Millennials have less connection to first car than boomers

A new survey from CarGurus reveals that the first car buying experience of millennials starkly differs from that of previous generations.
Compared to millennials, baby boomers were not only found to have been more involved when selecting their first car, but were also far more likely to have contributed to the purchase cost, the online automotive shopping platform said. While only 37 percent of millennials surveyed said they contributed to the cost of their first car, 65 percent of baby boomers told CarGurus they paid for some or all of their first car, according to the survey. And 53 percent of Gen Xers contributed to the cost of their first car.
"Our data shows a clear generational shift in the dynamics of first car purchase," said Sarah Welch, senior vice president of consumer marketing, said in a news release. "Given the rise of autonomous vehicles, ride sharing and sweeping urbanization, it will be interesting to see if future generations show the same trend in parents controlling the first car purchase or if we'll see a drop-off in dependents needing a car at a younger age."
Twenty-three percent of millennials' first cars were hand-me-downs, while only 10 percent of baby boomers were, according to the survey.
The survey also found that millennials were more likely to receive their first car from a family member, and were just as likely to not have a choice. Thirty-four percent of the millennials surveyed said they were given their first car for either school, a job or extracurricular activity.
Thirty-three percent of millennials did not have a say in their first car, as opposed to 24 percent of baby boomers.
Although the survey shows clear differences in first car buying experiences between generations, it presents a few similarities, as well.
The survey found that 83 percent of all first cars were either bought or given used and 55 percent of drivers got their first car between the ages of 16 and 18.
Additionally, the survey also asked participants to name their favorite car brands. Chevrolet is the only brand to top each generation's list of favorite brands. The overall most popular brands amongst all the drivers surveyed are Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda and Dodge, respectively.
The following are lists of the top five brands for each generation.
Baby boomers: Most popular first-car brands

1. Ford
2. Chevrolet
3. Volkswagen
4. Plymouth
5. Toyota

Generation X: Most popular first-car brands

1. Ford
2. Chevrolet
3. Toyota
4. Dodge
5. Pontiac

Millennials: Most popular-first car brands

1. Chevrolet
2. Honda
3. Toyota
4. Ford
5. Nissan

CarGurus said it conducted the online survey of more than 1,800 randomly selected participants last month. Survey participants included drivers who have owned a car, ranging from 18 years of age to 70.

by: autoremarketing.com

Millennials Have Less Connection to First Car than Boomers......... www.redlineautosales.ca/millennials-have-less-connection-to-first-car-than-boomers.htm  #redlineautosales

Most motorists will turn to driverless cars

According to a recent study made by an independent research group, 95% of U.S. car miles will be traveled in cars that are self-driving, electric, and shared with others. RethinkX produced the report, and its makers believe that the change will happen within the next 13 years.

Moreover, the researchers believe that about 60% of U.S. vehicle stock will be composed of autonomous electric vehicles that will be owned by companies that provide Transport as a Service. Evidently, the predictions presented above would only happen once self-driving vehicles receive governmental approval.

From the moment when authorities will let companies sell driverless cars and deploy them for the general public across the USA, another decade will pass until they outnumber regular cars.

The same research estimates that it will be four to ten times cheaper per mile to use Transport as a Service (TaaS) offers than to operate an existing paid-off vehicle by 2021. The costs will get driven down by improving electric vehicle technology, lower insurance, cheaper finance, and not using fossil fuels.

American households will be able to save an average of $5,600 per year if they give up a gas-powered car for TaaS for all their journeys. Cost savings like the one presented have the potential of making numerous families ditch their automobiles for driverless electric vehicles that are used only when required.

We cannot help wondering what is supposed to happen, in the given situation, to all of the cars that the people described above used to own.

Evidently, people will still own cars in 2030, but not that many will be interested in doing that. Fortunately, the study does not believe car enthusiasts will disappear, as they would probably have to kill us all, but those who use vehicles as simple means of transportation are expected to ditch personal vehicle ownership and use TaaS solutions.

The market disruption predicted by the researchers will lead to jobs being lost in many fields, but other opportunities will be open in their place. We think that they are a bit on the optimistic side, but do not exclude the possibility of these predictions becoming true in a bit more than a decade.

by: autoevolution.com

 

Most Motorists Will Turn to Driverless Cars................... www.redlineautosales.ca/most-motorist-will-turn-to-driverless-cars.htm

Ford on Front Lines of Fight Against Car Sickness

Stop-start traffic and winding roads can worsen a condition that is most prevalent in passengers, especially children and teenagers, and can be aggravated by sitting in the back, head down playing video games or watching movies.

Crossed signals between eyes, ears can make riding in car sickening experience.

COLOGNE, Germany - Ford has hurled down the gauntlet and is taking on car sickness.
Researchers with Ford of Europe, assisted by motion-sickness experts, are studying ways to head off the queasiness - or worse - that can despoil a drive and afflicts more than two-thirds of people at some point.
Stop-start traffic and winding roads can worsen a condition that is most prevalent in passengers, especially children and teenagers, and can be aggravated by sitting in the back, head down playing video games or watching movies.
But the researchers say adult passengers who stared at screens throughout a short journey fell ill after an average of just 10 minutes.
"Comfort is a huge focus for the way we design the cars of the future - and we want to do everything we can to reduce car sickness," Eike Schmidt, research engineer at the Ford Research and Innovation Center in Aachen, Germany, says in a news release.
Yawning and perspiring are warning signs of a condition caused by mismatches between signals the brain receives from the eyes and from the organs of balance, in the ear. Only people old enough to walk get motion sickness, as do pets.
Initial tests showed when screens were mounted higher, and the road ahead could be seen on either side, volunteers were less likely to feel sick. Further experiments will explore alternative ways journeys can be displayed in the cabin so unseeing passengers can be warned of events such as twisting roads or humpbacked bridges.
"Car sickness is a complex problem. It is a natural reaction to an unnatural stimulus that cannot be cured as such. But we can look to alleviate the symptoms," says Jelte Bos of TNO, Perceptual and Cognitive Systems in Soesterberg, Netherlands.
"For many drivers who think their child has a problem with car sickness, it might simply be that their child has a problem with their driving. Adopting a smoother driving style goes a long way towards reducing feelings of nausea - and it reduces fuel costs too."
Tips for avoiding car sickness include running the air conditioning; using a pillow or other head support; moving to the middle of the back seats, or the front passenger seat, to see the road ahead; avoiding sudden braking, harsh acceleration and potholes where possible; and drinking cola but not coffee.

by: wardsauto.com



Ford on Front Lines of Fight Against Car Sickness................ www.redlineautosales.ca/ford-on-front-lines-of-fight-against-car-sickness.htm
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Now You Can Ride in a Google Self-Driving Car

After eight years of testing, Waymo is ready to go public: Google's autonomous vehicle spin-off is offering families in the Phoenix area the chance to try out its self-driving cars as part of a new pilot ride-sharing program. The move brings the technology a step closer to becoming a day-to-day reality and coincides with efforts by other entrants into the fast-emerging field who are rapidly expanding the number of autonomous vehicles now on public roads. The pilot program could cement Waymo's position as a leader in the technology while also giving a big boost to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the automaker that will now provide another 500 Pacifica plug-in hybrid minivans for use in the Arizona project.

Waymo had quietly begun offering rides to a "handful of Phoenix, AZ residents…over the last month," the Alphabet subsidiary's CEO John Krafcik revealed in a statement issued overnight. "Now residents in the Phoenix area can apply" to join the trial, with Waymo planning on "accepting hundreds of people with diverse backgrounds and transportation needs who want to ride and give feedback about Waymo's self-driving cars."

From Science Fiction to Reality

Then a small project launched by Google, Waymo was one of the first to begin exploring the idea of making autonomous vehicles, long the stuff of science fiction, an everyday reality. Since then, the company says it has clocked more than 2 million miles of driving on public roads with a variety of different prototypes.
Early versions relied on modified Lexus SUVs. Two years ago, Google turned to Detroit auto supplier Rousch to produce about 100 sci-fi-style bubble cars specifically designed to test its autonomous technology. Some of those will eventually be put on the road in completely driverless form, with no pedals or steering wheel.
The Arizona pilot, however, relies on a specially modified version of the new Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, a plug-in minivan. Waymo unveiled the first of 100 at the North American International Auto Show in January. It will now take delivery of 500 more.
While a relatively modest number by ordinary automotive standards, that's a big development for FCA. The automaker has been slow to enter the autonomous research field, unlike rivals like Ford, General Motors, Toyota and Nissan. It opens the possibility of a much larger, longer-term collaboration between FCA and Waymo that could leapfrog the smallest of the Detroit makers into a position of leadership.

First to the Market

The tie-up also helps Waymo cement its position in the autonomous hierarchy. Long seen as a leader, it was downgraded in a recent study of self-driving technology by Navigant Research, which put Ford at the top, followed by traditional automakers including General Motors, Nissan and Daimler AG. Navigant cautioned that despite having great technology, Waymo lacked a "pathway to production."
The expanded ties to FCA - as well as a new deal with Honda - could offer Waymo a path to go from concept to pilot to real world applications.
"This collaboration is helping both companies learn how to bring self-driving cars to market, and realize the safety and mobility benefits of this technology," said Waymo's Krafcik in the company release.
While Fiat Chrysler is providing the minivans for the Arizona pilot, Waymo is handling the technical end. It has been producing its own sensors to help its cars "see" the world around. That includes a new generation of laser-based LIDAR. These high-definition, 3D sensors cost about $70,000 apiece until recently, a hefty price tag considering four are needed. At the January auto show unveiling, Krafcik said Waymo's LIDAR sensors are down to $7,000 apiece - and some experts believe they will eventually fall to as little as $50, making widespread use affordable.

Not Completely Driverless Just Yet

The modified Chrysler Pacifica minivans are capable of operating without a driver onboard, something that would be permitted under Arizona regulations, but Waymo will, at least for the near future, continue to have a trained "operator" at the ready behind the wheel in the event of a problem.
How consumers will respond to the open public invitation remains to be seen. Another recent study, this one by J.D. Power and Associates, found a sizable majority of Americans remain wary of self-driving vehicles and unwilling to ride in one - the exception being Millennials.
One reason for such concern, according to Power Vice President Kristin Kolodge, has been news about crashes involving autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles. Waymo itself has experienced more than a dozen incidents, albeit most of them minor and only one blamed on one of its vehicles. In recent weeks, two crashes have occurred in the Phoenix area, one involving a self-driving Uber prototype, another a Tesla Model X running in semi-autonomous Autopilot mode. A fatal accident was reported last May involving Autopilot, though a federal investigation largely put the blame on the driver.
Waymo actually isn't the first to give everyday consumers a chance to participate in an autonomous pilot. Ride-sharing giant Uber has been operating a program in Pittsburgh, near its self-driving research center. It also launched a test in San Francisco last December, shutting it down a week later as a result of a run-in with state authorities - and reports that some of its prototype Volvo XC90 SUVs had violated traffic laws.
Uber recently returned to San Francisco, though it is not yet picking up paid customers. It is also testing some of its own vehicles in Arizona, a state that has been aggressively trying to position itself as a center for autonomous vehicle development.
The race to bring autonomous vehicle technology to market has accelerated, not only on the road but in the courts. A number of lawsuits have been filed in recent months, notably including one ongoing case pitting Waymo against Uber. The Google spin-off claims former employees stole intellectual property when they left to form their own self-driving truck company. That firm, Otto, was later acquired by Uber.

by:nbcnews.com


Now You Can Drive in a Google Self Driving Car.......... www.redlineautosales.ca/now-you-can-ride-in-a-google-self-driving-car.htm #redlineautosales

Here Are The Six Best Cars In The World Right Now

Jaguar Land Rover North America

The Jaguar F-Pace SUV clinched a double victory in the 2017 World Car Awards.

Deciphering the increasingly crowded automotive landscape is difficult, especially if you're in the market for a new car. The World Car Awards, administered by a Toronto-based non-profit and voted upon by 75 jurors (myself included) in 23 countries, cuts through the noise, putting new cars through the paces all year long before putting them up for a vote. This year's picks were announced at the New York Auto Show last week. Here's a closer look at the winners across six categories: design, luxury, performance, green, urban, and overall.
The Jaguar F-Pace SUV claimed a double win for World Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year. Released last spring, the British brand's first-ever SUV proved an instant hit and is now the bestselling vehicle in its portfolio by a wide margin.Its exceptional dynamics, daily utility, and bold design swayed the jury in favor of the performance-oriented SUV over the other finalists, the Audi Q5 and Volkswagen Tiguan compact SUVs. "The F-Pace is the first SUV that actually turns heads," said Peter Lyon, chairman of the World Car Awards. "Many of our 75 jurors voted for the F-Pace not just because it's Jaguar's first-ever SUV, but because the R&D team did such a great job with the vehicle's industry-leading design, sports car-like driving dynamics, well-weighted steering, high comfort levels, competitive price and superb engine range, especially the supercharged 3.0-liter with eight-speed transmission."  The F-Pace also edged out the Mercedes-Benz S-Class executive sedan and Toyota C-HR subcompact SUV for the World Car Design category, which is vetted by six design experts before the jurors vote.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class triumphed over the the BMW 5-Series and Volvo S90 and Volvo V90 sedans for the World Luxury Car distinction. Mercedes has dominated the category in recent years, with the S-Class coupe honored in 2015 and S-Class sedan in 2014 (The BMW 7-Series executive sedan won the honor last year.) The brand has been a juror favorite in recent years: In 2015, the German automaker scored a triple win, taking home the World Car of the Year title for the C-Class compact sedan and the World Performance Car award for the AMG GT.
This year's World Performance Car award went to Porsche for the fifth time. This year, the Boxster and Cayman, based on Porsche's legendary 718 mid-engine race cars, trumped the other category finalists: the Audi R8 Spyder and McLaren 570S. Porsche won in the title in 2014 for the 911 GT3, 2013 for the Boxster and Cayman, 2012 for the 911, and 2006 for the Porsche Cayman S.
In the environmental category, the Chevrolet Bolt and Tesla Model X may have received the lion's share of this year's automotive headlines for their superior electric range, but the Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid captured the honor of World Green Car. Toyota's Mirai fuel cell vehicle won last year's award. Meanwhile, the World Urban Car, an inaugural category marking the global importance of smaller, fuel-efficient cars, went to the BMW i3. The luxury electric vehicle, which beat the Citroen C3 and Suzuki Ignis for the title, proves that small vehicles don't have to be cheap, undesirable, or unpleasant to drive, according to jurors.

by: forbes.com

Here are Six Best Cars in the World Now...... www.redlineautosales.ca/here-are-the-six-best-cars-in-the-world-right-now.htm #redlineautosales

Public hydrogen fueling stations on the way

The Government of Canada has announced that it will be contributing to the construction of public hydrogen stations in the Greater Toronto Area. As part of Budget 2017, Navdeep Singh Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, announced the federal government's intention to "support a new Canadian market for fuel-cell vehicles" by allocating  $1,625,000 towards the construction of two public hydrogen stations, according to a news release.
"We are very pleased to receive this funding and support from the Canadian government for additional fuelling stations in and around Toronto," said Daryl Wilson, President and CEO of Hydrogenics Corporation, a Canadian company that has been involved in more than 50 hydrogen refuelling station projects worldwide since 2000, and which has been named as the project proponent.
"Driven by automotive OEMs such as BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota, we're seeing an increase in demand for hydrogen-based clean vehicles in Europe, California, the UK and Japan - and now here in Canada. Using our renewable hydrogen fuel, the GTA will be one step closer to enabling carbon-free fuelling for zero-emission vehicles," said Wilson in the release.

by: canadianautodealer.ca

 

 

Public Hydrogen Fueling Stations On The Way................................................. www.redlineautosales.ca/public-hydrogen-fueling-stations-on-the-way.htm #redlineautosales

Top reasons why consumers turn to ride-sharing services

Since ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft were launched about seven years ago, they continue to have a greater influence on our mobility and culture. Thousands of people have become ride-share drivers, millions of ride-share trips occur daily and billions of dollars are spent on these services each year. Yet ride-sharing has only scratched the surface.
The business premise behind ride-sharing-and of all sharing-economy business activities-is a relatively simple one: The efficient use of shared-resources to reduce overall consumer costs, while providing superior services and shorter wait times.
In addition to these objectives, one unforeseen (and pleasant) outcome of the increase in ride-sharing services has been the positive effect that ride-sharing has had on consumers' decisions about driving when they have been consuming alcohol. Indeed, according to a recent consumer survey conducted by J.D. Power, among people who use ride-sharing services, the most frequently cited reason for using ride-sharing services is when a person knows that they will be drinking alcohol.
Single Most Important Reason to Use a Ride-Sharing Service like Uber or Lyft

This finding supports a study by Uber and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)-that says:

• 88% of respondents over the age of 21 agree with the statement that "Uber has made it easier for me to avoid driving home when I've had too much to drink."
• 78% of people say that since Uber launched in their city, their friends are less likely to drive after drinking.
• And after hearing about Uber's impact on drunk driving already, 93% of people would recommend a friend take Uber instead of driving if the friend had been drinking.

According to the Uber/MADD report, drunk-driving crashes in California (among drivers under 30 years old and in markets where Uber operates) have declined by an average of 60 per month and have had a substantial positive effect on the reduction of property damage and personal injury. In addition, examining major metropolitan areas around the country, requests for Uber rides tend to peak between midnight and 2 a.m., around the time when most bars are closing and when most drunk driving crashes occur.
Clearly, ride-sharing has already made a positive effect on making roads safer from drivers who have been drinking alcohol. Even better, it appears there is room for even greater improvements in safety as ride-sharing becomes available in more markets and as consumers gain greater awareness of its benefits. According to our research, only about 25% of consumers say they have ever used a ride-sharing service, a number that is sure to grow.
Having a drink with friends has been a time-honored tradition in many cultures for millennia. In America, we can practically set our calendars around peak drinking occasions (New Year's Eve, Super Bowl Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, etc.). Now, with the advent of ridesharing services, these holidays can continued to be enjoyed by everyone, with the added reassurance that drivers who imbibe are now less likely to drive afterward.


by: jdpower.com


Top Reasons Why Consumers Turn to Ride Sharing Services......... www.redlineautosales.ca/top-reasons-why-consumers-turn-to-ride-sharing-services.htm