Chances are your next car may have "Stop/Start." If you are driving a hybrid, or a new car from Europe, you already have it.  What is it?  It's a feature that allows your engine to shut off at a stoplight but keep the rest of the car's accessories running normally.  As you lift your foot off the brake pedal the engine restarts instantly and off you go.   

It's a relatively easy way to increase city fuel economy and lower emissions but it took the development of hybrids to make it practical for all cars.  It required engineering things like the power steering pump to run off an electric motor supplied by the battery instead of a fan belt off the engine.  

To the uninitiated, it's a little unsettling to come to a stop and feel your engine die.  Your first instinct is to panic and reach for the key, but after a week or so you get used to it.  The European cars have an override feature to prevent the shut-downs but you have to activate it each time you start the car so most folks just adapt. The 2014 Chevy Malibu will have Stop/Start but no override switch.  That's a good indication that we will all have Stop/Start in the next several years.   

Helpful Gizmos

Car Apps - too many out there and many are useless 

After four Blackberry phones over the last eight or so years, I finally gave up and went with an Android.  Our industry has too many specialized apps that were not available for Blackberry.  After looking in from the outside for so long, I have to admit that it is nice not getting all those shocked then sympathetic looks when I pull out my phone.  

Which leads to the discussion of consumer apps for driving - and cars.  After way too much time browsing on Google Play (the Android App Store), I have come to the conclusion that buying apps is kind of like buying wine, you either read a lot, ask a friend, or go with the cool label.  I can only imagine who is getting rich designing app logos for companies that will fail in six months.

Anyway, assuming that apps are the solutions to the problems we face, and based on the sheer number of choices, it seems that most of us can't find our cars after we park them, or are willing to drive miles out of our way to save 2 cents per gallon.  The app I am having the toughest time replacing is one that will (1) automatically turn on when my phone connects with the Bluetooth in my car, (2) read my incoming texts aloud, and (3) send an auto reply message that "I am currently driving and will reply when I can."  The one that worked beautifully on Blackberries doesn't work at all on Androids. 

Another app that seems to make a whole lot of sense but also isn't available for Androids is Pizza Compass. Yep, its sole purpose is to find the nearest pizza joint. How cool is that? And how can that be an iPhone exclusive? Write your congressperson.

 

Seriously though, if you have a great app that relates to driving or cars, please email me and share - iPhone or Droid. If we put it in our next newsletter, I will send you a Peet's Coffee gift card!

What's new?  

As summer turns to fall, thus begins the auto show season.  Frankfurt's was up first and with it were some stunning concept cars, and real-world new-car introductions.  Below are some peeks at what's coming, either sooner or later.  Notice a theme (besides the Audi)?

Jaguar CX-17 Concept

Lexus LF-NX Concept

2015 Audi A3 Cabriolet

Infiniti Q30 Concept

              

Mercedes GLA Concept

 

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