Survey: Consumers are ready for new tech ideas in cars

A new survey about what vehicle consumers want and don't want suggests that the auto industry is lagging consumers when it comes to technology ideas.

The study, undertaken globally by software supplier Cisco Systems, found a surprisingly high degree of consumer comfort with the idea of vehicles that drive themselves -- a technology that so far exists mainly at r&d centers.

It also found that many consumers from the United States to China don't trust automaker or dealership Web sites when it comes to shopping for new cars.

5 Things Every Driver Should Know About Engine Oil

There are a couple of things an engine absolutely must have in order to work: Gasoline to make the car go, and oil to keep the parts of the engine moving.

Oil may play a supporting role in the combustion engine, but without it, the parts wouldn't be able to move freely, the seals would dry up and crack and little bits of dirt and metal would clog the works. Without engine oil, the whole combustion process would grind to a halt.

Most drivers know their engine needs oil just like it needs gasoline, but how much, what kind and how often to add it can seem like a mystery -- especially with recent advances in modern engine technology. New drivers, as well as experienced drivers who've just upgraded to a brand-new car, can benefit from learning the basics of engine oil. After all, it's one of the few things in an engine that the average driver can learn about and control.

Vehicle Serviceability - A Real Issue

Serviceability is not a top priority for vehicle design teams, but it should be. Vehicle designers will surely read this article and remonstrate that there is no real issue here, and that modern computer-aided design makes vehicle repairs logical, efficient, and affordable. Any first year mechanic’s apprentice knows better.

To prove the point, let’s look a couple of real repairs. Chrysler will take the sharp point of our whoopin' stick in these examples, but the sins of the industry are not bounded by brand. And nowhere is bad service/repair design more evident than in the industry's antiquated approach to heating and air conditioning systems.

Let’s start with a 2000 Chrysler Concorde, a car with, well... issues. Other egregious offenses aside, this particular Concorde’s air conditioner blows more hot air than a freshman congressman, now that the evaporator core has sprung its characteristic leak.

The thoughtful addition of a foam blanket wrapped around the evaporator traps moisture and creates a fertile breeding ground for bacteria large enough to fly in formation through the air vents.