The 2006-2007 Toyota Yaris will offer a new, fully-electronic Drive by Wire, Custom Cruise Control System for both manual and automatic transmission. The new Rostra Yaris Cruise Control System offer standard features such as set speed, coast/reduce speed, resume/accelerate, controlled resume rate, and retention of last set speed. The system also includes other safety feature such as a disengage function when pressure is applied to the brake pedal. The system also allows the drivers to tap up and down to adjust speed in one-mile-per-hour increments and allows for closer and more accurate control of set speed.

Where in the world did Volvo bury that new XC90 V8?

This is the big question on every participant to the world’s first treasure hunt for a buried vehicle. The global, multi-media treasure hunt is part of Volvo’s marketing promotion tied in with Disney’s upcoming film ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’. Starting last June 12 until July 11, people nationwide can experience the exciting search for a buried treasure – Volvo’s hot, new SUV, the XC90. All you need to do is visit your local Volvo dealership and grab a free treasure map. This treasure map is important since winners will only be eligible for the prize if they can produce the original treasure map at the end of the contest. You also have to register at ‘The Hunt’s’ official website here.

Puzzles and mazes will then be regularly emailed to you. If you solve these puzzles you get to receive clues to the location of the buried treasure. The puzzles and mazes will become increasingly difficult to solve until the last clue is emailed on July 12. By then, Volvo will pick seven finalists from all over the world that got the right answer to the final clue. In August, the seven finalists will be flown to the location of the buried XC90. They will then set off on a mad scramble to find the buried vehicle first. First to find it, gets to keep it. Aside from the U.S, other nations participating in the global buried-treasure hunt are Japan, the U.K., Austria and Spain.

Meanwhile, Disney’s much-awaited flick ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ is set to debut in the U.S. on July 7.

The Ford F-150 is about to get a new 4.4-liter V-8 diesel engine within the decade. Ford is currently in the development and planning stage though the diesel engine is still awaiting approval. The new diesel engine will be a scaled up version of the 3.6 liter V-8 engine that Ford developed for the Range Rover. As soon as it is approved, we may see a launch production within two-three years. Meanwhile, diesel engines are already available in Ford’s line-up, specifically in large pickups. Other automakers also offer diesel engines in their pickups.

Ford has been contemplating on developing a diesel engine for the Ford F-150 for many years now and even considered buying the engine from outside suppliers. Now, Ford is bent on developing its own diesel engine. Meanwhile, Ford hasn’t officially confirmed its plans for the 4.4 liter engine. Ford spokesman Nick Twork said that “The best thing to say is we intend to maintain truck leadership. We have some great diesel engines in our lineup.”

Source: Autoweek

Jaguar is set to take the covers off its newest supercharged sports car, the XKR, on July 18 at the British International Motor Show in the UK. The new XKR revs up with a supercharged 390hp, V-8 engine offering superb power. It is also loaded with modern amenities and technologies such as standard GPS navigation and Bluetooth phone integration. With its sleek and stunning design and classic Jaguar configurations, the new CKR is sure to turn many heads.

The new XKR was designed, developed and engineered at Jaguar’s Whitley Product Development Centre, one of the most advanced facilities in the automotive industry with the latest in computer-aided design, advanced engineering, vehicle component development, safety test centers, and engine testing. Some of Jaguar’s most popular models such as the X-type, S-type, XJ and the XK were born in this facility.

Crashes caused by driving under the influence of alcohol claim over 13,000 lives and injure tens of thousands every year. A big percentage of these can be avoided through the use of anti-drunk driving devices and technologies. In light of this, the International DUI Technology Symposium will be held on June 19-20 in Albuquerque, NM. The symposium will gather researchers, law enforcers, and criminal justice officials to showcase the latest in anti-drunk driving technologies that can help reduce fatalities and injuries caused by crashes. The ignition interlock is one of the most popular anti-drunken driving technologies available and has been used for about 20 years now. It works by requiring the driver to breath into a tube connected to an alcohol sensor before the car can start.

Now, there are new anti-drunken driving technologies that will be showcased at he said event. These include passive alcohol sensors and transdermal alcohol sensors. Passive alcohol sensors detect alcohol in the air around the mouth of the driver. This device can be installed in the police officer’s flashlight and can be the basis for further sobriety tests. Meanwhile, transdermal alcohol sensors, which lock onto the driver’s ankle, detect alcohol from the sweat in the skin surface then later stores and upload the information gathered to a remote server.

As of now, these technologies are still underutilized with police officers resorting to traditional methods. As a result, they miss about half of drivers with high blood alcohol concentrations. These new technologies will help law enforcers to help deter impaired driving.

If electronic stability control or ESC is standardized in all current vehicles, one-third of all fatal crashes or close to 10,000 deaths can be prevented in one year. This is a significant percentage of the nearly 34,000 crash-related deaths that happen every year here in the U.S. According to the study, vehicles that are equipped with ESC are 43% less likely to be involved in fatal crashes. This new study further underscores the importance of ESC in vehicle safety.

How does a ESC help keep a vehicle safe in crash situations?

ESC relies on two other underlying technologies: anti-lock brakes and electronic traction control. Anti-lock brakes use sensors to detect when a car’s wheels are about to lose traction under hard braking. The system then pumps the brakes at an extremely rapid rate, allowing the wheels to regain traction so that the car stays in control and can be steered effectively.

Electronic traction control uses similar sensors to detect when a car’s wheels are spinning out of control under hard acceleration. The system automatically reduces power from the engine until the wheels regain traction.

ESC uses a variety of sensors to detect when a car is skidding, or is about to skid, because of hard cornering and slippery road conditions. The system will rapidly apply the brakes for fractions of a second at individual wheels and simultaneously reduce engine speed to keep the vehicle under control. Such systems can often react even before the driver is aware that there is a problem.

— CNN Money

Now, if only everyone can avail of ESC. Right now, only 40% of current passenger vehicle models offer ESC as a standard feature. It is also offered as an option in 15% of new vehicles. To make matters even worse, ESC costs quite a lot, ranging from $300 to $800 as a stand alone option. In some vehicles, it is bundled with a more expensive options package. Because ESC is no offered as a standard feature, most car buyers are not aware of it and usually don’t ask about it.

Now, more automakers are moving towards the standardization of ESC in their vehicles. GMC has signified that all its vehicles will be ESC-equipped by 2010. Ford Motor Corp. has also announced that it is ‘moving towards standardization’ of ESC. Chrysler SUVS including Jeep and Dodge vehicles will have standard ESC as early as the end of this year while all Hyundai vehicles now offer ESC technology.

The government has started to require ESC on all vehicle models. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is set to impose a proposed emergency handling test that will effectively require all automakers to make ESC standard on all their vehicles.

Ford North America president Mark Fields announced that the automaker will delay the production of a subcompact B-car for two years or more although Japanese competitors are unveiling new models in this segment. Fields opted instead for redesign, with emphasis on bolder styling. Updates on the Mustang were also delayed while one or two large sedans for the Lincoln marquee as well as a Mercury version of the Freestyle were cancelled.

The subcompact category is the fastest growing segment in the industry today even though it accounts for only 1.2% of new vehicle sales. Ford is eyeing a big share in the subcompact segment. The automaker also wants to ease its dependence on big trucks which account for 67% of its sales for 2005. Revising the ‘Way Forward’ plan, however, will leave gaps in the company’s product line.

Source: Automotive Digest

Three vehicles from Audi, namely the Q7, A3 and the S8 grabbed the top honors at the 2006 Auto Interior of the Year awards held last June 7, 2006 on the merits of their excellence in quality, fit and finish, style and features.. This achievement further underscores Audi’s excellence in automotive interior design. Audi vehicles are considered as the benchmark in the industry when it comes to interior design and quality. The Audi Q7 earned the news media award for the Premium-priced CUV category. The Audi A3 grabbed the news media award for the Popular-priced car category. These two models are already recognized for their elegant and luxurious interiors. Meanwhile, the news media award for the Best Sound System was given to the Audi S8, owing to its all-new 1000 watt, 14-speaker Bang and Olufsen audio system.

The legendary Chevrolet Corvette widely regarded as “America’s Sports Car’, zoomed to the top of 2006 list of the top ten “sexiest, hottest, and wildest wheels” released by Road and Travel Magazine. The other pony car, Ford Mustang, came in at second. Rounding up the elite list were the BMW Z4, Hyundai Tiburon, Honda S2000, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Nissan 350Z Roadster, Dodge Charger, and the new Pontiac Solstice. As expected, almost all the cars listed were sports cars and coupes with the exception of the Dodge Charger, the only four-seater on the selection.

All these cars possessed one common denominator: pure sex appeal. Road and Travel Editor-in-chief Courtney Caldwell explained the predilection towards sports cars. She said that ‘sports cars are all about the sensations they inspire from how the supple leather feels on our skin to its aromatic splendor, from the youthful spirit felt driving one to the sun on our back and wind in our hair; Sports cars are about fantasy and self image. Just looking at one incites erotic thoughts and visions of grandeur. Owning one turns those images into reality!’

The other cars who made it to the list have already won accolades from other award-giving bodies. The Pontiac Solstice took home the ‘Most Sex Appeal’ award at the 2006 International Car of the Year Awards. The Dodge Charger won the coveted top plum: Car of the Year. Meanwhile, Nissan 350Z’s ads won for it the 2nd Annual Heart String Award for best car commercial, also given out by Road and Travel Magazine.

June 2006 is designated by the National Safety Council as the National Safety Month. In line with this, driver risk management company DriveCam Inc. identified the riskiest driving behaviors that are likely to lead to accidents and collisions. DriveCam provides driver risk management solutions to commercial fleets by capturing video footage of risky driving behaviors. These footages help fleets address and correct these behaviors that can lead to injury and death. DriveCam identified the top seven riskiest driving behaviors including the following activities:

• Following too close, or tailgating
• Poor awareness approaching intersections
• Distracted driving
• Not looking far enough ahead
• Speeding / driving too fast for conditions
• Driver fatigue
• Risky lane change / passing