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WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nov. 28, 2018) – Nearly 50 percent of older adults report using seven or more medications while remaining active drivers, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. An evaluation of the medications people are taking found that nearly 20 percent of older drivers are using medications that generally should be avoided because they have very limited therapeutic benefit, pose excess harm, or both. Drugs like these are called potentially inappropriate medications, or PIMs1. Most of these potentially inappropriate medications, such as benzodiazepines and first-generation antihistamines, are known to cause impairing effects such as blurred vision, confusion, fatigue or incoordination, and can increase a driver’s risk for a crash by up to 300 percent2.

In 2016, more than 200,000 drivers ages 65 and older were injured in traffic crashes and more than 3,500 died. Currently, a record 42 million adults ages 65 and older are driving on America’s roads and this number is expected to increase substantially over the next decade, which would make them the largest driving population.

“There is a growing population of older drivers who use multiple medications and likely do not realize the impact these prescriptions may have on their driving,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “This new research shows that the more medications an older driver takes, the more likely they are to use an inappropriate medication that can potentially cause driving impairment.”

Four-in-ten Americans misjudge partially automated driving systems’ ability based on their name

ORLANDO, Fla. (Nov. 14, 2018) – A new survey from AAA finds that 40 percent of Americans expect partially automated driving systems, with names like Autopilot, ProPILOT or Pilot Assist, to have the ability to drive the car by itself, indicating a gap in consumer understanding of these technologies and reality. AAA also tested these systems and found that they are in fact not designed to take over the task of driving and can be significantly challenged by every day, real-world conditions such as poor lane markings, unusual traffic patterns and stationary vehicles. As this type of technology becomes more commonplace on the road, AAA cautions consumers not to take vehicle system names at face value and, although meant to assist in the driving task, should never be used as a replacement for driver engagement.

“With today’s exciting advances in vehicle technology, there is a greater need for naming that clearly signals to a driver what the system does,” said Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of Automotive Engineering and Industry Relations. “Vague or confusing terminology may lead someone to overestimate a system’s capability, unintentionally placing the driver and others on the road at risk.”

In partnership with the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center, AAA tested four vehicles equipped with systems that combine technologies such as adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist to help maintain lane position, forward speed and following distance in relation to a lead vehicle. Closed-course and on-road testing evaluated performance in typical driving situations where the technology generally behaved as expected. However, there were a number of instances in both environments that caused these systems to act in an unpredictable manner, requiring driver intervention to avoid a potential collision.

While driving on public roadways, AAA found test vehicles struggled when encountering scenarios that included moderate traffic, curved roadways and streets with busy intersections. Researchers noted many instances where the test vehicle experienced issues like lane departures, hugging lane markers, “ping-ponging” within the lane, inadequate braking, unexpected speed changes and inappropriate following distances. AAA’s study also revealed that nearly 90 percent of events requiring driver intervention were due to the test vehicle’s inability to maintain lane position. The irregular and complex nature of the real-world driving environment revealed the vulnerabilities of this technology. AAA’s testing found the systems generally performed best on open freeways and freeways with stop and go traffic.

"Hellephant" 426 Supercharged Crate HEMI® engine and kit revealed during Mopar press briefing at 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas

"Hellephant" Mopar crate engine delivers mammoth numbers: 1,000 horsepower and 950 lb.-ft. of torque

New 1,000 horsepower crate Engine Kit is another Mopar first-ever feature

Logo nods to legendary Mopar 426 HEMI engine, nicknamed "elephant" engine for its power and size

"Hellephant" Crate HEMI Engine Kit allows for relatively simple plug-and-play performance

1968 Dodge "Super Charger" Concept unveiled at SEMA features 1,000 horsepower "Hellephant" engine and kit under the hood

Dodge "Super Charger" Concept elevates one of most iconic FCA vehicles with custom modern touches and Mopar products

"Hellephant" 426 Supercharged Mopar Crate HEMI engine and kit available first quarter of 2019

PLANO, Texas, Nov. 20, 2018 -- The original Toyota RAV4 arrived in the United States 22 years ago, casting the mold for a whole new industry segment, which evolved into the compact crossover SUV.

With the all-new, fifth-generation 2019 Toyota RAV4, the vehicle premieres, yet again, at the forefront – both for the Toyota brand and for the segment. Dealership arrivals can't come soon enough, with 2019 RAV4 gas models set to arrive in December, and RAV4 Hybrid models following in late March 2019.

The first RAV4 was a true game-changer, but no one knew at the time just how big of a market shift it would create. RAV4 is the currently the best-selling vehicle in its class, doubling volume over the last five years to sales of nearly 408,000 in the U.S. in 2017. That makes RAV4 Toyota's best-selling vehicle in the U.S., and the best-selling non-pickup truck in the country.

New RAV4 powertrains increase performance while reducing fuel consumption. Second-generation Toyota Safety Sense (TSS 2.0) comes standard.

Beneath the 2019 RAV4's bolder sheet metal, the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA-K) platform provides the robust foundation for capability, comfort and safety. The longer wheelbase and wider front and rear tracks provide a stable, confident driving platform. Shorter front and rear overhangs aid the RAV4's trail driving capability.

The Zebra investigates potential massive threat to consumer privacy: how big data is revolutionizing the insurance industry and what that might cost consumers in real dollars

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 13, 2018 -- The Zebra, the nation's leading car insurance search engine, today released findings of an investigative report that explores whether the U.S. auto insurance industry — which serves 250 million U.S. drivers — is collecting and using data about consumers' online behaviors and preferences (their "digital footprints") to calculate what people pay for their car insurance policies.

The Zebra's report explores how 35 "digital footprint" preferences or behaviors could serve as risk indicators, and how those factors could affect someone's auto insurance premium in real dollars. For example:

Android owners could pay $32 more while iPhone owners might pay $70 extra each year.

Gmail users might pay an additional $100 while AOL users save the same amount.

People online at 9:00 a.m. might see savings of $17, while those online at 3:00 a.m. could pay an additional $58 in premium.

Insurance companies have the technical ability to track online activity — whether by interacting with consumers online, via in-car devices that monitor driving, or by purchasing data. In fact, insurers are already tracking consumers' online activity for purposes other than setting rates, such as fraud detection, claims processing, and marketing.

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 8, 2018) – AAA projects 54.3 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more away from home this Thanksgiving, a 4.8 percent increase over last year. The 2018 holiday weekend will see the highest Thanksgiving travel volume in more than a dozen years (since 2005), with 2.5 million more people taking to the nation’s roads, skies, rails and waterways compared with last year. For the 48.5 million Americans planning a Thanksgiving 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.

“Consumers have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season: higher wages, more disposable income and rising levels of household wealth,” said Bill Sutherland, AAA Travel senior vice president. “This is translating into more travelers kicking off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway, building on a positive year for the travel industry.”

The Thanksgiving holiday period is defined as Wednesday, November 21 to Sunday, November 25.

New marketing campaign highlights Mirai's power to change the future

PLANO, Texas, Nov. 7, 2018 - Press Power. Start something bigger.

The 2019 Toyota Mirai's new marketing campaign, "Real Power", illustrates the power of hydrogen fuel cell technology to change the world. The vehicle's POWER button takes center stage, supported by joyful, optimistic imagery, to convey the idea that Mirai doesn't just make life better for the driver, it has the potential to make life better for everyone. Mirai customers want to bring smart and purposeful innovation to the mainstream.

"Mirai means 'future' in Japanese and that's where this technology will take us," said Ed Laukes, group vice president, marketing, Toyota Motor North America. "The new marketing campaign shows how Mirai gives drivers the power to move the world forward with the touch of a button."

The geo-targeted campaign features :15 and :30-second digital broadcast spots directed by Academy Award Winner Angus Wall. Said Wall, "The potential of what Mirai and fuel cell technology can bring to the world really set the tone for how we thought about the campaign. We want viewers to take away a sense of optimism and possibility from the spots."

LOS ANGELES Nov. 6, 2018 -- On the heels of Volkswagen of America's (Volkswagen) announcement that it will cease production of the iconic Beetle in 2019, organizers of the Los Angeles Auto Show's (LA Auto Show®) AutoMobility LA™ today revealed that the popular brand will host its annual Motoring Invitational. This year's event, entitled "Beetles & Breakfast," will take place from 7:00 am - 8:00 am on Wednesday, Nov. 28, inside the Technology Pavilion located in front of the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Beetles & Breakfast welcomes media and industry professionals from around the world attending AutoMobility LA. The commemorative showcase, which will kick-off a packed day of vehicle unveilings, will have nearly 30 Beetles on display, including the 2019 Beetle Final Edition models. Registered attendees will also be able to enjoy complimentary food and entertainment. Volkswagen will display a number of heritage Beetles dating as far back as 1946, as well as the Americas Rallycross-winning Beetle racecar. Los Angeles-based Beetle owners have also been invited to join the festivities.

Additional vintage vehicles slated to participate in Beetles & Breakfast include, but are not limited to:

ORLANDO, Fla. (Oct. 25, 2018) – According to new research from AAA, vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and others, can cost twice as much to repair following a collision due to expensive sensors and their calibration requirements. Even minor incidents that cause damage to this technology found behind windshields, bumpers and door mirrors can add up to $3,000 in extra repair costs. With one-in-three Americans unable to afford an unexpected repair bill of just $500, AAA strongly urges consumers to perform an insurance policy review and consider the potential repair costs of these advanced systems.

“Advanced safety systems are much more common today, with many coming as standard equipment, even on base models,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “It’s critical that drivers understand what technology their vehicle has, how it performs and how much it could cost to repair should something happen.”

Previous AAA testing has shown that ADAS offers many safety benefits, however, minor vehicle damage that affects these systems may be inevitable. For the vehicles in AAA’s study, the repair bill for a minor front or rear collision on a car with ADAS can run as high as $5,300, almost two and half times the repair cost for a vehicle without these systems.

Windshield damage is especially common, with more than 14.5 million replacements annually. Many safety systems rely on cameras positioned behind the windshield that require recalibration when the glass is replaced. In addition, some automakers require the use of factory glass that meets strict standards for optical clarity. Replacing a windshield on a vehicle equipped with a camera behind the glass typically costs approximately $1,500, which can be as much as three times the amount to replace the windshield on a car without the technology.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 26, 2018 -

New Red, Blue and Silver dual-center stripes on Charger SRT Hellcat offer custom look from the factory

Dual carbon stripes are available for order on Charger R/T Scat Pack and R/T for the first time

Charger SRT Hellcat and R/T Scat Pack feature standard performance upgrades for the 2019 model year, including Launch Assist and Line Lock; a new performance grille with dual air inlets; new Launch Control switch on R/T Scat Pack; and Torque Reserve, After-Run Chiller on SRT Hellcat

Dodge Charger continues its run as the sales leader in the large car segment for five years running

The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, the quickest, fastest and most powerful sedan in the world, looks even more menacing for 2019 as Dodge//SRT adds three new stripe options, giving performance enthusiasts even more custom options straight from the factory.