Latest News From Bumper Radio

- Real-world testing of rugged off-road vehicle demonstrates broad applications with large-scale solar operation, firefighting and agriculture partners

- Honda seeks business and technology partners at CES 2019 to advance vehicle's off-road autonomy

- Watch videos of the Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle at YouTube.com/Honda

TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 13, 2018 -- Honda will be seeking potential business and technology partners for its prototype off-road vehicle, the Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle, at CES 2019. Combining Honda's all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and emerging advanced autonomous technology, the Autonomous Work Vehicle was designed by Honda R&D Americas to enhance efficiency and safety for public, commercial, and consumer enterprises. Envisioning the potential to support people in a variety of industries, such as search and rescue, firefighting, construction, agriculture, landscaping, and snow removal, Honda welcomes potential partners to meet with the company's engineers at its CES booth #7900 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan. 8-11, 2019.

Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle is a prototype off-road vehicle that is a combination of Honda’s all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and emerging advanced autonomous technology. It was designed by Honda R&D Americas to bring efficiencies and increased safety to public, commercial, and consumer enterprises, such as construction, agriculture, search and rescue and firefighting.

The Autonomous Work Vehicle is based on Honda's proven ATV chassis, built on a 30-year history of accessing hard-to-reach locations with its rugged four-wheel drive system. The prototype vehicle features GPS and sensor-based autonomy capable of guiding the unit in almost any environment, a rail accessory mount system for limitless accessories and attachments, and onboard power plug-ins. Its compact size and off-road capabilities make it highly maneuverable and perfect for a variety of locations, from dense forests to urban pedestrian zones. Further demonstrating its autonomy, the vehicle can be programmed in different modes – "Follow Me," "Pattern," and "A to B" – to accommodate a range of applications.

INRIX predicts delays could peak at four times normal drive times; Thursday, Dec. 20 to be nation’s worst day to travel

ORLANDO, Fla. (December 13, 2018) – AAA forecasts that more than one-third of Americans will travel this holiday season. The record-breaking 112.5 million travelers taking to the nation’s runways, roads and rails for the year-end holidays represents a 4.4 percent increase over last year and the most since AAA has been tracking holiday travel. For the more than 102 million people who will pack up their cars for a holiday road trip, INRIX, a global mobility analytics company, predicts travel times in the most congested cities in the U.S. could be as much as four times longer than a normal trip.

“’Tis the season for holiday travel, and more Americans than ever will journey to spend time with friends and family or choose to take a vacation,” said Bryan Shilling, managing director, AAA Travel products and services. “Strong economic growth fueled by robust consumer spending continues to drive strong demand for seasonal travel. With a record-breaking one-third of the country choosing to travel this holiday, roadways and airports are sure to be busy.”

The year-end holiday travel period is defined as Saturday, December 22 through Tuesday, January 1, 2019. The 11-day span is one day longer than last year, due to Christmas and New Year’s Day falling on Tuesdays this year.

By the Numbers: 2018 Year-End Holiday Travel Forecast

Automobiles: More Americans will travel by car this holiday season than ever before. The 102.1 million people expected to pack up their cars for road trips is 4.4 percent higher than last year. It is the most since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2001.

Planes: The 6.7 million people who will travel by air this year is the highest level since in 15 years and is 4.2 percent more than last year.

Trains, Buses and Cruise Ships: Travel across these sectors will increase by 4 percent, with a total 3.7 million passengers.

As much as you do your best to keep your vehicle running smoothly, it’s bound to need repairs. If you are proactive and bring in your vehicle for its regular preventative maintenance, you will avoid some of these high repair costs.

When the time comes to have some work done, you will do your homework. You will call different shops in Mesa and ask for quotes over the phone. You want to make sure you are getting a great value.

Click here for more information about H & I Automotive

Why Don’t You Give Me a Price Over the Phone?

Depending on what shops you call, you may or may not get the quote you are asking for. We have adopted a customer-first model of providing quotes only after we’ve diagnosed the issue. What you will hear from us is to bring your vehicle in so we can properly diagnose it and provide you with an accurate price.

There are four reasons why we have adopted this model and why we believe it is truly a customer-first model.

1. Each Vehicle Is Unique

We believe in giving you a price that is accurate to your specific vehicle and its particular condition. Every vehicle and its condition can vary. The care with which you drive and treat your vehicle is different than what other people do. Your vehicle’s condition is unique to you and for that reason, we need to see it in person to see what condition it’s in and determine what repairs are needed.

Their Quality Parts & Service Set Them Apart!

When the best in the business use AZ Driveshaft and Differential driveshafts - they must be doing something right!

Check out the video below to see their driveshafts in action.

Click here for more information about AZ Driveshaft and Differential in Mesa

Accurate Automotive is your number one shop for fair priced, honest and customer oriented auto repair in Mesa, Arizona. After opening their doors in 1992, they have tirelessly worked to ensure the personal satisfaction of each individual they have the pleasure of calling their customer. Their business is built on the foundation of mutual trust and care from the perspective of family. Because they are a locally owned, family run business, they have the opportunity to serve their community without corporate policies taking precedent over people.

FIRST TIME CUSTOMER DISCOUNT
At Accurate Automotive they believe we provide the very best...
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SERVICE DISCOUNT CARD
Service Discount Card - Saving You Money and Supporting The Community...
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CLOUDY HEADLIGHTS SPECIAL
How is your night vision? Are your headlights dull, faded, yellowed...
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FUEL EFFICIENCY SPECIAL
If you are getting poor gas mileage, weak acceleration, or rough...
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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT
Have you seen this image in your vehicle? This light can't tell...
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HOLIDAY TRAVEL PREP
Your going on a trip, a little weekend getaway, you've put off...
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Click here for more information about Accurate Automotive in Mesa

"The Lindgren family David & Cindy have been restoring vehicles to pre-accident condition and getting their customers back on the road with quality, integrity and courtesy since 1975.

We understand that your vehicle is a very important part of your family. First Class Auto Body has spared no expense in acquiring the most up to date, environmentally friendly equipment and factory trained technicians.

With us, quality control isn't just a goal it is our number one priority. We're committed to our slogan of "Dedicated the Highest Quality". We've also earned the Dupont Assurance of Quality, an active registration, insuring we offer the highest quality of automotive refinishing.

All of our technicians are frame, unibody and refinish are ICAR certified. When you come to First Class , both you and your vehicle will experience quality and service at it's best."

- David Lindgren, Owner First Class Auto Body

First Class Auto Body is your number one Scottsdale AZ collision center. By providing the full spectrum of auto body work, they are able to serve our customers to the fullest extent. This is important to them because they feel that every driver deserves to have an automotive shop they can trust. Their success hinges on the satisfaction of every individual customer. By taking great care in their work, and refusing to accept anything less than exceptional outcomes, they are confident that your expectations will be met or exceeded when you see their work.

Click here for more information about First Class Auto Body in Scottsdale

Click here for more information about Curt's Auto Repair in Phoenix

Important Tips for New and Seasoned Drivers

by Virginia Auto Service

Car accidents are nasty business. Beyond the damage to the vehicle, one must occasionally contend with loss of human life or life-threatening injuries.

One major reason for car accidents is negligence on the part of the driver. It could be due to breaking traffic rules or driving a damaged car or one that needs urgent repairs.

Another common reason, especially as we step into the holiday season, is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. We can only hope that drivers exercise better caution and avoid driving under the influence this Christmas and New Year’s season.

Young or teen drivers, need to be cautious when behind the wheel. It is especially upsetting when you hear of a car accident involving young lives. Sadly, this seems to be happening more and more in the Phoenix area, especially when roads are wet. It does not rain here much and when it does the roads can have a slickness to them that are drivers aren’t adept at navigating.

But we cannot blame all accidents on Mother Nature and road conditions. Let’s explore some other common causes of accidents and how to prevent them… safe driving can help prevent accidents

Click here for more information about Virginia Auto Service

The findings highlight both interesting trends and some causes for concern

FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 12, 2018 -- Much like ancient artifacts or fossil remains, analyzing Google searches can provide a wealth of insight into a particular group of people at a particular time. Many studies have been conducted to analyze what Americans search for with regards to various topics ranging from pop culture events to Halloween costumes. However, an important topic has been overlooked, until now. Roughly 85% of Americans use a car to get to work every day and every American relies on vehicles for the transportation of goods. Thus, road safety is something that touches us all.

What aspects of road safety do drivers really care about? Does interest for various road safety topics vary by state? Patterson Law Group conducted a study to learn just that.

The firm put together a map of what each state Googles more than any other state with regards to road safety. To find the results, the firm initially compiled over 100 road safety and road behavior topics. The topics were then run through Google Trends to see which states searched for the topics the most. Some of the results were expected, but others were surprising, and somewhat alarming.

The tires are the only thing between the vehicle and the road. When they are properly inflated and in good condition, the handling, stability and safety of the vehicle will be maximized. Conversely, when the tires are under inflated, worn out or damaged, all of the safety systems on the vehicle cannot overcome the loss of control that comes with a blow-out or hydroplaning situation. Air pressure in a tire is like oil in an engine; when it is low, the resulting internal damage is unseen until it is too late. Tires naturally lose 1-2 psi per month, so ongoing neglect will eventually result in a tire that cannot support the weight of the vehicle and the occupants. When this happens, the resulting blow-out can result in the loss of control and an accident.

It’s also important to rotate the tires on the vehicle every 5-7,000 miles. Today’s front-wheel-drive vehicles cause the steer tires to wear at a much faster rate than the tires on the rear axle. By periodically rotating the front tires to the back and the back tires to the front, motorists can achieve even treadwear on all four tires and increase the mileage and performance. Failing to rotate the tires often results in the front tires wearing out faster while the rear tires develop irregular treadwear patterns that cause vibrations. The same can be said for alignments. When the vehicle is not properly aligned, the tires will wear out faster which leads to increased operating costs.