This summer, as I watched car dealers struggle to sell cars after the Cash for Clunkers program, I have to admit, my outlook on the automotive industry was pretty bleak. However, those rough times may be getting better for car dealers around the country.
November new-vehicle retail sales were an optimistic indication for the future. According to MotorIntelligence.com, new cars were selling at an adjusted rate of 11 million per year, 5% more than the 10.5 million cars sold per year as estimated in October.
This decline is the most significant improvement in 17 months, excluding August 2009 when sales were up 13 percent due to the Cash for Clunker program.
So what’s driving this recovery? While experts are not yet sure, some attribute the improvement to our economic recovery and a renewed sense of optimism and momentum in the auto industry. With auto makers striving to make their cars more environmentally friendly, we, as consumers, will certainly have many options to choose from the next time we purchase a car.
Here are 5 fairly recent car innovations that have made driving easier, more pleasant and sometimes more environmentally friendly.
1. Electric Cars
From the Chevy Volt to the Nissan Leaf, auto manufactures are working quickly to embrace ways to use alternative energy like electricity to power cars.
2. Hybrid Cars
While not as green as an electric car, hybrids were many auto makers’ first step in becoming more green. According to the National Automobile Dealers Association, the Toyota Prius is the ninth-best-selling car in the U.S for a 50 percent market share of all hybrids.
3. Smart Cars
Who knew that a 2-person car, half the size of a typical car, would be such a big hit around Europe and the United States?
4. GPS/Dashboard Navigation Systems
Probably one of my personal favorite innovations, I no longer have to worry about missing turns or getting lost in new places.
5. MP3 Technology
Remember the days when you needed a cassette adapter to play your iPod in your car? Now most new cars come equipped with technology that lets you dock and play your iPod without annoying cables or any loss in sound quality.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 0 comments… add one now }