Latest News From Bumper Radio

Achieves Highest Possible Ratings for Automatic Emergency Braking and the Five Tests Used by IIHS to Evaluate Crashworthiness

• All-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan named Top Safety Pick+ for 2016

• 2017 Pacifica's available Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system, Forward Collision Warning-Plus, earns "superior" rating from IIHS; features sensor-fusion technology – the industry's first minivan to be so-equipped

• All-new Pacifica achieves "good" rating – the highest possible score – in each of five tests used by IIHS to evaluate crashworthiness

• 2017 Chrysler Pacifica's body structure 72 percent high-strength steel

• All-new Pacifica minivan benefits from more than 100 available safety and security features

2017 Chrysler Pacifica Limited scored highest possible marks in IIHS crash tests.

The national average price of regular unleaded gasoline remained relatively stable over the past week, settling at today’s price of $2.21 per gallon. Drivers are paying the same price per gallon month-over-month, and 8 cents less per gallon year-over-year. Although today’s average remains flat compared to one week ago, pump prices have been pressured higher in some regions due to disruptions on the Colonial Pipeline.

Drivers in a number of states (25) are paying less at the pump week-over-week, although some volatility remains in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions where gasoline prices continued to see upward momentum as a result of the Colonial Pipeline disruption. Line 1 operations were restored on Wednesday of last week after more than a week of downtime following the discovery of a leak. While delivery of fuel resumed, it may take a week before affected states see any relief at the pumps.

Companies sign global, multiyear contract to work on next-generation connected car technologies and driving experiences 

The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Microsoft Corp. have signed a global, multiyear agreement to partner on next-generation technologies to advance connected driving experiences worldwide.

The companies will work together to develop next-generation connected services for cars powered by Microsoft Azure, one of the company's intelligent cloud offerings. These new services will improve customer experience via advanced navigation, predictive maintenance and vehicle centric services, remote monitoring of car features, external mobile experiences and over-the-air updates.

TROY, Mich., Sept. 29, 2016 -- School has started, after-school activities have started and that means an increase in bacteria and germs starting formation inside your vehicle. A study conducted by Queen Mary University showed that an average of 700 different kinds of bacteria lurk within the interior of your car. In comparison, the average public toilet harbors only 60. Ziebart Corporation (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ziebart International Corporation) recognizes the importance of maintaining a clean and healthy vehicle for your family, and as the vehicle protection experts, they also know how to protect your family against the harmful germs inside your vehicle that can cause a variety of illnesses.

Volkswagen: New Electric Car Represents Fresh Start

2016 Nissan Murano Takes the Top Spot after Extensive Testing

CHICAGO, Oct. 4, 2016 -- Experts from Cars.com and MotorWeek have put the current lineup of midsize SUVs through rigorous testing to determine the overall best options for car shoppers. Contenders in the Midsize SUV Challenge include the 2016 Ford Edge, 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2016 Kia Sorento and 2016 Nissan Murano.

"SUVs are the family vehicle of choice in 2016, and the midsize category is one of the most popular with shoppers," said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com editor-in-chief. "These SUVs are large enough to carry five adults comfortably, with plenty of cargo space, but not with the fuel penalty that full-size SUVs impose. This class of vehicles remains incredibly competitive, so we want to give shoppers a clear understanding of the best, worst and each option's value proposition."

GM and the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) revealed the jointly developed Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 today. The concept is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and was intended to explore hydrogen technology for military applications.

The modified Colorado rides on 37-inch tires and stands at more than 6.5 feet tall. The truck is also more than 7 feet wide and is built on a stretched, reinforced Colorado chassis. The truck features a specially modified suspension that will help it handle the rugged terrain of the extreme field tests scheduled for next year. Those tests will determine hydrogen-powered vehicles' viability on the battlefield.

You can credit (or blame) Donald Trump for this one. The presidential candidate has been relentless in attacking Ford for moving jobs to Mexico throughout his campaign. Ford has fired back, both with CEO Mark Fields on CNN, and on Twitter during the first debate, citing massive investment and job growth here in the United States. And now, because of this fight, we just got confirmation that the Bronco is coming back. Whether or not it looks at all like the rendering above remains to be seen.

National pump prices have fallen 50 of the past 51 days for a total of 25 cents per gallon. The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline has declined to $2.13 per gallon, which is the lowest level in the past 100 days and the lowest price for this date since 2004. Today’s price is three cents less than one week ago, 15 cents less than one month ago and 52 cents less than the same date last year.

Gas prices across most of the country continue to slide during the peak road-trip season due to abundant supplies. Gas prices dropped in 45 states and Washington, D.C. over the past week, though several states did post increases (Indiana +9 cents, Utah +3 cents, Ohio +3 cents, Missouri +1 cent, and Idaho up fractions of a penny). This sort of dramatic price change will come as no surprise to Midwestern drivers as pump prices regularly move significantly from week to week. Despite the recent uptick in several states, prices in every state are lower than both one month ago and one year ago.

With Auto Insurance Costs On The Rise, Know How To Get The Best Policy At The Best Rate

NEW YORK, July 25, 2016 / -- If your last auto insurance bill came with a little sticker shock, it may be time to take advantage of a highly competitive insurance marketplace and do some smart shopping for a new policy, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).