Sat nav, brake-by-wire, stability control, parking distance sensors, fuel injection– CNET reports that the average automobile requires $1997 worth of software code to keep it from crashing (in both senses of the word). That’s about nine percent of the showroom price. To stop programming prices from spiraling out of control and to help accelerate development time, Honda, Toyota and Nissan have teamed-up with Toshiba to create a standard operating system for automotive applications. Oh, here’s a surprise: U.S. auto companies may already be falling behind in software standardization. And who will ride to their rescue? CNET’s got the major league hots for IBM, after Big Blue scarfed Swedish “automotive technology powerhouse” Telelogic. (In fact, the dead hand of IBM PR is all over this piece.) Snicker if you must, but the smart money’s still on Microsoft’s mob to create a one-size-fits-all software solution. In any case, the battle for auto OS has serious long-term implications for reliability and repair costs. We’ll keep you posted from with our Windows XP.

After the collapse of the four-lane bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August first, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has released “sufficiency ratings” for more than 25K state bridges. The Pittsburg Post Gazette reports that some 6K of the state’s bridges (roughly 12.5 percent) need structural updates or replacement. That’s in addition to 54 bridges the state has already closed on safety grounds. Fixing the problem will cost an estimated $11b. Meanwhile, The Tennessee Leaf-Chronicle says fixing the state’s bridges will cost “more than $215m.” NJ.com says state officials estimate their bridge repair tab at $3b. And so it goes. A 2006 Federal Highway Administration study says at least 73,533 of the country’s 607,363 bridges (about 12 percent) are rated "structurally deficient," including some built as recently as the early ‘90’s. Next up: the political debate over how to pay for their repair. After that, stopping the skimming.

The Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD) is a German environmental organization that advises corporations, lobbies governments and generally represents for Mother Earth. And just for fun, each year the VCD names the Eurozone’s most “environmentally-compatible” car. For the second year in a row, the 68K member pressure group has bestowed that honor upon the European Honda Civic Hybrid. The Toyota Prius scooped second. The Temple of VTEC (we are not worthy) reports that The Civic and Prius were the only compact cars to make the VCD’s Top 10; the remaining eight were mini and super-minis. The diminutive VW Polo BlueMotion was the only diesel-powered motor to make the grade. Oh, and if you haven’t tried Google’s translation service, we highly recommend you click on the first link above for further insight into VCD’s goals (e.g. “We approach the vision of a lasting and futurable mobility only with the help of many particulars.“).   

LA-based Hondata modifies Honda engine computers (or ECU’s) for enhanced performance. According to the Hondata website, company co-founder Doug Macmillan drove a modified 2003 Acura RSX to four new speed records during the Bonneville Nationals Speed Week. The specially-prepped car was run in the “altered coupe” and “competition coupe” classes. With a gas-fueled, 2.0-liter, 270hp modified Honda K20 engine, the RSX set a one-way speed record at 172 mph. On another run, switching to a combination of VP Racing Fuel plus nitrous oxide, the [now] 390hp RSX captured a one-way record of 190.1 mph in the “fuel” class. Pretty impressive given that the K20 engine in a base Acura RSX Type-S normally generates 200 HP. If you fancy some of this action, the non-profit Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) offers the oxymoronic opportunity to engage in “safe and participant friendly land-speed racing events."

KAIT TV says 18-year-old Roger Turley of Wynne, AR listed his used truck online, asking $1500. A week later, UPS delivered a check for $4999. “I thought ‘something’s not right there.’ And then, we got two checks.” The mystery bidders then asked if Turley if he’d accept a cashiers check, take his $1500 out and wire the balance of the funds back to them. Instead, Turley turned the checks over to his local bank. The bank confirmed he’d been sent worthless paper. "We would have been in trouble if we had taken the $1500 out and sent them the remainder,” Turley reflected. “We would have been liable for all of it." The Cross County Sheriff's Department is looking into the matter. Meanwhile, you have been warned.

Janelle Dunklee recently received a letter from the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) informing her that her driver’s license had been suspended. Ms. Dunklee called to find out what was up with that. According to WPTZ TV, the DMV told Dunklee they were “clearing out some old records” and discovered that she’d been pulled over for speeding in 1980. The records indicated she’d been given a speeding ticket for doing 43 in a 30 and fined $26. As the fine was never paid, Dunklee’s license was suspended. Claiming she'd “never been pulled over in her life," Dunklee challenged the 27-year-old suspension. Claiming they were “surprised at the delay,” court officials dismissed the ticket. State's Attorney Robert Sand was surprised at their surprise. "Back in 1980, paperwork was done by hand, and it wasn't uncommon for things to get lost,” he said. 

Visitors to Ft. Collins Colorado don't have any problem finding the massive WWV shortwave antenna array that broadcasts the time from the government's famous atomic clock. In town, locating a hybrid on a car dealer’s lot ain't so easy. The Coloradoan reports that local hybrid sales are high. Mark Pedersen of Pedersen Toyota pronounced them "extremely steady." Over at Markley Motors Honda store, used car manager Jaime Twito says Honda's hybrids are usually sold before they arrive. "We take everything they give us… they're hard to keep on the ground." Things are a little tougher for Brad Laugel, inventory manager at Dellenbach Motors. While the Chevy dealer has no hybrids to sell, he’s expecting a few ‘08 gas – electric Malibus later this year. Changing the subject ever-so-slightly, Laugel says Ft. Collins is “a good market” for vehicles like the Silverado and Tahoe, which can run on E85. Fortunately, unlike most U.S. towns, Ft. Collins actually has a station selling the brew: Western Convenience Store on 1113 West Drake Road. Be sure and say hello for us– but don't ask if they have the exact time.

Some two dozen California gas station owners have filed suit in U.S District Court, accusing Shell Oil Co., Chevron Corp. and Saudi Refining Inc. of fixing prices. The lawsuit claims executives from the three oil companies formed two [now defunct] joint ventures– Equilon in the west, Motiva in the east– for the express purpose of stiffing stations. Lawyer Joseph M. Alioto contends that from 1999 to 2001 the companies artificially inflated wholesale gas prices by “at least” 20 cents a gallon and possibly as much as 40 cents per gallon. Quoted in The Olympian, Chevron mouthpiece Stephanie Price said been there, done that, watched it get thrown out of court. In 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a virtually identical case brought by a different group of station owners. If you’re wondering why Alioto’s mob is having another go from a slightly different angle, the brief wants the oil companies to pay 23k franchisees $240k. Each. 

It's been a long time since Canadians harbored thoughts of crossing the border to buy a new car. Since the beginning of the year, the “loonie” is up more then 10 percent against the dollar. Now that the Canadian dollar is nearly equal in value with the American greenback (for the first time in 30 years), our neighbors to the north are doing some major cross-border shopping. The Chronicle Herald (of Halifax, Nova Scotia) reports that more than 64K American vehicles have found their way north so far this year; that's up 26 percent over year ago. One Toronto resident hankering after a new Mercedes S63 AMG found one selling for C$171K in Canada. When he threatened to cross into the U.S. and buy the car for US$127K, the price suddenly dropped to C$149.5K. Canadian car dealers claim sales are down by 25 percent across the board; they're “begging carmakers to cut their list prices.” NAFTA that.

Hawaii may be paradise on Earth for tourists, but it’s a game of musical parking spots for University of Hawaii students. KHNL TV reports that 20k University of Hawaii students must compete for 5K parking spots. "It's competitive, yah, early bird gets the worm, kind of a thing," admits U of H student Justin Lozano. Once the official parking spaces are taken, creative parking takes over. Despite the idyllic island life, local residents aren't happy with the result. J.R. DeGroote spoke for many when he decried “people blocking our parking, parking on the grass, taking our parking spots.” While students are gagging for more parking spaces, school officials say enough ain't never gonna be enough. They suggest that Aloha State academics take advantage of a $100 per semester bus pass.  

The Chicago Sun Times reports that The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is less then enthusiastic when it comes to in-car systems aimed at preventing motorists from backing over pedestrians. The nonprofit group Kids in Cars figures that between 2002 and 2006, reversing vehicles killed 674 children. At the behest of Congress, NHTSA looked into the issue. The agency reported that “at least 183 fatalities occur annually," with no evidence indicating an statistical increase. But they admitted that they have little hard data on “back over” incidents, as many occur on private property (e.g. car owners' driveways). As for prevention, NHTSA spokesman cited its '05 official report that concluded that systems designed to detect persons behind a vehicle are "expensive, unreliable and gives drivers a false sense of security." In any case, most new cars lack these $300 to $600 backup systems because automakers usually bundle them with expensive navigation units.

Under the Energy Conservation Reauthorization Act of 1998, federal, state, and public utility fleets can meet their alternative fuel requirements by tanking-up with biodiesel. As a direct result, The National Biodiesel Board reports sales of the vegetable oil and and diesel brew have risen to 225m gallons per year, heading for an estimated 2b gallons by 2015. Carpe-ing the diem, Green Earth Fuels has started production of biofuels in Houston. Using a proprietary system, Green Earth's aiming to cook-up some 45 million gallons of biodiesel per year. "The time has come for a national biodiesel infrastructure that is safe, sustainable, progressive and commercially viable," says Greg Bafalis, Green Earth’s president and CEO. Wall Street tycoons (The Carlyle Group, Riverstone Holdings and Goldman Sacks) are bankrolling Bafalis' faith in alt. fuel serendipity. But the rising price of vegetable oils and the possibility that Uncle Sam may remove its biofuel "incentives" have some investors spooked– while Washington lobbyists continue to cash large checks.  

The Auto Channel reports that Unitrin Direct Auto Insurance is offering a six percent discount to Georgia residents who pledge “not to do things that will take their attention off the road.” Georgia product manager Andy Mason hopes its “focused driver pledge” will increase awareness of the "great importance of staying focused while behind the wheel of a car." Customers solemnly swear (online or via hard copy) “not [to] read text messages, e-mails, GPS devices or load or watch DVDs while driving.” To check the legal niceties, we phoned Unitrim Prez Scott Carter. He told us the company doesn't spy on pledge-takers. Any driver who got caught breaking the pledge would lose their discount, not the entire policy. Oh, and he spoke to us from his cell phone– in the car.

Car engines generate plenty of heat. According to Technology Review, researchers at MIT have a bright idea: use “thermophotovoltaics” to convert heat into light, then convert the light into electricity. The prototype system uses gasoline to heat tungsten to illuminate a photovoltaic cell to generate electricity. The hope is that systems based on this research could eventually replace the current gas-wasting alternators and air conditioning compressors. Of course, this technology hasn’t escaped the attention of the Department of Defence. "The military has had a lot of interest in it for portable power supplies in the field. Because there are no moving parts, there wouldn't be any noise, so you couldn't detect it," says NASA researcher Donald Chubb. It’ll be a few years before we see any practical applications, but as one of the key research sponsors, Toyota would be the first automaker in line.

According to Tecnoride, Safeco Insurance is prototyping a black box which will rat out young drivers who run afoul of their parents driving rules. Safeco's "Safety Beacon" contains a GPS unit to clock speed and location, and a phone system to alert concerned parents. If the driver operates the car outside of several preset boundaries, the gadget can trigger an email notification to parents, along with a text message to the offending party. An Instant Locate feature allows parents to find a Beacon-equipped car (via phone or the ‘net), but it’s “not a breadcrumb-tracking device”. Safeco spokesperson Jim Havens says Beta tests indicate that teens become "better drivers" and transgressions "quickly fall off.” So, can parents expect lower insurance rates as an incentive to sign-up for a $15 a month subscription? “Lower rates, like raising rates, is typically the province of state insurance departments” says Havens. As 007 would say, you must be joking.