Vigilant Solutions, a global image recognition and analytics company serving sovereign nations, municipalities, and law enforcement agencies, announced today a new parking solution that leverages its license plate recognition technology and extensive vehicle location data to assist parking agencies and municipal parking units in enforcing policies, collecting outstanding fines and locating repeat violators.
Vigilant’s license plate recognition cameras and software have been trusted by law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. and across the globe for more than a decade to identify and locate suspect vehicles and solve crimes faster. The company is now using this technology to develop a license plate-enabled parking (LEP) enforcement solution that, coupled with its expansive commercial data network, empowers parking enforcement to work more efficiently with local law enforcement to quickly address violations involving on-street spaces and off-street lots.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8134352-vigilant-solution-license-plate-recognition-parking-enforcement/
The number of vehicles earning either of two awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has jumped to 71 from 39 this time last year, giving consumers more choices for optimum protection in crashes. The number of winners in the top tier — TOP SAFETY PICK+ — has increased by 11 for 2015, despite a tougher standard for front crash prevention.
While the bar has been raised for TOP SAFETY PICK+, the criteria for TOP SAFETY PICK are unchanged from 2014: a good or acceptable rating in the challenging small overlap front test and a good rating in each of the Institute's four other crashworthiness evaluations — moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints. The 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation is awarded to vehicles that meet those criteria and also have an available front crash prevention system that earns an advanced or superior rating.
Automakers from around the globe are gearing up for the grand opening of the 2017 Chicago Auto Show, which opens to the public on 10am. Saturday, Feb. 11, at McCormick Place.
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle are expected to be on hand Saturday, Feb. 11 for the ribbon cutting ceremony, which will officially open the 2017 Chicago Auto Show. With more than one million sq. ft. of exhibit space, the show is the largest in North America and has been held more times than any other auto exposition on the continent.
Taking center stage at the 109th edition of the Chicago Auto Show are more than 20 vehicles that made their world debut during this week’s Media Preview, including Dodge Durango SRT; Ford Expedition; Hyundai Elantra GT; Mitsubishi Outlander Sport; Nissan TITAN King Cab and Midnight Editions; TRD Sport editions of the Toyota Tundra and Sequoia; Subaru Legacy; and Volkswagen Atlas Weekend Edition Concept.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7660252-chicago-auto-show-2017-cas17/
GAC Motor, China’s fastest-growing automaker, has wowed the Fortune Global Forum 2017 (“the Forum”) as the official service car provider with 380 cars including the GA8 sedan, the GS8 SUV and the GM8 MPV. The vehicles have provided safe and reliable service for leaders of the 152 Fortune 500 companies who attended, in addition to more than 1,100 distinguished guests from around the world. During the Forum, 40 CEOs from Fortune 500 companies including McKinsey & Company, Aisin Seiki (China) Investment Co., Ltd. and iFLYTEK Co., Ltd visited GAC Motor’s factory in Panyu, Guangzhou to get a glimpse of China’s advanced smart manufacturing capability.
“We are proud to have had the chance to display our advanced smart manufacturing capabilities to some of the world’s top corporate leaders,” said Yu Jun, president of GAC Motor. “Being chosen as the official service car provider for the Forum is a recognition of GAC Motor’s accomplishments in openness and innovation; it further enhances our brand’s international influence. After years of development, the Chinese automotive industry is now capable of creating top auto brands, and we hope to build GAC Motor into a world-class Chinese brand.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8241551-gac-motor-fortune-global-forum/
Volvo Cars, the premium car maker, today unveiled two new concept cars that move the Swedish brand in an audacious new direction and mark the official launch of its global small car strategy.
Today’s newly-revealed 40 series concepts demonstrate for the first time how Volvo Cars plans to expand into the large and lucrative global market for premium small cars with a range of vehicles that combine bold exterior and interior design with industry-leading connectivity, electrification and autonomous drive technologies.
The new concept cars will be the first built around Volvo Cars’ new Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which has been specially created for smaller cars and which has liberated the company’s designers and engineers to explore bold and daring new directions.
“Each member of our product family has its own distinct character, just like the members of a real family. CMA has helped us to capture something special, something youthful in our new concept cars. They have an energy, a disruptive and engaging urban character that makes them stand out amongst the crowd. This is the flavour of small Volvos to come,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President, Design, at Volvo Car Group.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7837051-volvo-new-range-of-smaller-cars/
Not a single small SUV out of 21 tested earns a good rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s headlight evaluations, and only four are available with acceptable-rated headlights.
Among the 21 vehicles, there are 47 different headlight combinations available. More than two-thirds of them are rated poor, making this group of vehicles even more deficient when it comes to lighting than the midsize cars that were the first to be rated earlier this year.
Headlight performance in today’s vehicles varies widely. Government standards are based on laboratory tests, which don’t accurately gauge performance in real-world driving. The issue merits attention because about half of traffic deaths occur either in the dark or around dawn or dusk.
As with midsize cars, the IIHS evaluations of small SUVs showed that a vehicle’s price tag doesn’t correspond to the quality of headlights. More modern lighting types, including high-intensity discharge (HID) and LED lamps, and curve-adaptive systems, which swivel in the direction of steering, also are no guarantee of good performance.
Honda Odyssey versus Honda CR-V http://washingtonpahonda.com/blog/2014/06/should-you-own-a-used-honda-odyssey-minivan-or-a-honda-crv.cfm
http://carsort.com/compare/Honda-CR-V-vs-Honda-Odyssey
http://washingtonpahonda.com/new/honda/?&geo=0&make=Honda&model=Odyssey versus http://washingtonpahonda.com/new/honda/?&geo=0&make=Honda&model=CR-V The Honda Odyssey Minivan and the Honda CR-V both have all the characteristics of a reliable family car. These vehicles are affordable, comfortable, and spacious for a family of four to sit in. To help make up your mind, presented to you are the advantages and disadvantages of minivans and SUV. Washington Honda specializes in new and used Honda cars, trucks, hybrids and SUVs.Located in Washington, PA. Serving Greater Pittsburgh, Canonsburg, Charleroi, McMurray and Waynesburg, Pennsylvania; and Morgantown and Wheeling, West Virginia.
Just over half of 2018 model vehicles evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety are available with headlights that do an adequate job of lighting the road at night and limiting glare for oncoming drivers, but most good-rated headlights are optional or bundled with other features that can raise the price of the vehicle.
Since IIHS released its first headlight ratings for passenger vehicles in 2016, most manufacturers have focused on improving this key safety component. That year, only 2 of 95 headlight systems on 2016-model vehicles evaluated earned a good rating.
For the 2018 model year, the best-available headlights on 32 of 165 models evaluated earn the highest rating of good, and the best-available headlights on 58 models earn the second-highest rating of acceptable. Thirty-two models have only marginal-rated headlights, while poor-rated headlights are the only ones available for 43 models.
The Toyota Prius v is the only midsize car out of 31 evaluated to earn a good rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s first-ever headlight ratings.
The best available headlights on 11 cars earn an acceptable rating, while nine only reach a marginal rating. Ten of the vehicles can’t be purchased with anything other than poor-rated headlights.
A vehicle’s price tag is no guarantee of decent headlights. Many of the poor-rated headlights belong to luxury vehicles.
The ability to see the road ahead, along with any pedestrians, bicyclists or obstacles, is an obvious essential for drivers. However, government standards for headlights, based on laboratory tests, allow huge variation in the amount of illumination that headlights provide in actual on-road driving. With about half of traffic deaths occurring either in the dark or in dawn or dusk conditions, improved headlights have the potential to bring about substantial reductions in fatalities.
The National Limousine Association’s Ride Responsibly™ initiative (www.rideresponsibly.org) and Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment (PAVE) have joined forces to produce a public service campaign, starring actress, activist and sexual violence survivor Pamela Anderson. The PSA draws attention to the vast number of sexual assaults that have occurred in ride-hailing vehicles and questions if these were caused by insufficient background check procedures. This PSA serves as a call-to-action following alarming revelations of sexual harassment and assault that reach far beyond Hollywood and Washington, D.C.
The video, titled “The Signs”, is Pamela’s second PSA for the Ride Responsibly initiative, and comes on the heels of the #MeToo movement. The PSA is a stark reminder that even getting from point A to B carries risk, particularly if you are not conscientious of the service that you choose.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8098851-nla-ride-responsibly-pave-psa-the-signs/
Just 15 vehicles qualify for the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award from IIHS after the requirements were strengthened to include good-rated headlights and good or acceptable passenger-side protection in small overlap front crashes.
Another 47 vehicles earn the TOP SAFETY PICK award, which now requires acceptable or good headlights. In contrast, headlights weren’t factored in for 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK, and an acceptable headlight rating was enough to bump a 2017 award winner into "plus" territory.
The inclusion of a passenger-side crash test is a first for any IIHS award. The Institute developed the passenger-side small overlap front crash test after it became clear that some manufacturers weren't paying sufficient attention to the passenger side as they made improvements to achieve better performance in the driver-side small overlap front test.
Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry, today announces the winners of the 2017 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards, honoring the top new model-year vehicle choices available in the U.S. market. The 2017 Honda Civic is named Kelley Blue Book’s Overall Best Buy of 2017, alongside Best Buy Award winners in 12 major vehicle categories.
The Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards are designed to provide a significant service to new-car buyers by identifying the cream of the crop of all available 2017 model-year vehicles. The awards are the culmination of a year-long regimen of expert vehicle evaluation and testing of nearly every new vehicle available in America, along with analysis of a broad swath of vehicle-related data, including vehicle pricing/transaction prices, 5-Year Cost to Own data (which includes depreciation, insurance, maintenance, financing, fuel, fees and taxes for new cars), consumer reviews and ratings, and vehicle sales/retail sales information. Of more than 300 new-car models available for 2017, Kelley Blue Book’s expert editors initially narrowed the field to a few dozen Best Buy Award contenders in 12 major vehicle categories and then spent several weeks testing and evaluating all of the finalists head-to-head to ultimately determine the winners.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7952451-kelley-blue-book-2017-best-buy-awards/
