BusinessWeek reports that Ford will offer a high tech “Work Solutions” package for its forthcoming F-150 pickups and commercial vans. Deep breath. The package includes a Bluetooth-enabled 6.5” in-dash touch-screen computer running Microsoft’s Windows CE and Windows Autos connected to the ‘net via Sprint cellular. Owners can radio-tag their tools using a “Tool Link” function. When the truck starts up, a pair of antennas scan the owner’s brain waves for thoughts of theft– I mean scan the vehicle looking for tools missing from a preprogrammed inventory list. "Think of Tool Link as no tool left behind," jests Mark Fields, Ford’s president of the Americas and a living, breathing example of the theory. The “Work Solutions” package also includes fleet tracking and a lockable storage system for pickup beds. The electronic features will be available together or separately.

Despite previous public prevarication causing camera climbdowns, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell is asking for funding for a pilot program of speed-detection cameras along a “treacherous” stretch of I95. "Those who choose to break the rules of the road need to learn the hard way," Rell said, showing her sympathy for drivers braving this treachery. In case you missed the point, Rell said she's “declaring war” on dangerous drivers. According to The Hartford Courant, the I-95 cameras would be the first such devices deployed on Connecticut highways. If the cameras raise susfficient new revenues for the cash-strapped state government– I mean, "reduces the number of speeders and traffic-related deaths," Rell says she'll expand the system throughout the Constitution State. Meanwhile, Rell's also hankering for 20 new state troopers for "increased traffic enforcement." According to the Gov., “The goal is to get ingrained into motorists' heads that they should not even consider breaking the law because there may be a state police car right around the corner to pull them over." Really? Just for thinking about speeding? Wow, that’s harsh.

With tomorrow’s Super Bowl XLII looking to silence the web, ForbsAutos.com [via MSNBC] offers a guide to NFL players’ whips. To wit: Orpheus Roye, a 6’4”, 330-pound, defensive tackle with the Cleveland Browns, owns seven vehicles: a 2004 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class coupe, a 2005 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged, a 2006 Bentley Flying Spur, a 2007 Mercedes S550 sedan, and a “massive” 2007 Maybach 57S. “The Maybach makes me feel like I’m a king," he says. Which vehicles are the most popular amongst the football elite? “Every player wants a Yukon, Tahoe, Denali, Escalade, or a Range Rover. You’re not a ball player if you don’t have one of those in the garage,” says Kevin Shuler, of Elite Auto Concierge in Atlanta, GA. [Sample Forbes' NFL players' automotive slideshow here.]

Reuters reports that a former Daimler finance manager was sentenced to serve five and a half years in jail for embezzling more than 22 million euros ($32.5m) from the German automaker over a five-year period. A Stuttgart court ruled the 42-year-old man had submitted fake invoices for computer services and forged supervisors' signatures to obtain up to 2 million euros ($2.95m) at a time. Across the border in France, a court has fined Volvo 200k euros (nearly $300k) after the driver of a Volvo 850 TDI lost control of her car, killing two children and injuring another. The driver claims the brake became very rigid and she could not stop in time. Volvo is expected to appeal the decision. Meanwhile in Israel, a venture group known as C.En, says it’s developed a safe, lightweight hydrogen tank for automobiles. "The tanks will be like a battery that can be replaced and you can carry a reserve in the car," says Moshe Stern, who leads the project’s investor group. Unlike other systems, this one uses hydrogen gas rather than liquid. “We are looking now for one of the giants to adopt our technology and support it," Stern says. Uh sorry, the Giants have more pressing plans at the moment.

Experts predict pump prices will spike by as much as 50 cents a gallon later this year, as refiners and gas stations switch from winter- to summer-blended fuels. Speaking to AP [via the Pittsburg Post Gazette], analysts blame an alkylate shortage. This little-known and expensive gasoline additive replaced MTBE two years ago, when regulators found the potentially cancer-causing additive seeping into ground water. The oil companies deny they’re limiting production of alkylate. Valero Energy GM John Pickering says their Paulsboro refinery in New Jersey makes enough alkylate to meet its needs, but concedes that there is a national shortage of the additive in the spring and summer. Other refiners say they’re reluctant “for competitive reasons” to reveal how they blend gasoline, or whether they face alkylate shortages. Little wonder Hawaii passed a law (yet to be enforced) requiring local oil refineries to reveal their pricing practices.

According to a study by the Texas Transportation Institute, urban congestion drains the U.S. economy of 4.2 billion man hours and 2.9 billion gallons of fuel per year. The Wall Street Journal reports that the I-95 Corridor Coalition is tackling the problem with Inrix. The subcontractor will gather real-time traffic data (via satellite) on over 2.5k miles of highway, including I95 from New Jersey to North Carolina. Inrix will then beam the data to state transportation departments, who will offer it to motorists via the Internet, mobile alerts and road signs. North Carolina Department of Transportation engineer Jo Ann Oerter figures her employer receives timely traffic data for only one percent of the state’s roads. "We'll be able to see where traffic is building and work within our system to say these are routes you should avoid.” While Inrix will also sell the data to GPS providers for automatic traffic avoidance, we’re guessing Oerter’s union job is safe. 

According to mlive.com, auto industry analysts predict that the hybrid “premium” and consumer acceptance of $3 a gallon gas will dampen near-term demand for gas – electric vehicles. J.D. Power and Associates senior manager Michael Omotoso says the arrival of the next gen Prius will revive the genre. "In 2009 we see hybrid sales going over 600,000 units." Over at AutoNation, some 70 percent of car shoppers inquire about hybrids– but only two percent end up buying one. Spokesman Marc Cannon claims the Prius has been successful because "Americans really like that fact that the Prius stands out and it's a social statement; if you have a Prius, everyone knows it's a hybrid." And what of battery-powered cars? "The lithium-ion battery is nowhere near ready for showtime," says Brett Smith, a hybrid analyst at the Center for Automotive Research. Still, the Volt hype has raised expectations– and how. "Whoever sees those concept cars thinks it's ready to go." As Albert Einstein said, “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."

According to Albany’s Times Union, the New York State Thruway Authority failed to collect some $4.5m in unpaid tolls from persistent E-ZPass scofflaws using highway I90. Thruway Executive Director Michael Fleischer defended his agency. "We have been working very cooperatively to get a contractor on board to collect the small fraction of the tolls that go unpaid." That has state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's auditors questioning the authority's "management culture." Maybe it's got something to do with the Authority's proposed toll hikes for 2008, 2009 and 2010. The auditors get the connection: "Toll increases should not be a substitute for sound management practices." Meanwhile, in the tiny town of Halfmoon, officials are deciding how to deal with a large puddle at an intersection, which sometimes causes motorists to travel into the path of oncoming traffic; good thing they’ve scheduled a defensive driving class for February 16th. And in Guilderland, we learn that snow plowing a cul-de-sac is “quite a science.” And now you know the news.

Biofuels are driving up the price of food. Biofuel production threatens to worsen water shortages and force poor communities off their land. That’s the damning conclusion of a United Nations bioenergy forum, as reported by CNN. In its opposition to the biofuels boom, the U.N. is not alone. The Hartford Courant reports that residents of Suffield, Connecticut are none too pleased with CT Biodiesel's plan to build the largest biodiesel plant in the Northeast in their town. "No Biodiesel" signs sprouted up on front lawns. Vexed by health and safety (especially fire) concerns, residents flooded planning meetings, chanting, "Get out of our town." CT [Biofuels] responded in the time-honored American tradition; company officials offered the town 35k gallons of free biodiesel a year, more than $400k a year in projected property taxes, guaranteed first crack at new jobs and aid for the town's fuel bank, student scholarships and charitable organizations. “Resident Laureen Peck had a message for company officials at a recent town meeting: ‘There are safety issues here, and money will not override us.’”

The Winnipeg Free Press reports a Manitoba court ordered four “chronic” car thieves to attend counseling sessions, to learn the error of their ways. Plainclothes police re-arrested three of the teens minutes after their first session at the Winnipeg Training for Youth (TRY) program ended. You guessed it: they were about to drive off in a stolen car. The youths, aged 16 and 17, told officers they went to class in a hot car because it was "too cold to walk." (NPR reports that it was “40 below” in Winnipeg that day.) “Police said this is the first case they've seen where people allegedly stole a car so they could attend programming to learn about not stealing cars.” Uh-oh. Does that mean the story fails the modern media test (i.e. all bad news must represent a trend)? Not if you stretch… "This is what's pandemic in the whole auto-theft culture,” Crown attorney Scott Cooper announced. “These kids just don't think it's a big deal.” Gee, I wonder why…

According to Automotive News Europe, Porsche’s new holding company will increase its VW holdings after Sunday's state elections in Lower Saxony (whose government is VW's second-largest shareholder). Speaking at Porsche’s annual general meeting, the prospect had the automaker’s CEO all misty-eyed. "Barring the unexpected, we should once again achieve a result where it will be difficult to suppress tears of joy." Along the same line, Wendelin Wiedeking revealed that "The operating profit in our car business is developing according to plan and our hedging transactions in the context of our long-term VW strategy look good." What if the U.S. economy tanks? "Porsche is well prepared for a possible economic crisis in the USA, with inventories in the local market having been significantly reduced." Wiedeking also submitted his application for TTAC’s Bob Lutz Award (no really). "It would appear that the only way to escape the end of the world is to hop into those quaint little baby-cars from Italy and France." So much for a “unified” Europe, eh boys?

Cleveland.com says Ohio state officials are downsizing their fleet. Of the state’s 350 new cars, some 50 percent will be the “more fuel-efficient— and less stylish” (ouch!) Ford Focus. Some government workers are bitching about the decision, claiming the Focus offers “less headroom and legroom.” Department of Administrative Services (DAS) spokesperson Ron Sylvester told them to go on a diet. "People concerned about getting their girth from a midsize car into a Ford Focus – we may be helping them think about reducing their girth a little bit." The big fish are not affected. Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher and Attorney General Marc Dann are all “driven to work” in Suburbans. Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner drives a Chrysler 300C. And Auditor Mary Taylor has a 2007 Jeep Cherokee. Ohio taxpayers should be pleased with their State Treasurer. Rich Cordray turned down a state car in favor of his very own beige 2006 Pontiac Montana minivan.

CNN says it began with trash talking. It ended with Gavin Simcoe’s 1993 Civic EX leaving a straight, two-lane road at more than 100mph and crashing at the bottom of an embankment. As always, CNN portrays a bit of bad (if spectacular) news as part of a dangerous and growing trend. Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Kim Miller provides the requisite quote: "The last four years it's been out of control.” Worse than before? Bryan C. Harrison, president of Evo Street Racers, shrugs his media-friendly shoulders. And anyway, he says, nothing short of a million police officers– yes, a million– can stop street racing. “Everyone knows that won't happen.” Meanwhile, out in Pasadena, so-not-a-little-old-lady Johnny Wong (if racing you is right…) says car crushing has had a damping effect on street duels. But not much. "Making all these laws— to me it's pointless, because the more boundaries you put up, the more people want to race.” Police are betting that Mr. Wong is wrong about the inverse effect of reverse psychology. Ye Olde cat and mouse game continues.

Not to add to U.S. auto execs angst, but consider the Federal Reserve Board’s “emergency meeting” to cut interest rates by three-quarters of a percent. It’s the first cut between regularly scheduled meetings since the September 2001 terrorist attacks. While a recession may provide some short-term relief to gas prices, oil analyst Tom Kloza offers this advice (via CNNMoney): "I wouldn't go out and buy that Hummer; It's still prudent to behave as if record gas prices are just one event or one economic recovery away." Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com tells the AP (via WTOP News): “When the economy stumbles, you have to begin living within your means, or you'll be forced to do so." Example given: Denise Dorman of Geneva, Illinois. To avoid making new-car payments, she’s not going to replace her 12-year-old Jeep Grand Cherokee (with 125k miles on it). If that’s the start of a trend, Chrysler and the rest of the industry are headed for big trouble.

You can bet that more than a couple of Detroit execs are monitoring today’s Fed rate cut and U.S. stock market slide, wondering if this is it. Meanwhile, BusinessWeek’s Autobeat reports that Japanese automakers' stock prices are suffering alongside The Big 2.8's. Compared to year-ago prices, Mazda’s stock is down 45 percent, Toyota’s is off by 32 percent and Honda’s stock price has dipped 35 percent. This despite the fact that all the automakers expect to post record earnings in March. The underlying logic: when the U.S. economy sniffles, the rest of the world feels a head cold coming on. Long term, bigger picture, Autbeat says Japanese automakers “strong sales in emerging markets” should offset the coming U.S. slowdown, and their range of fuel-efficient offerings put them in a good position to profit from higher U.S. gas prices. Not to mention the fact that if a full-on recession throws one (or more) of The Big 2.8 into Chapter 11, the last men standing will get one Hell of a dead cat bounce.