This week’s most impactful OEM headlines, including:
- Ford to boost F-150 fuel economy with stop-start technology
Auto News says Ford is planning to put automatic stop-start technology on hundreds of thousands of F-150 pickups, including the high-performance raptor version, to help drivers get better fuel economy. Having this technology means saving fuel by shutting off the engine when a vehicle is idling. - Volvo promises deathproof cars by 2020
CNN Money reported that Volvo has made a pretty shocking pledge. By 2020, no one will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car or SUV. The insurance institute for highway safety says there are nine models in which no one in the U.S. has died…from the years of 2009-2012. Now, Volvo is making a worldwide pledge. - Honda’s new model named Green SUV of the Year
Congrats to HONDA! The HR-V Small Crossover was named Green SUV of the year at the Washington Auto Show. USA Today says it stood out for its practicality of an SUV, with the styling of a coupe. The HR-V gets 35 miles a gallon on the highway from its 141-horsepower engine. - See What Classic Features Automakers Are Quietly Removing from New Cars
Say goodbye to some classic features on new cars. Time.com says one particular automaker is targeting an overhaul of several things like analog gas gauges. Tachometers and speedometers will be replaced by digital screens. And while cd players have begun to be phased out as standard features, time says almost 90% of new cars have speech recognition.
