Latest News From Bumper to Bumper Radio

Annual Cost of New Car Ownership Crosses $10K Mark

ORLANDO, FL. (Aug. 11, 2022) – For over 70 years, AAA’s Your Driving Costs has provided members, consumers, and the media with information on the average costs of owning and operating a new automobile. According to the latest research from AAA, the average yearly cost to own and operate a new vehicle in 2022 is $10,728, or $894 per month. A considerable increase from 2021, when the average yearly cost was $9,666 or $805.50 per month. Not surprisingly, fuel prices are the most significant factor pushing this year’s average annual price tag.

“Consumers are paying more attention when purchasing a new vehicle since everything is more expensive right now,” said Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of automotive engineering. “With the recent increase in fuel prices, more and more people want to know the true costs of owning a car beyond their monthly payment.”

5 Handy Car Maintenance Skills You Should Know | Good Works Auto Repair

If you’ve never dreamed of becoming a mechanic, there are still some basic car maintenance skills you should have in your repertoire if you own your own vehicle or drive someone else’s. These handy skills won’t keep you from requiring the services of a professional mechanic. But they can help you take better care of your car or even assist you with roadside troubles.

Let’s take a look at 5 important things you should know how to do to ensure driving safety or to help protect your investment.

Basic Car Maintenance Skills Every Vehicle Owner Should Have

#1: Learn how to check your oil.

Technology Helps Self-Driving Cars Learn from Own 'Memories'

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a way to help autonomous vehicles create "memories" of previous experiences and use them in future navigation, especially during adverse weather conditions when the car cannot safely rely on its sensors.

Cars using artificial neural networks have no memory of the past and are in a constant state of seeing the world for the first time -- no matter how many times they've driven down a particular road before.

The researchers have produced three concurrent papers with the goal of overcoming this limitation. Two are being presented at the Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR 2022), being held June 19-24 in New Orleans.

How Hot and Cold Weather Can Lead to Brake Repairs | Virginia Auto Service

Like most drivers, you probably don’t think about your car’s brakes until you have to use them. When it comes to hot and cold weather, however, it’s essential to consider how weather can impact your vehicle’s braking system. Here are a few things you should know:

What are brakes?
If you’ve ever driven a car, you know how important brakes are. Brakes are mechanical devices that slow, stop, or reverse a vehicle. They’re a vital component of the braking system and work with other parts to stop your car safely when needed. The braking system uses friction to slow or stop your vehicle as quickly as possible so you can avoid accidents on the road.

The importance of brakes to safety.
Brakes are the most critical safety feature of your vehicle. They keep you from crashing, help you to stop quickly, and allow you to come to a full stop after starting downhill. If your car or truck brakes aren’t working correctly, it could be dangerous for you and those around you.

Clearing the Confusion Coalition Unveils Expanded, Updated Recommendations for Universal Terms for Advanced Driver Assistance Technology

ORLANDO, Fla. (Jul 26, 2022) – A coalition of the nation’s leading experts in automobiles and auto safety—AAA, Consumer Reports, J.D. Power, National Safety Council, PAVE, and SAE International—today released a set of expanded and updated recommendations for universal terms for advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features.

The six overarching categories on the list are collision warning, collision intervention, driving control assistance, parking assistance, driver monitoring, and other driver assistance systems. Driver monitoring is the newest category, added this year. A virtual briefing for press and key industry stakeholders on the latest recommendations will be held on Tuesday, July 26 at 2 pm EDT.

Bumper Audio Clip of the Week

Bumper to Bumper helps a listener who is having an intermittent electrical issue with her vehicle.