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Safe travels
A recent National Safety Council (NSC) summit, Over-Connected and Behind the Wheel: A Summit on Technological Solutions to Distracted Driving, addressed a number of issues, including voice-operated in-vehicle infotainment systems. NSC believes these systems – including the ability to make phone calls, send and receive text messages and emails, and use social media – create distractions for drivers. While NSC agrees that technology can be a solution to the distracted driving epidemic, it does not believe these in-vehicle systems are the answer. Research has shown voice-to-text infotainment features are dangerous and do not offer drivers any safety benefit, notes the Council. Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for a large portion of the U.S. population, it says. Approximately 100 people are killed every day in car crashes, and as many as 90 percent of these crashes are primarily the result of driver error and inattention. NSC encourages automakers to work toward giving drivers, parents and employers the option of disabling non-driving related functions that are built into vehicles. It also recommends that automakers collaborate with the wireless and consumer electronics industries and private technology firms to expedite development and deployment of technology solutions to driver distraction. For more information visit http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nsc-distracted-driving-expert-speaks-out-on-dangers-of-infotainment-systems-243970781.html

The auto industry: A new direction
In his new book, Auto Brand: Building Successful Car Brands for the Future (Kogan Page, February 2014. ISBN: 9780749469290, paperback, $29.95), auto industry expert and brand and business consultant Anders Parment discusses car brands and trends, charting the shift from over 40 leading manufacturers in 1970 to just 10 today. Parment’s research, which is based on 4,700 survey responses and 100 interviews with CEOs, marketing managers and car dealers, looks at steps car companies have taken – and need to take – to succeed. The book identifies the challenges facing the industry today, including overcapacity; well-informed, value-conscious consumers; sustainability expectations; the pressure to be efficient, affordable and environmentally friendly; the need to break industry boundaries; difficulties predicting purchases based on demographic profiles; and cost efficiency vs. brand values. Parment raises such questions as:

• Will manufacturers and their marketing channel partners continue to spend 20 percent of a car’s retail price on marketing and advertising?
• Are salespeople becoming obsolete?
• Will cars continue to be sold in single brand dealerships?

Parment works with auto manufacturers such as Audi, Citroen, Porsche, Saab, Seat, Volkswagen and Volvo, and is a senior lecturer in marketing, branding and marketing communications at Stockholm University. For more information visit http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/car-brands-stop-looking-in-the-rear-view-246140011.html.

Mobile map updates
HYUNDAI MNSOFT, a vehicle infotainment company under Hyundai Motor Group has developed a new technology that delivers incremental updates of the latest maps to automotive navigation systems. The technology is built on mobile phone tethering (using a mobile phone as a Wi-Fi network host). Drivers can hook up their automotive navigation systems to the wireless network, which in turn allows for incremental updates of map data to the navigation systems. It reportedly takes less than a minute to download the map data updates via the LTE (4G) mobile network, and then 15-20 minutes for the downloaded file to update on the navigation system. However, users can access the navigation system while it is updating, and once the update is complete, they can use the updated database immediately upon rebooting the system. The period between updates has been shortened to once a week.

Dodge makes top 50 list
Fast Company included Dodge in its World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies list. (The complete list is available online at www.fastcompany.com/MIC) The company selected Dodge for its many brand initiatives that are said to deliver results, including the Dodge Durango advertising campaign featuring Ron Burgundy (Will Farrell), the fictional character in Paramount Picture’s “Anchorman” movie franchise. The ad reportedly helped boost Durango sales 59 percent in October 2013, according to Fast Company. The Dodge Durango features an eight-speed transmission said to deliver up to 25 miles per gallon on the highway and an 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment center. Fast Company also saluted Dodge for its product placement and partnerships, as well as its ability to reach many types of customers, and noted that Dodge brand sales were up 14 percent in 2013 marking 14 consecutive months of year-over-year sales growth.

2014 top hybrids under $30,000
Drivers looking to make the switch from a gas-powered car to a hybrid model now have more than 20 models under $30,000 to choose from. To aid shoppers, Kelley Blue Book, a provider of new and used car information, has compiled the following list of 2014 10 Best Hybrids Under $30,000:

• 2014 Toyota Prius.
• 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid.
• 2014 Toyota Camry.
• 2014 Toyota Prius V.
• 2014 Ford Fusion.
• 2014 Acura ILX.
• 2014 Ford C-Max Hybrid.
• 2014 Toyota Prius c.
• 2014 Volkswagen Jetta.
• 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek.

The vehicles were selected based on their overall attributes and value compared with other models in their segment and price class.