Ford shows off “smart car” sensors in San Francisco

Ford recently took to the streets of San Francisco to demonstrate new "smart cars" that can send information to each other.

The new safety improvement works by utilizing GPS and wireless technology to constantly send updates between vehicles about the location of cars. The feature only works in a limited range, but it could prove useful in preventing accidents.

Ford is just one of many automakers working on the project, which includes General Motors, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Audi, Mercedes, Hyundai and more. They say it will be at least five years before the feature is available on mass-produced vehicles. However, the cooperation between automakers is a good sign early on.

"Next year, we're doing a model deployment in a city where there will be thousands of equipped vehicles and trucks and buses all sending out these messages, and then the goal in 2013 is to start a regulation that will require this on all vehicles," Ford technical director Mike Shulman told PC Magazine. "Then, maybe consumer electronics companies would start designing products that could be retrofitted onto existing cars, because everyone sees the potential."

The technology is still years away, so in the meantime drivers might want to consider buying a used car from New Jersey State Auto Auction. Whether it's a used Ford or any other vehicle, there are a wide range of cars for sale at affordable prices.

Toyota issues two recalls

Toyota has announced two recalls of popular vehicles for separate issues, one of which will affect more than 100,000 models and another that is restricted to just 50.

The big recall centers around used Toyota Priuses, specifically models from 2001 through 2003. Toyota has found that some versions of the popular hybrid may eventually lose their steering capability due to some screw in the steering column. Apparently, if a driver routinely makes hard left turns, the screws can become undone and it can be very difficult to turn the vehicle.

The degradation of steering ability comes over time, so it's not something sudden that will catch drivers unaware. Toyota says the recall affects 106,000 Priuses worldwide, including 52,000 in the U.S. Dealers will replace the screws affected by the issue with stronger screws that will eliminate the flaw. The repair is expected to take four hours.

In a separate recall, a very small portion of 2011 Venzas and Siennas are being called back for an issue related to the driveshaft. Toyota is going to look at 34 Venzas and 11 Siennas, but expects to just find 38 instances of the issue.

Drivers should keep up to date on recalls if they plan on shopping for a used car, and should be sure that the model they are considering purchasing has had all the proper maintenance work. 

Electric vehicle tax credit to become instant rebate?

Electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf are brand new, and recent technology naturally costs more than the materials everyone's been using for years. That means that the two vehicles are quite pricey given their size, which is why the government decided to step in and help out with a $7,500 federal tax rebate for all drivers who purchased an EV.

A $7,500 discount on a vehicle sound pretty good no matter what the starting price is, but drivers may be a bit dismayed to know that this is something they can only claim come tax time. Given that the federal filing deadline for the year has already passed, that means a full year before that money is in a driver's pocket.

Now, The Associated Press reports that the Obama administration is hoping to make that tax rebate instant for drivers. The plan has not yet come to fruition, but the government believes that this is a better way of encouraging drivers to buy EVs than promising the money a year down the road.

"We'd like for people to get a $7,500 rebate on the day they buy the Leaf," LaHood said during a tour of a Nissan facility. The Transportation Secretary hoped that an instant rebate would motivate drivers in the same way that the immediate cash of the successful "Cash for Clunkers" program drove people to dealers.

Drivers interested in an electric vehicle or possibly a cheaper hybrid may want to visit New Jersey State Auto Auction when they're ready to buy.