Automotive Update

We all know that Toyota is one of the top automakers in the world and that they are certainly leading the way in hybrids however did you know that the brand new Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept is actually one car that is going to be entirely European built?

Toyota is one of those companies that usually have their work done in Japan as well as the US but the Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept will be the first European built car.

The cool thing about that is that the Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept will actually be on sale in Europe this summer, so they will not have to wait for it!

Recently unveiled at the motor show in Geneva, the Toyota Verso is definitely making waves and garnering a lot of talk. The idea here is to combine a lot more space with plenty of comfort and tons of practicality as well, along with dynamic driving abilities and better handling.

Have they succeeded with this? Time will tell, but things definitely look promising. It was designed at the same studio where the new Prius was created.

Inside of the Verso, drivers will find an improved version of the Toyota Easy Flat 7 System, so that the five individual seats in the rear can be folded. The rows which comprise those seats have been made much more comfortable as well, so there will definitely be something for everyone.

Transport for London, the agency appointed to manage the trains, subways, busses, and roads of London is conducting an experiment of how drivers will respond to a GPS linked system which will control how hard they step on the gas pedal.

The transport agency used its fleet of Toyota Priuses to give the idea a test. The concept centers on finding out if accidents can be prevented if computers guided by GPS technology connected to a speed database. The computer can take over the throttle of the car in case the driver goes over the set limit.

The study is just conducted in London and the proponents are planning to add some cabs and buses by late 2009 to see how it will affect the transport network.

The motive may be good but some look at it with an ulterior motive with a bureaucracy that is looking into ways so they can control and charge the motorists. Some people are looking into imposed tolls and penalties which may be set by the European Commission.

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The economic analysis last January 2009 reflected that auto sales in the US dropped to 37.1%. This is the lowest auto sales record in 27 years.

Even the countries biggest car manufacturing tycoons are facing big losses: Ford Motor fell by 41,6%, while General Motors suffered from a 49% drop. Chrysler, for the 2nd month in a row, also has decreased sales by 50%. Even the mass driven Toyota, Honda and Nissan have suffered from a 27% drop out of their usual sales.

If these figures are familiar, it’s because the US suffered from a very similar drop in car sales in August 1982. As in the 1982 fall, only about 9.8 million units were sold this year. At least, it’s still a far cry from December 1981’s 656,881 figure.

The huge decline of car sales, manufacturers say is caused by the huge credit crunch. One of the US’s primary banks, the GMAC, officially stopped consumer lending last autumn. They only approved loans from creditors with spotless credit records.

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