As if things weren’t bad enough for Toyota, the company admitted today that 2010 Prius models sold before late January had problems with its anti-lock braking system. According to a report in the New York Times, a spokesperson for Toyota said the company found design problems in these models but have since corrected the problem in later models.

The latest problem comes on the heels of Toyota’s massive recall of vehicles that could suffer from sticking accelerator pedals. No Prius models, including the 2010 Prius, were associated to the sticking pedals problem (although early Prius models were associated to a separate recall involving problems with floor mats).

Braking problems for the new 2010 Prius were reported as early as two months after the car went on sale in May, with problems being reported both here in the U.S. and in Japan. Toyota claims to have received 77 reports of braking problems related to the latest Prius model.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Toyota, 2010 Prius, Braking problems

So let’s be honest now. How many of you have seen the “Check Engine” light come on in your car only to completely ignore it for weeks or even months on end? (I’m slowly raise my arm into the air..)

I don’t blame ya. I hate bringing my car into the shop. I hate taking time off from work to handle these issues. AND.. I hate trying to figure out if the shop is ripping me off with the costs of the repairs.

Of course, the better educated you are with your car and your car’s issues, the better prepared you are when dealing with the auto shop and that’s where the CarMD handheld tester comes in.

This device, when connected to your car, determines why your car’s “check engine” light is on, and more importantly, determines how much the parts and labor should cost to repair the problem. Once the device finishes analyzing your car, simply connect the CarMD to your PC and then receive the analysis report. Think of it as a second opinion to your car’s problems – something you can compare against when the mechanic calls you up stating you need to pay $2000 for those repairs.

Oh and so how does it connect to your car? Practically every modern car out there has a data link connector that allows access to the vehicle’s on-board computer. It’s this connector that CarMD connects to.

The best part about CarMD? The price. The device costs $98.99 and that’s it. There are no additional service or subscription costs to deal with. The CarMD helps you stay proactive with your car and more importantly, helps level the playing field with auto shops – ensuring you’re paying a realistic price for repairs.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: CarMD Handheld Tester

Arguably the big news of the day belonged to General Motors as the company announced that the upcoming Chevy Volt will get approximately 230 mpg for city driving. The rating is based on a draft procedure being developed by the EPA for electric vehicles and assumes a single charge each day.

With these new guidelines, the Volt is expected to achieve approximately 40 miles of “electric-only, gasoline-free driving in both city and highway test cycles”. With the majority of today’s commuters traveling less than 40 miles for a given work day, this translates to zero gasoline consumption with the Chevy Volt.  (heck, my commute is only 7 miles for a given day!)

What about costs to charge the vehicle? The Volt is rated at 25 kilowatt-hours/100 miles of electrical efficiency in the city cycle which translates to approximately 75 cents to $2.50 in costs – significantly less than the cost of gassing up at the pump.

Unfortunately with the Volt being a first-generation product, expect initial costs to be rather high. Rumors place the Volt at around $40,000 although the car will qualify for a $7500 federal tax credit. GM may also consider subsidizing the car initially.

[Check it out via CNN, CNET]

Technorati Tags: Chevy Volt, General Motors

Here’s some pretty nifty new tech. Segway, in collaboration with General Motors, announced their new Project P.U.M.A.(Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility) prototype yesterday – making the announcement in advance of the New York Auto Show.

What exactly is the PUMA? Think of it as an advanced two passenger Segway vehicle capable of traveling at speeds up to 25 to 35 miles per hour and at distances of 25 to 35 miles on a single charge. The vehicle features large format lithium-ion batteries which can be recharged at a cost of around 60 cents per charge.

Some of the cool tech found in the PUMA (quoting from the Segway blog here) include:

• “Dynamic stabilization: The ability to balance on two wheels and have a true zero turning radius.  It gives you incredible maneuverability.
• Electric propulsion: It’s extremely efficient and gives us significant fine control over vehicle dynamics.  You also can use regenerative braking to charge back the batteries.
• Smart battery management: We’re one of the world’s largest customers of large format lithium-ion batteries.  As such, we’ve become experts about the safe and efficient use of their chemistry.
• Drive-by-wire digital controls: Think about this whole thing as a digital solution to an analog problem.  All steering inputs, acceleration, and deceleration are done with zeros and ones instead of levers, cables, and pads.
• Intuitive user interface: Shifting the center of mass of the vehicle controls how fast it goes and how quickly it stops.  Check out the video to see it in action.
• Digital dashboard: Data from the vehicle such as speed, battery life, and other information can flow wireless to a handheld device wirelessly.  Add in real-time traffic and other connectivity info. and you’ll be armed with enough information to sail through your commute. “

Other interesting specs and facts about the PUMA include:

• Weighs around 300 pounds (yeah.. don’t have this thing fall on ya)
• Wireless key system
• 8 to 10 hour charge time
• Zero turning radius
• Accelerate by pushing the steering console forward. Slowdown or brake by pulling the steering console back towards you
• Not been tested in bad weather yet
• Designed for smooth terrain travel so forget about taking it on dirt roads for now

One interesting question that I’m sure some of you are wondering – how much will this thing cost? According to Segway’s FAQ – it looks like the PUMA will cost less than most  current small car prices.

OK.. now onto several questions that I hope some of you might answer:

1. Would you buy it if it were available today?

2. Is it a solution looking for a problem?

[Check out the PUMA page]

Read this in Chinese Simplified and in French

Technorati Tags: Segway PUMA, General Motors,

Funtoro, a division of MSI, announces the FunStar Standard car entertainment all-in-one system. (Seriously.. I did not make up this name.. you gotta love the product names that come out of Asia!). On display at CeBIT 2009 in Hannover, Germany, FunStar Standard is basically a combination digital TV/GPS navigation system for the car. The system supports three zones – each of which can be controlled independently from one another with items such TV channels and function switching. Features of the FunStar Standard include:

• Built-in GPS navigation system
• Support for mobile TV, gaming, media player
• Auxiliary input for additional media devices
• Rear view camera (so you don’t hit that car behind you of course)
• Built-in tire pressure monitoring system
• Car information by OBDII
• Touch-screen displays

AND.. should you be transporting folks interested in learning the Chinese language, the system comes with an integrated language learning system. That’s right – using a combination of electronic flashcards and bilingual content, you’ll be able to learn the Chinese language right in your car.

[Check it out]

Read this in Chinese Simplified and French

Technorati Tags: Funtoro, FunStar Standard

Thinking about a new Toyota Prius for 2010 (I know I’m thinking about it). You’ll be happy to hear that Toyota has announced the 2010 model will achieve a combined gas mileage of 50 mpg. This breaks down into 50 mpg in the city and 49 mpg on the highway. The current Prius gets a combined gas mileage of 46 mpg.

The 2010 Prius will actually feature a larger, more powerful 1.8 liter 4 cylinder engine which ironically enough results in a higher gas mileage. According to Toyota, “By making more torque, the new engine can run at lower average r.p.m. on the highway” which results in the engine using less fuel.

Expect the new Prius to be available this Spring.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Toyota Prius

Looking for that perfect last minute gift for that car enthusiast person in your life? Might we suggest a “Road Mice” then? Developed by Four Door Media, Road Mice are basically wireless optical mice shaped as cars. From now until December 22nd, you can purchase Road Mice from www.roadmice.com or www.carmouse.com and receive a free shipping upgrade to UPS two day shopping – thereby making sure you get the Road Mouse before Christmas arrives.

Road Mice come in several replicas – all officially licensed of course. You can choose from:

• Chevrolet® Camaro® Concept
• Corvette® Z06™ 
• Dodge Charger SRT8 and SRT8 Super Bee
• Ford Mustang GT

Each car/mouse features:

• 800 dpi resolution
• Functioning headlights
• Smooth lines and rich coloring
• Individual VIN serial numbers

You can purchase Road Mice for $44.95 and they’re also available at etailers such as Amazon.com and Buy.com.

Technorati Tags: Road Mice

What you’re looking at here is a picture of the iPhone being used as a secondary display/interface within a concept car design for the Land Rover LRX. Yup.. sorry – you won’t be seeing this anytime soon but it’s neat to see manufacturers use the iPhone in unique innovative ways.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Apple iPhone, Land Rover LRX

If you live here in the Los Angeles area – listen up. The LA Auto Show starts this weekend and runs straight on through till Black Friday (Nov. 16th – Nov. 25th). Tickets are 10 dollars for adults and free for children under 12. You can see some preview photos over at News.com here. I’ll try and drop by at the auto show sometime this weekend.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: LA Auto Show, Los Angeles, Auto Show, Cars

In 1976, Honda introduced a two-door hatchback that it called the Accord, reflecting “Honda’s desire for accord and harmony between people, society, and the automobile.” This Accord would go on to become one of Honda’s best-selling models of all time. We caught a sneak peak at the Honda Accord coupe a little over a week ago. Today, Honda introduces the much anticipated eighth generation of this car.

The 2008 Accord is available both as a four-door sedan and a two-door coupe. Three engines are available:

• The 3.5L 6-cylinder iVTEC engine with 273 horsepower and 250 ft-lbs. of torque.
• The 2.4L 4-cylinder iVTEC engine with 200 horsepower and 170 ft-lbs. of torque.
• The 2.4L 4-cylinder iVTEC engine with 177 horsepower and 161 ft-lbs. of torque.

The top of the line 3.5L V6 engine has employs Variable Cylinder Management technology to operate the engine in 4 or 3 cylinder modes, to save on gas and emissions.

Delivering the power to the wheels is a 5-speed automatic transmission; the four-cylinder models have the option of shipping with a 5-speed manual transmission, and the six-cylinder model can be shipped with a 6-speed manual.

Looks like another great car from Honda.

More at Autoblog.

Technorati Tags: 2008 Honda Accord, Sedan, Coupe