But there is more coming. And the federal government and a major car manufacturer -- Ford Motor Company -- have taken steps to assure that these new innovations become reality.
After more than 10 years of research, Ford is creating a task force of planners, engineers and scientists from around the world who already have experience in developing sophisticated safety equipment as well as infotainment and driver convenience systems to create intelligent vehicles that, among other things, will prevent collisions and allow cars on the road to communicate with one another. The company, along with other car manufacturers and the federal government, is working to create a "common language" that allows cars to communicate based on a common communication standard. Moreover, the partnership also intends to launch driving clinics starting this summer to test the technology. Ford will be donating two prototype Ford Taurus sedans to the project which will be managed by the Intelligent Transportation Systems of the U.S. Department of Transportation and which also involves the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership, a joint research group headed by Ford and General Motors. The project will help create standards and will be completed in 2013.
The result of the technology could lead to the easing of traffic delays which will save time and fuel costs. Moreover, the technology in conjunction with infrastructure innovations will provide drivers with real time traffic reports that will assist them in choosing less congested routes.
The communication between cars will be based on Wi-Fi, which allows a full 360 degree range of detection. So the car will be able to alert the driver if he or she is on a path to a collision, when a vehicle ahead stops or suddenly slows down, when traffic patterns change, if there is a chance of a collision when changing lanes, when the car is approaching stationary or parked vehicles, or if another driver loses control of his or her car.
All of this is possible because car manufacturers including Ford have already developed technologies that can be used. These include Collision Warning and Blind Spot Information Systems which use radar to detect vehicles or objects near the vehicle.
Moreover, Ford has created a so-called "smart intersection" which communicates information to and from vehicles. For example, this system allows a vehicle to communicate its speed, direction and position about 10 times per second at a distance of 300 to 500 meters.
The ability of a car to "talk" allows for all sorts of other actions. For example, it could allow the car to reserve or bid for a preferred parking spot before reaching a destination
It appears that the federal government understands how important it is to develop such a technology. Two members of the United States House of Representatives, Mike Rogers (R-Michigan) and Russ Carnahan (D-Missouri) have introduced legislation to permit the federal government to select six cities in which to test a system. In addition, the Congress is also considering a new surface transportation bill that will manage how the government spends money from its transportation budget. Those who favor intelligent transportation systems want to be certain that the agenda is part of the government's long term planning.
Technology is also being developed that would permit the car to notify authorities as an accident is happening. The vehicle's speed, steering and braking data as well as video from inside and outside the car would be automatically sent to police and insurance companies. Moreover, onboard sensors will be able to detect pot holes in the road and notify road maintenance authorities.
One of the most recognised and plagiarised car designs in the World, immortalised in films such as The Italian Job, the Mini became an icon of British design during the swinging sixties in London and around the globe.
The Mini was the brainchild and end product of a two year research project by the chain-smoking Sir Alec Issigonis for the British Motor Company (BMC) started in 1957 and launched to an astounded public in 1959.
The Mini was born out of economic necessity and demonstrated the differences in the mindsets of US and British car owners at the time.
In America, multi-laned freeways were springing up everywhere and the 1950's was a time of indulgence in classic muscle cars and massive engined saloons. Fuel and economy was not a consideration.
However in Europe the mindset and zeitgeist was totally different, with the first two lane UK motorway not opened until 1959.
In 1956 petrol rationing had been reintroduced in the UK due to the Suez Crisis. When Egyptian leader General Nasser shut the Suez Canal, Britain's largest oil supplier of the time, Burmah Oil, which operated out of Persia, had to find alternative and much longer routes.
Demand for sales of small economic to run cars soon outstripped supply and this gap was filled by the famous two seater 'bubble cars' and other strange machines of German origin like the gull winged doors on the three wheeled Messerschmitt Kabinenroller (cabinscooter) KR175 and KR200.
Against this background, BMC commissioned Issigonis to come up with a world-beating small car to replace its aging Morris Minor, a previously untested idea.
The Mini's ingenious concept and design meant it offered a staggeringly large amount of interior space for what was essentially a 10 foot long car. The short wheelbase meant the Mini was extremely maneuverable and the car only weighed just 587 kg.
When Issigonis set to work he imagined an ultra compact cube to house four passengers, fronted by a space-saving front wheel drive system. However in a flash of genius he positioned the engine transversely across the engine well with the gearbox underneath it, to keep the drive-train super compact and outside his cube, and in doing so he invented the transverse engine.
The prototypes were fitted with a 950cc Morris Minor engine which could reach speeds of 92 mph, but the production car was first released with a more limited 848cc BMC engine that had a top speed of 72 mph.
Every available space was utilised in the design of the BMC Mini.
The car had tiny ten inch wheels in very tight wheel arches. Inside the car was basic with novel storage drawers in the doors but nowhere to put a radio on a small dialled facia. Issigonis did however include an ashtray!
Issigonis couldn't have possibly known that his cube car would go on to be voted in 1999 the second most influential car ever built, behind the Model T Ford.
BMC launched the first Mini Mark 1 in August 1959 under the brands Austin Seven Mini and Morris Mini Minor. They were manufactured at the respective Austin and Morris plants at Longbridge in Birmingham and Cowley down the road in Oxford.
The basic Mini cost just £496 when it was launched, the cheapest car in Britain.
Despite rapidly developing a cult following, and the car being driven by Stars such as Steve McQueen, Paul McCartney and Margot Fonteyn, initial sales were extremely slow and by the end of 1960 only 116,000 Minis had been sold, way below BMC's production capacity.
The car didn't reach its peak sales for another eleven years when in 1971 318,475 new Minis were sold.
It was also rumored by competitors Ford that the basic BMC Mini cost more to produce than it was sold for.
BMC responded by saying that the profits were made by having additional extras to the basic model, such as a radio, but on inspection the records show that the Mini did not make a profit for the company until 1982.
As a nationalised company with considerations of employees and trade unions, coupled with the investment in technology, BLMC as BMC became, could not halt a slightly loss making production.
So Mini production continued until 2000 and over 5,380,000 cars were built, making the Mini the most successful all British car ever made.
The Mini was the brainchild and end product of a two year research project by the chain-smoking Sir Alec Issigonis for the British Motor Company (BMC) started in 1957 and launched to an astounded public in 1959.
The Mini was born out of economic necessity and demonstrated the differences in the mindsets of US and British car owners at the time.
In America, multi-laned freeways were springing up everywhere and the 1950's was a time of indulgence in classic muscle cars and massive engined saloons. Fuel and economy was not a consideration.
However in Europe the mindset and zeitgeist was totally different, with the first two lane UK motorway not opened until 1959.
In 1956 petrol rationing had been reintroduced in the UK due to the Suez Crisis. When Egyptian leader General Nasser shut the Suez Canal, Britain's largest oil supplier of the time, Burmah Oil, which operated out of Persia, had to find alternative and much longer routes.
Demand for sales of small economic to run cars soon outstripped supply and this gap was filled by the famous two seater 'bubble cars' and other strange machines of German origin like the gull winged doors on the three wheeled Messerschmitt Kabinenroller (cabinscooter) KR175 and KR200.
Against this background, BMC commissioned Issigonis to come up with a world-beating small car to replace its aging Morris Minor, a previously untested idea.
The Mini's ingenious concept and design meant it offered a staggeringly large amount of interior space for what was essentially a 10 foot long car. The short wheelbase meant the Mini was extremely maneuverable and the car only weighed just 587 kg.
When Issigonis set to work he imagined an ultra compact cube to house four passengers, fronted by a space-saving front wheel drive system. However in a flash of genius he positioned the engine transversely across the engine well with the gearbox underneath it, to keep the drive-train super compact and outside his cube, and in doing so he invented the transverse engine.
The prototypes were fitted with a 950cc Morris Minor engine which could reach speeds of 92 mph, but the production car was first released with a more limited 848cc BMC engine that had a top speed of 72 mph.
Every available space was utilised in the design of the BMC Mini.
The car had tiny ten inch wheels in very tight wheel arches. Inside the car was basic with novel storage drawers in the doors but nowhere to put a radio on a small dialled facia. Issigonis did however include an ashtray!
Issigonis couldn't have possibly known that his cube car would go on to be voted in 1999 the second most influential car ever built, behind the Model T Ford.
BMC launched the first Mini Mark 1 in August 1959 under the brands Austin Seven Mini and Morris Mini Minor. They were manufactured at the respective Austin and Morris plants at Longbridge in Birmingham and Cowley down the road in Oxford.
The basic Mini cost just £496 when it was launched, the cheapest car in Britain.
Despite rapidly developing a cult following, and the car being driven by Stars such as Steve McQueen, Paul McCartney and Margot Fonteyn, initial sales were extremely slow and by the end of 1960 only 116,000 Minis had been sold, way below BMC's production capacity.
The car didn't reach its peak sales for another eleven years when in 1971 318,475 new Minis were sold.
It was also rumored by competitors Ford that the basic BMC Mini cost more to produce than it was sold for.
BMC responded by saying that the profits were made by having additional extras to the basic model, such as a radio, but on inspection the records show that the Mini did not make a profit for the company until 1982.
As a nationalised company with considerations of employees and trade unions, coupled with the investment in technology, BLMC as BMC became, could not halt a slightly loss making production.
So Mini production continued until 2000 and over 5,380,000 cars were built, making the Mini the most successful all British car ever made.
In the small car category, Honda and Toyota vehicles dominate. The five best small cars of 2011 are:
Toyota Yaris, a sedan or 2-door or 4-door hatchback
Honda Fit, a 4-door hatchback
Toyota Motor Corporation's Scion xD, a 4-door hatchback
Honda Civic Coupe
Honda Civic Sedan.
For comparison, last year's 2010 Auto Reliability Grade Point Averages (GPAs) of these models for model years 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 are:
Toyota Yaris Hatchback: a perfect 4.00
Honda Fit: 4.00
Scion xD: 4.00
Honda Civic Coupe: N/A
Honda Civic Sedan: 3.50.
In the category of family cars, Ford Motor Company captures first and second place for 2011 predicted reliability. The two are:
Ford Fusion Hybrid
Ford Fusion with a V6 engine and front-wheel drive.
The 2010 Auto Reliability GPAs of these models are:
Ford Fusion Hybrid: 4.00 (based on only a one-year data history)
Ford Fusion with a V6 and fwd: 3.75.
In the category of upscale/luxury cars, Honda and Toyota account for all four in the list. These are:
Honda Motor Company's Acura RL,
Honda's Acura TL
Toyota's Lexus IS 250 Sedan with rear-wheel drive
Toyota's Lexus ES.
The year earlier GPAs are:
Acura RL: 2.67
Acura TL: 3.25
Lexus IS 250 with rwd: 2.50
Lexus ES: 3.50.
Two of the above are very modest.
Not making this year's upscale/luxury car list are Ford's Lincoln MKZ and its 4-cylinder Mercury Milan, both of which had 2010 GPAs of a perfect 4.00 last year.
In the category of larger wagons and minivans, the best is the V6, front-wheel-drive Toyota Sienna. The 2010 Reliability GPA of the front-wheel-drive Sienna for the 4 recent years is a more modest 3.00.
The 5 best small SUVs are:
Honda CR-V
Toyota RAV4 with a V6 engine
Mitsubishi Outlander
Toyota RAV4 with a 4-cylinder engine
Subaru Forester with a non-turbo engine.
The 2010 GPAs of these best for the 4 most recent model years are:
Honda CR-V: 3.75
Toyota RAV4 with a V6: 3.40
Mitsubishi Outlander: 3.00
Toyota RAV4 with a 4-cylinder: 3.75
Subaru Forester with a non-turbo engine: 4.00.
The 4-cylinder RAV4 and the Honda CR-V have outstanding 10-year mean GPAs of 3.88 and 3.63, respectively.
The 5 best midsize SUVs are:
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Toyota Highlander with a 4-cylinder engine
Toyota Highlander with a V6 engine
Hyundai Santa Fe with a V6 engine
Nissan Pathfinder.
The 2010 GPAs of these best for the 4 most recent model years are:
Toyota FJ Cruiser: 4.00
Toyota Highlander with a 4-cylinder engine: N/A
Toyota Highlander with a V6 engine: 3.75
Hyundai Santa Fe with a V6 engine: 2.75
Nissan Pathfinder: 1.67.
The V6 Toyota Highlander has an outstanding 10-year mean GPA of 3.94. The Pathfinder's jump to best from a very mediocre 2010 GPA suggests thin data making an accurate rating difficult.
The 3 best upscale/luxury SUVs are:
Toyota's Lexus LX
Honda's Acura RDX
Honda's Acura MDX.
The 2010 GPAs of these best for the 4 most recent model years are:
Toyota's Lexus LX: 3.67
Honda's Acura RDX: 3.33
Honda's Acura MDX: 3.50.
The Lexus LX has an excellent mean 10-year GPA of 3.79 for 2010; the MDX's is a more modest 3.31.
The 5 best pickup trucks are:
Toyota Tundra with a V6 engine
Honda Ridgeline
Nissan Frontier with 2-wheel drive
Ford Ranger with 2-wheel drive
Toyota Tundra with a V8 engine and 4-wheel drive.
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