators refer to it as “invisible”.  If one is involved in an accident with the Hövding, take note that it is not re-usable. However, the company does provide a fifteen percent credit toward a brand new Hövding if the one used is returned at the time of purchasing the new one. In addition, some insurance agencies do cover part of the cost for a new Hövding if he or she is involved in an accident.  Certainly, the creation of this innovative helmet was a direct response of the survey conducted on the Sweden’s streets. They concluded that the primary reason for not wearing a helmet when cycling was that it is impractical and uncomfortable in several ways: “They're a pain to carry about, they all look hideous, they ruin your hair, nobody else wears them, you can't get your hat on underneath.” The Hövding solves all of these inconveniences, as well as increased visibility compared to a standard bicycle helmet. The only unfavorable character of the Hövding is the $600 price tag. In all, the Hövding allows cyclists to enjoy the outdoors entirely while abiding by bicycle helmet and safety laws.

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