The Road to Hana is one of the most beautiful scenic drives in North America. Located on the island of Maui, traveling along this 52 mile road will expose you and your passengers to some of the most beautiful and amazing sites that nature has to offer. Although the island of Maui offers many tourist services that include a driver and guide to enable their visitors to sit back and relax and listen to the guide describe in detail all of the wondrous sites, this scenic drive is actually more fun and relaxing if you rent a car and are able to stop and go as you please. With approximately 56 one lane bridges and over 600 hairpin turns on the one way road that carries you towards the sites and sounds of black sand beaches, rainforests and many magnificent waterfalls, securing a convertible or a compact SUV with a removable canvas top for this day trip is definitely the best way to enjoy the ride.
The speed limit on the Road to Hana, also known as Hana Road or Route 360, is only 15 mph, so you would not need a powerhouse vehicle. What you will want is as open a view as you can get from a vehicle with nimble handling. However, both convertibles and compact SUV rentals are in high demand all year long in Hawaii and on the Island of Maui, so reserving yours as soon as possible can help to ensure that the vehicle you want for your scenic drive is available to you. Most people make the Road to Hana a day trip - it is a little over 2 hours to just drive through, but with so many things to see and do along the way you will want to allow a full day to experience it all. There is very little that matches the beauty of a sunset along the Road to Hana. The most popular rental vehicles in Hawaii and on the Island of Maui are the Chrysler Sebring convertible and the Jeep Wrangler. Both are agile vehicles that will conquer the curvaceous road with ease. The Sebring has ample room for 5 adults or 2 adults and 3 children.
The interior is well designed, comfortable and functional. Interior conveniences include air conditioning (should you want to put the top up and cool off, though the constant breeze usually makes this unnecessary) power steering, brakes and windows, and an a sound system with CD player. Many who have driven this road have purchased one of the many available CDs that describe the sites as you see them along the way. The more rugged Jeep Wrangler provides ample room for two adults and two children - adults may be uncomfortable for a long ride in the small rear seat. Air conditioning and a CD player are standard on most, if not all, Jeep Wranglers. Though the gas mileage is not as good with the Jeep Wrangler as it is with the Chrysler Sebring, the Jeep Wrangler seems to make the drive more of the outdoor adventure it truly is.
Once you have secured the appropriate rental vehicle, you will want to fuel up in Paia, as there are no gas stations between Paia and Hana. Be sure to pack your swim suits should the spontaneous urge to dive into one of the many beautiful waterfalls hits, or perhaps you might be more inclined to take a less adventurous dip in the ocean at the infamous Wai'Anapanpa Black Beach, which also features natural blow holes and freshwater caves just waiting to be admired and explored.
Although the Road to Hana is a very popular tourist attraction, the locals use this one lane road to get to and from their destinations and drive much faster than the majority of tourists. A few brave cyclists also ride bikes along the road and you will need to be prepared to meet a local, a cyclist or another tourist around any one of the many twists and turns along the way.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Event Data Recorders: Automobile Black Boxes
Event Data Recorders: Automobile Black Boxes
If you have purchased a new vehicle within the last few years, chances are it includes an event data recorder, also frequently referred to as an automobile black box or EDR system. In the United States, EDRs have been installed in about 80 percent of all passenger cars produced since 2004, though many people are not even aware that this device is in their cars. These people might be aware if they read their owner's manuals, which few people really do. Quite a few states in America have regulations in place that require car manufacturers to disclose the use of EDR's in the vehicles owner's manual, and many manufacturers provide this information voluntarily if there are no governing disclosure laws in place. General Motors, Ford and Toyota all include mention of the presence of an EDR system in the vehicles owners manual and describe the nature of the data that is recorded and stored.
Event data recorders are incorporated into the air bag system of a vehicle and its sensors are capable of and intended to record pre and post crash information. This information is stored in the vehicles processor and typically includes the speed at which the car was traveling and brake utilization within 5 seconds prior to impact, as well as the throttle position and whether or not the driver and passengers were wearing their seatbelts. This information can be influential during automobile accident investigations by helping to determine the cause of the accident. Though often compared in theory to the black box installed on an aircraft, the EDR's used by the automotive industry are not as sophisticated and do not record audio or nearly as much information as the black boxes used in aircraft.
EDRs were first designed to help car manufacturers monitor the performance of certain safety features, such as airbag deployment and seatbelt tension performance in the event of an accident. Various manufacturer professionals would analyze vehicles that had been in accidents and then use the information provided by the EDR to improve their safety systems. EDRs have also provided information that has been instrumental in determining the need to recall vehicles for necessary upgrades and repairs that improve the safety of the vehicle. Those in favor of EDR systems believe that the information that is gathered and stored has the potential to save lives as well as aid law enforcement without being too invasive.
Despite this potential, many people are concerned about their privacy and many questions surround who owns the EDR data and who has the right to retrieve that data. Currently, there are no industry or government standards that regulate these devices to ensure their accuracy and reliability. It has also been noted that EDR's record speed related data based on wheel speed, which is different from ground speed or the actual rate of speed the car is traveling and can be affected by road and vehicle positions.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently put forth a proposal requesting that the data from these automotive EDR systems be standardized within the automotive industry in terms of how the information is stored and measured. The NHTSA has furthermore suggested that ownership of the data be the possession of the owner of the vehicle, which would mean that an owner's permission would be necessary in order to download and analyze the data for any reason. Until these suggestions become law, the gray area and controversy surrounding automotive EDR systems and the data collected will most certainly be a hot legal topic visited by insurance companies and automotive rental agencies, as well as automotive consumers
If you have purchased a new vehicle within the last few years, chances are it includes an event data recorder, also frequently referred to as an automobile black box or EDR system. In the United States, EDRs have been installed in about 80 percent of all passenger cars produced since 2004, though many people are not even aware that this device is in their cars. These people might be aware if they read their owner's manuals, which few people really do. Quite a few states in America have regulations in place that require car manufacturers to disclose the use of EDR's in the vehicles owner's manual, and many manufacturers provide this information voluntarily if there are no governing disclosure laws in place. General Motors, Ford and Toyota all include mention of the presence of an EDR system in the vehicles owners manual and describe the nature of the data that is recorded and stored.
Event data recorders are incorporated into the air bag system of a vehicle and its sensors are capable of and intended to record pre and post crash information. This information is stored in the vehicles processor and typically includes the speed at which the car was traveling and brake utilization within 5 seconds prior to impact, as well as the throttle position and whether or not the driver and passengers were wearing their seatbelts. This information can be influential during automobile accident investigations by helping to determine the cause of the accident. Though often compared in theory to the black box installed on an aircraft, the EDR's used by the automotive industry are not as sophisticated and do not record audio or nearly as much information as the black boxes used in aircraft.
EDRs were first designed to help car manufacturers monitor the performance of certain safety features, such as airbag deployment and seatbelt tension performance in the event of an accident. Various manufacturer professionals would analyze vehicles that had been in accidents and then use the information provided by the EDR to improve their safety systems. EDRs have also provided information that has been instrumental in determining the need to recall vehicles for necessary upgrades and repairs that improve the safety of the vehicle. Those in favor of EDR systems believe that the information that is gathered and stored has the potential to save lives as well as aid law enforcement without being too invasive.
Despite this potential, many people are concerned about their privacy and many questions surround who owns the EDR data and who has the right to retrieve that data. Currently, there are no industry or government standards that regulate these devices to ensure their accuracy and reliability. It has also been noted that EDR's record speed related data based on wheel speed, which is different from ground speed or the actual rate of speed the car is traveling and can be affected by road and vehicle positions.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently put forth a proposal requesting that the data from these automotive EDR systems be standardized within the automotive industry in terms of how the information is stored and measured. The NHTSA has furthermore suggested that ownership of the data be the possession of the owner of the vehicle, which would mean that an owner's permission would be necessary in order to download and analyze the data for any reason. Until these suggestions become law, the gray area and controversy surrounding automotive EDR systems and the data collected will most certainly be a hot legal topic visited by insurance companies and automotive rental agencies, as well as automotive consumers
Crash Test Information and Results for 2007
Crash Test Information and Results for 2007
One of the best ways to avoid being the victim of an accident is to be an attentive driver and practice safe driving skills. However, even the safest drivers sometimes find themselves in an unavoidable situation. Having the knowledge that the car you have purchased is safe, as determined by organizations that conduct crash tests and exist specifically to evaluate the safety of new vehicles as they are introduced to the public, can provide priceless peace of mind and potentially save a life or prevent serious injury. Researching the safety ratings of a vehicle before you purchase it is well worth the investment of your time considering that approximately 40,000 people are involved in fatal accidents on American roadways each year.
There are two organizations that conduct crash tests that determine the safety ratings of vehicles in the United States-The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is part of the Executive branch of the United State's Department of Transportation. Data files maintained by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis represent one of the NHTSA's greatest achievments. Their role in the maintenance and publication of information regarding vehicle safety beneifts both consumers and the automobile industry. The NHTSA uses a 5 star rating system, with 5 stars being the safest, in order to evaluate the safety level of vehicles as indicated by crash tests evaluating Frontal Impact, Side Impact, Rear Impact and Rollover type car accidents.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a non-profit organization funded by automobile insurers. The primary purpose of this organization is to work towards reducing the amount of motor vehicle accidents, injury rates resulting from an automobile accident and the amount of property damage that occurs due to car crashes. They, too, conduct crash tests associated with Frontal Impact, Side Impact, Rear Impact and Rollover accidents. The rating system produced and published by the IIHS is presented as Good, Acceptable, Marginal and Poor. Automobiles that have a Good rating in all four categories of crash tests conducted by the IIHS are generally considered to be among the safest cars in America.
In addition to their different rating systems, the NHTSA and the IIHS use different methods to conduct their crash tests. The difference in the crash test results as determined by the NHTSA and the results for the same model vehicle tested by IIHS are can be substantial, and both should be taken into consideration if your goal is to purchase the safest vehicle you can afford and that meets your automotive needs.
Informed for Life is a non-profit organization that was created solely for the purpose of informing consumers of their options regarding the safety of the vehicles they purchase and uses an average vehicle configuration to combine the crash test results of both the NHTSA and IIHS. The rating system used by Informed for Life is represented as a Statistical Combination of Risk Elements, or SCORE. Vehicles with a SCORE of less than 70 are considered among the safest cars in America, vehicles with a SCORE above 100 indicate an above average risk, and the vehicles with a SCORE in between 70 and 100 being considered of medium risk.
Informed for Life has indicated the safest vehicles for the 2007 model year, as well as the worst and everything in between. Surprisingly, the top five spots belong to Acura, Hyundai and Kia. The Acura RL, a 4 door passenger car tops the list with a SCORE of 46, followed by the Hyundai Entourage VAN, Kia Sedona LWB Van and Kia Sedona SWB Van, all coming in with a SCORE of 50. With a SCORE of 53, the Acura MDS 4 door SUV comes in as the fifth safest vehicle for 2007. Not so surprisingly, the five vehicles with the worst ratings according to the data gathered by Informed for Life are either pickup trucks or SUV's. The Mazda B-Series 2-DR 4WD pickup truck received a SCORE of 148; the Ford Ranger Extended Cab Pickup received a SCORE of 149; the Mazda B-Series Extended Cab 4WD Pickup received a SCORE of 149; the Buick Rendezvous 4 DR SUV received a SCORE of 155 and the Ford Escape Hybrid 4DR SUV received a SCORE of 160.
Automotive consumers have a far greater amount of information available to them due to the efforts of the NHTSA, the IIHS and Informed for Life. If you would like more information regarding the safety of your current vehicle or would like to investigate the safety ratings of particular vehicle before you buy, you can find this information readily available to you at the websites of the NHTSA, http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ ; the IIHS, http://www.iihs.org/ and Informed for Life at http://www.informedforlife.org
One of the best ways to avoid being the victim of an accident is to be an attentive driver and practice safe driving skills. However, even the safest drivers sometimes find themselves in an unavoidable situation. Having the knowledge that the car you have purchased is safe, as determined by organizations that conduct crash tests and exist specifically to evaluate the safety of new vehicles as they are introduced to the public, can provide priceless peace of mind and potentially save a life or prevent serious injury. Researching the safety ratings of a vehicle before you purchase it is well worth the investment of your time considering that approximately 40,000 people are involved in fatal accidents on American roadways each year.
There are two organizations that conduct crash tests that determine the safety ratings of vehicles in the United States-The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is part of the Executive branch of the United State's Department of Transportation. Data files maintained by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis represent one of the NHTSA's greatest achievments. Their role in the maintenance and publication of information regarding vehicle safety beneifts both consumers and the automobile industry. The NHTSA uses a 5 star rating system, with 5 stars being the safest, in order to evaluate the safety level of vehicles as indicated by crash tests evaluating Frontal Impact, Side Impact, Rear Impact and Rollover type car accidents.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a non-profit organization funded by automobile insurers. The primary purpose of this organization is to work towards reducing the amount of motor vehicle accidents, injury rates resulting from an automobile accident and the amount of property damage that occurs due to car crashes. They, too, conduct crash tests associated with Frontal Impact, Side Impact, Rear Impact and Rollover accidents. The rating system produced and published by the IIHS is presented as Good, Acceptable, Marginal and Poor. Automobiles that have a Good rating in all four categories of crash tests conducted by the IIHS are generally considered to be among the safest cars in America.
In addition to their different rating systems, the NHTSA and the IIHS use different methods to conduct their crash tests. The difference in the crash test results as determined by the NHTSA and the results for the same model vehicle tested by IIHS are can be substantial, and both should be taken into consideration if your goal is to purchase the safest vehicle you can afford and that meets your automotive needs.
Informed for Life is a non-profit organization that was created solely for the purpose of informing consumers of their options regarding the safety of the vehicles they purchase and uses an average vehicle configuration to combine the crash test results of both the NHTSA and IIHS. The rating system used by Informed for Life is represented as a Statistical Combination of Risk Elements, or SCORE. Vehicles with a SCORE of less than 70 are considered among the safest cars in America, vehicles with a SCORE above 100 indicate an above average risk, and the vehicles with a SCORE in between 70 and 100 being considered of medium risk.
Informed for Life has indicated the safest vehicles for the 2007 model year, as well as the worst and everything in between. Surprisingly, the top five spots belong to Acura, Hyundai and Kia. The Acura RL, a 4 door passenger car tops the list with a SCORE of 46, followed by the Hyundai Entourage VAN, Kia Sedona LWB Van and Kia Sedona SWB Van, all coming in with a SCORE of 50. With a SCORE of 53, the Acura MDS 4 door SUV comes in as the fifth safest vehicle for 2007. Not so surprisingly, the five vehicles with the worst ratings according to the data gathered by Informed for Life are either pickup trucks or SUV's. The Mazda B-Series 2-DR 4WD pickup truck received a SCORE of 148; the Ford Ranger Extended Cab Pickup received a SCORE of 149; the Mazda B-Series Extended Cab 4WD Pickup received a SCORE of 149; the Buick Rendezvous 4 DR SUV received a SCORE of 155 and the Ford Escape Hybrid 4DR SUV received a SCORE of 160.
Automotive consumers have a far greater amount of information available to them due to the efforts of the NHTSA, the IIHS and Informed for Life. If you would like more information regarding the safety of your current vehicle or would like to investigate the safety ratings of particular vehicle before you buy, you can find this information readily available to you at the websites of the NHTSA, http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ ; the IIHS, http://www.iihs.org/ and Informed for Life at http://www.informedforlife.org
Automatic Parallel Parking Systems
I admire those who can grab a parking space close to their destination by parallel parking without any assistance other than their side and rear view mirrors. Even though this is a skill I was forced to learn in order to successfully pass my drivers test and get my license, which is about the last time I did it, I was just never comfortable with the procedure. Until recently, in order to parallel park a vehicle the driver would have to complete a few specific steps without error in order to avoid damaging their own car or another's and park their car in a space that could not feasibly be driven straight into but was large enough to accommodate the car when parallel parked.
Needless to say, I have walked many blocks to avoid parallel parking and risk hitting curbs, holding up traffic and possibly damaging my vehicle or one of the two I would have to get between. It can be nerve racking to have cars waiting impatiently behind you to back into your space-especially if you are not a pro and it takes a few tries. Thanks to modern automotive technology, one need not worry about losing the parking space closest to their destination due to lack of parallel parking expertise. Several car manufacturers now offer parallel parking assistance systems that basically park your car for you and me.
Often referred to as an Advanced Parking Guidance System (APGS), Parking Assist System and Automatic parking, parallel parking assistance systems actually help a car park itself and helps drivers avoid the hassles commonly associated with parallel parking. Although not completely autonomous on vehicles currently for sale and in production, these systems definitely take a lot of the hassle out of parallel parking. Now available in the 2008 Lexus LS, the system in general has been met with mixed reviews.
The various parallel park assistance systems installed in vehicles on the market today have different ways of sensing an available parking space and the objects surrounding the available space. Some work via sensors that are distributed throughout the front and rear bumpers of the car that act as transmitters and receivers. The sensors transmit signals that bounce off the surrounding objects and reflect the information back to the system. The vehicles computer will then estimate the amount of time it takes for the signals to return back to the system to analyze the location of surrounding objects. Other parking assistance systems have bumper mounted cameras or radar devices that are used to detect appropriate parking spaces and surrounding objects. The final result is still the same-the vehicles parking assistance system will detect the size of an appropriately sized parking space (6.5 feet longer than the car itself), all surrounding objects and the distance to the curb and then steer the vehicle into the space. Typically, the driver still must follow the notifications provided by the system that notify the driver to brake and stop when an appropriately sized parking space is identified, and then the driver must follow the system's prompts that will indicate when to shift into reverse and when to gently ease off the brake to move the car into the identified parking space.
I admire those who can grab a parking space close to their destination by parallel parking without any assistance other than their side and rear view mirrors. Even though this is a skill I was forced to learn in order to successfully pass my drivers test and get my license, which is about the last time I did it, I was just never comfortable with the procedure. Until recently, in order to parallel park a vehicle the driver would have to complete a few specific steps without error in order to avoid damaging their own car or another's and park their car in a space that could not feasibly be driven straight into but was large enough to accommodate the car when parallel parked.
Needless to say, I have walked many blocks to avoid parallel parking and risk hitting curbs, holding up traffic and possibly damaging my vehicle or one of the two I would have to get between. It can be nerve racking to have cars waiting impatiently behind you to back into your space-especially if you are not a pro and it takes a few tries. Thanks to modern automotive technology, one need not worry about losing the parking space closest to their destination due to lack of parallel parking expertise. Several car manufacturers now offer parallel parking assistance systems that basically park your car for you and me.
Often referred to as an Advanced Parking Guidance System (APGS), Parking Assist System and Automatic parking, parallel parking assistance systems actually help a car park itself and helps drivers avoid the hassles commonly associated with parallel parking. Although not completely autonomous on vehicles currently for sale and in production, these systems definitely take a lot of the hassle out of parallel parking. Now available in the 2008 Lexus LS, the system in general has been met with mixed reviews.
The various parallel park assistance systems installed in vehicles on the market today have different ways of sensing an available parking space and the objects surrounding the available space. Some work via sensors that are distributed throughout the front and rear bumpers of the car that act as transmitters and receivers. The sensors transmit signals that bounce off the surrounding objects and reflect the information back to the system. The vehicles computer will then estimate the amount of time it takes for the signals to return back to the system to analyze the location of surrounding objects. Other parking assistance systems have bumper mounted cameras or radar devices that are used to detect appropriate parking spaces and surrounding objects. The final result is still the same-the vehicles parking assistance system will detect the size of an appropriately sized parking space (6.5 feet longer than the car itself), all surrounding objects and the distance to the curb and then steer the vehicle into the space. Typically, the driver still must follow the notifications provided by the system that notify the driver to brake and stop when an appropriately sized parking space is identified, and then the driver must follow the system's prompts that will indicate when to shift into reverse and when to gently ease off the brake to move the car into the identified parking space.
Navigation Systems
Navigation Systems
From the not so humble beginnings of the first dealer installed navigation system- the Honda Electro Gyrocator which was available as an option for the 1981 Honda Accord to the sophisticated current day navigation systems that have become part of the optional equipment list for the majority of new cars, the equipment and technology used to help drivers find their way to where they are going has come a long way. Honda's ground-breaking introduction sent the automotive industry and electrical and information technology companies scrambling to perfect the technology.
The competition was quite fierce to develop a highly accurate, continuous real time automotive navigation system that would make getting lost an antiquated idea, while knowing how to get where you were going regardless of current and future locations would be commonplace. The passion exhibited by many developers to consistently explore new technologies that would enable people to easily explore the world around them was astounding. Their passion has resulted in navigation systems that use crisp LCD displays to present your vehicle's current location and provide turn by turn directions to the desired destination both verbally and visually. Alternative routes are immediately and automatically calculated and relayed to the driver should the driver miss a previously suggested turn or if unexpected occurrences such as traffic accidents or road construction obstruct the original route. Nearby essential services such as gas stations, hospitals, restaurants and motels are determined regardless of current destination. There are even some automotive navigation systems that are capable of double duty as a DVD player too, but obviously if the driver wants to watch a movie the vehicle should be at a complete stop.
GPS and navigation systems can be complicated to fully understand, but in general the vast majority of navigation systems use the Global Positioning System, or GPS, satellite signals to determine the precise current location of a vehicle. This information is then relayed via satellite signals to the device's internal map database which then prompts the unit to superimpose the location into its database. The unit will then determine and present the proper directions to the destination of the driver's choice. Prior destination information can be saved and stored within the system to retrieve in the future when traveling to the same destination, regardless of where you are traveling from.
Depending upon the manufacturer of the device, the map database may be stored in a hard disk, flash memory card, CD, DVD, read only memory (ROM) or a combination of these. It is common to find systems that permanently store the base map in ROM that is augmented with detailed information pertaining to the driver's regional interests as they are entered. Most navigation system map databases are updated by utilizing a personal computer to connect to the manufacturer's website and downloading the updates to the unit via a connection between the navigation unit and the pc.
In addition to being advantageous to individuals and families, there are many professions and industries that benefit substantially from automotive navigation systems. Those who drive fleet vehicles, such as taxi cabs, limousines and delivery trucks are often able to add to their company's profit margin by increasing time spent working and less time being lost or stuck in traffic. Real estate agents and appraisers, as well as in home services companies such as cleaners and plumbers, will also find getting to various and unfamiliar destinations much easier and quicker with the help of a navigation system
According to a report released in October of 2007 by JD Power and Associates, the best dealer installed navigation system, as determined by owner satisfaction surveys, is manufactured by Xanavi and available in the Infiniti G35, followed by the Denso unit found in the Lexus IS 250/350 and the Alpine system found in the Acura TL. In addition to being available as a dealer installed option or quite a few companies offer portable navigation systems that can easily be temporarily mounted to the dash of any car and transferred to different vehicles as necessary. Many of us already spend a lot of time in our cars and getting directly to our destinations with the help of an automotive navigation system can help us spend more time being where we wanted to be and less time traveling in the car.
From the not so humble beginnings of the first dealer installed navigation system- the Honda Electro Gyrocator which was available as an option for the 1981 Honda Accord to the sophisticated current day navigation systems that have become part of the optional equipment list for the majority of new cars, the equipment and technology used to help drivers find their way to where they are going has come a long way. Honda's ground-breaking introduction sent the automotive industry and electrical and information technology companies scrambling to perfect the technology.
The competition was quite fierce to develop a highly accurate, continuous real time automotive navigation system that would make getting lost an antiquated idea, while knowing how to get where you were going regardless of current and future locations would be commonplace. The passion exhibited by many developers to consistently explore new technologies that would enable people to easily explore the world around them was astounding. Their passion has resulted in navigation systems that use crisp LCD displays to present your vehicle's current location and provide turn by turn directions to the desired destination both verbally and visually. Alternative routes are immediately and automatically calculated and relayed to the driver should the driver miss a previously suggested turn or if unexpected occurrences such as traffic accidents or road construction obstruct the original route. Nearby essential services such as gas stations, hospitals, restaurants and motels are determined regardless of current destination. There are even some automotive navigation systems that are capable of double duty as a DVD player too, but obviously if the driver wants to watch a movie the vehicle should be at a complete stop.
GPS and navigation systems can be complicated to fully understand, but in general the vast majority of navigation systems use the Global Positioning System, or GPS, satellite signals to determine the precise current location of a vehicle. This information is then relayed via satellite signals to the device's internal map database which then prompts the unit to superimpose the location into its database. The unit will then determine and present the proper directions to the destination of the driver's choice. Prior destination information can be saved and stored within the system to retrieve in the future when traveling to the same destination, regardless of where you are traveling from.
Depending upon the manufacturer of the device, the map database may be stored in a hard disk, flash memory card, CD, DVD, read only memory (ROM) or a combination of these. It is common to find systems that permanently store the base map in ROM that is augmented with detailed information pertaining to the driver's regional interests as they are entered. Most navigation system map databases are updated by utilizing a personal computer to connect to the manufacturer's website and downloading the updates to the unit via a connection between the navigation unit and the pc.
In addition to being advantageous to individuals and families, there are many professions and industries that benefit substantially from automotive navigation systems. Those who drive fleet vehicles, such as taxi cabs, limousines and delivery trucks are often able to add to their company's profit margin by increasing time spent working and less time being lost or stuck in traffic. Real estate agents and appraisers, as well as in home services companies such as cleaners and plumbers, will also find getting to various and unfamiliar destinations much easier and quicker with the help of a navigation system
According to a report released in October of 2007 by JD Power and Associates, the best dealer installed navigation system, as determined by owner satisfaction surveys, is manufactured by Xanavi and available in the Infiniti G35, followed by the Denso unit found in the Lexus IS 250/350 and the Alpine system found in the Acura TL. In addition to being available as a dealer installed option or quite a few companies offer portable navigation systems that can easily be temporarily mounted to the dash of any car and transferred to different vehicles as necessary. Many of us already spend a lot of time in our cars and getting directly to our destinations with the help of an automotive navigation system can help us spend more time being where we wanted to be and less time traveling in the car.
Light Truck and SUV Tires
Tires are a rather unpretentious component on all cars, trucks, SUV's and crossover vehicles, and yet they play a huge role in the safety and comfort of the driving experience. Acting as the vehicles sole physical connection to the road, tires can make the most of or worsen the effectiveness of any vehicles braking system as well as the stability and traction control systems found on most new vehicles.
Passenger car and light truck/SUV tires are very different. Pickup truck and SUV owners often select passenger car tires because they are less costly and provide a smoother ride. However, if a vehicle will consistently be loaded with cargo or pulling a heavy trailer, then the higher load carrying capacity of a light truck tire would be a wiser choice. Purchasing new tires typically comes down to finding the best tires you can afford and are suitable for your vehicle, while taking into consideration safety, road contact handling ability, appearance and wear and tear ratings.
Finding a tire that will not only effectively handle but also optimize your vehicles capabilities in every possible driving situation comes down to knowing your driving needs and the various types of tires available that fit your vehicle properly and are designed to satisfy your driving requirements. Low profile and high performance tires won't be able to get much grip in snow. All weather tires do not effectively manage the heat generated on the road when driving at higher speeds and tires intended for passenger cars typically are not capable of carrying the heavy loads often associated with a contractor's pickup truck. A two or three ton vehicle that is generally rated as a very capable towing vehicle requires different tires than would be used on other vehicles.
Whether you choose to replace your tires with the OEM from the dealership or visit a local tire shop, it is critically important to get the right size. Every tire has an alphanumeric code printed on the sidewall that indicates the exact size, performance category, manufacturer, speed rating and load rating of the tire. Each letter and number pertains to a specific feature of the tire. For example, a tire with the following marked on the sidewall:
P245/70R16 106S M+S
translates into the following tire specific information:
P = Passenger tire
225 = width of the tire across the tread in millimeters
50 = Aspect ratio of the sidewall compared to the width
R = Radial construction
16 = Diameter of the rim in inches
92 = Tire's load rating
V = Tire's speed rating
M+S = Tire is rated as an all season tire
Some tires will have an alphanumeric code that starts with LT instead of P, which would indicate the tire is a light-truck tire. Light-truck tires are designed to have higher-load carrying capacities and are designed for SUV's and pick up trucks. There is no law requiring these vehicles to have LT tires, in fact in most cases the original equipment specification calls for passenger car tires.
A tire's speed rating is most important if you do a lot of highway driving. Tires are speed rated from 99 to 186 MPH and indicate the tires ability to prevent heat build up. If you spend little time on the highway, the speed rating is not as important a factor in choosing a replacement tire. The load capacity number on indicates the load carrying capacity of that single tire and it is important to select a tire with no less than the load capacity number indicated on the OEM tires.
In addition to specific sizes, there are four main categories of tires designed specifically for SUV's and trucks. Off road tires are designed taking you and your vehicle safely and capably over rough, rocky and mud and snow covered trails while hauling heavy loads. For occasional light duty off pavement excursions, All Terrain tires offer solid performance on paved roads yet they are engineered to provide additional traction on dirt roads and wet or snow covered surfaces. Performance tires are engineered to help SUVs and trucks achieve sport-sedan-like pavement traction, enabling maximum acceleration, braking, and handling, either from a premium vehicle or from a modified one. Highway tires are meant for SUV's and trucks that see little to no off road time, yet perform exceptionally well on wet or dry paved surfaces. Road noise is minimal and when cared for properly highway tires will last longer than most before replacement becomes necessary.
Many people assume that the best tires for their particular vehicle are the ones that were on the vehicle when it was purchased. However, a locally owned and operated tire shop or online tire retailers can often provide you with a better tire at a more reasonable price and it is their job to find the right tire for your vehicle based on the information you provide.
Passenger car and light truck/SUV tires are very different. Pickup truck and SUV owners often select passenger car tires because they are less costly and provide a smoother ride. However, if a vehicle will consistently be loaded with cargo or pulling a heavy trailer, then the higher load carrying capacity of a light truck tire would be a wiser choice. Purchasing new tires typically comes down to finding the best tires you can afford and are suitable for your vehicle, while taking into consideration safety, road contact handling ability, appearance and wear and tear ratings.
Finding a tire that will not only effectively handle but also optimize your vehicles capabilities in every possible driving situation comes down to knowing your driving needs and the various types of tires available that fit your vehicle properly and are designed to satisfy your driving requirements. Low profile and high performance tires won't be able to get much grip in snow. All weather tires do not effectively manage the heat generated on the road when driving at higher speeds and tires intended for passenger cars typically are not capable of carrying the heavy loads often associated with a contractor's pickup truck. A two or three ton vehicle that is generally rated as a very capable towing vehicle requires different tires than would be used on other vehicles.
Whether you choose to replace your tires with the OEM from the dealership or visit a local tire shop, it is critically important to get the right size. Every tire has an alphanumeric code printed on the sidewall that indicates the exact size, performance category, manufacturer, speed rating and load rating of the tire. Each letter and number pertains to a specific feature of the tire. For example, a tire with the following marked on the sidewall:
P245/70R16 106S M+S
translates into the following tire specific information:
P = Passenger tire
225 = width of the tire across the tread in millimeters
50 = Aspect ratio of the sidewall compared to the width
R = Radial construction
16 = Diameter of the rim in inches
92 = Tire's load rating
V = Tire's speed rating
M+S = Tire is rated as an all season tire
Some tires will have an alphanumeric code that starts with LT instead of P, which would indicate the tire is a light-truck tire. Light-truck tires are designed to have higher-load carrying capacities and are designed for SUV's and pick up trucks. There is no law requiring these vehicles to have LT tires, in fact in most cases the original equipment specification calls for passenger car tires.
A tire's speed rating is most important if you do a lot of highway driving. Tires are speed rated from 99 to 186 MPH and indicate the tires ability to prevent heat build up. If you spend little time on the highway, the speed rating is not as important a factor in choosing a replacement tire. The load capacity number on indicates the load carrying capacity of that single tire and it is important to select a tire with no less than the load capacity number indicated on the OEM tires.
In addition to specific sizes, there are four main categories of tires designed specifically for SUV's and trucks. Off road tires are designed taking you and your vehicle safely and capably over rough, rocky and mud and snow covered trails while hauling heavy loads. For occasional light duty off pavement excursions, All Terrain tires offer solid performance on paved roads yet they are engineered to provide additional traction on dirt roads and wet or snow covered surfaces. Performance tires are engineered to help SUVs and trucks achieve sport-sedan-like pavement traction, enabling maximum acceleration, braking, and handling, either from a premium vehicle or from a modified one. Highway tires are meant for SUV's and trucks that see little to no off road time, yet perform exceptionally well on wet or dry paved surfaces. Road noise is minimal and when cared for properly highway tires will last longer than most before replacement becomes necessary.
Many people assume that the best tires for their particular vehicle are the ones that were on the vehicle when it was purchased. However, a locally owned and operated tire shop or online tire retailers can often provide you with a better tire at a more reasonable price and it is their job to find the right tire for your vehicle based on the information you provide.
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