7. Hover Pads

If there’s one car accessory we’ve been promised for years, only to be disappointed again and again, it’s the hover pad. From Back to the Future to The Jetsons, we’ve been shown that in the future streets are totally lame and that flying your car around town is the way to go. You wouldn’t even need to buy a new car; just slap some hover pads under your current auto and you’re good to go. Yet some mysterious force keeps this technology just out of grasp. The government? The Illuminati? Bigfoot? We’ll likely never know.

6. Drink Dispensers

Why stop off at the local fast food joint for a soda when you could grab a fountain drink right from dashboard? The built-in soda and coffee dispenser seems like a natural advancement for the car of the future, but for some reason no one has stepped up to the plate to deliver such a miraculous invention. Sure, it would probably lead to a few stains, burns and possible fires, but isn’t that a small price to pay to not have to wait in line for a drink?

5. Ejector Seat

If you ask me, it’s insulting that car buyers don’t have the option to install ejector seats in their cars. I don’t know about you, but if I’m about to hit a semi going 70 MPH, I’d rather just fly out of there than trust my life to a cheap bag of air. Plus, you’ll look like a secret agent as you gently float to the ground via parachute. How many accessories can make you look cool AND keep you safe?

4. Sound Proof Bubble

In The Simpsons, Homer’s car of the future ended up being a huge flop. But the one accessory he was dead right about was the sound proof bubble. I don’t want to hear kids or belligerently drunk friends of mine blather on in the back seat; I wanna jam quietly to the smooth sounds of Enya. And imagine how many accidents could be avoided if the driver’s seat was completely separated from the annoying sounds of children screaming, wives nagging and coworkers awkwardly singing along to One Direction.

3. TV Screen Windshield

People complained that LCD screens being installed in the steering wheel would lead to deadly accidents. My only complaint is that they aren’t big enough! Imagine having you whole windshield turn into a massive TV screen at the flip of a button. Watch Maury tell someone they aren’t the father, and then switch to taking out bad guys in the latest FPS game. And it would obviously be safer than the LCD screens they install in your dash. At least this way, your eyes are still technically on the road. Just don’t play any racing games on it. That would probably get confusing.

2. Autopilot

It’s a crazy world we live in where almost everyone is allowed to drive a car, but only pilots with special training are allowed to fly a plane. I mean, planes have autopilot; a feature that cars have been lacking for years. While those lazy jerks can just hit a button and relax while the plane flies itself, we poor folks on the ground have to steer our cars like idiots. We already have cruise control to take care of hitting the gas for us; how much harder can it be to invent something to navigate the roads for us too?

1. Sentience

The sad truth is that some people in the world are lonely. And while the lucky among us may have a special someone to keep us company on long road trips, the loners out their will inevitably end up talking to their car. So wouldn’t it be nice if it could talk back? A completely sentient automobile like KITT or Bumblebee that can respond to your every command. Of course, this would probably eventually lead to automobiles taking over the earth and making the human race into their slaves, so perhaps sentience is a function best left unimplemented.

The reason most people need to define their car as classic or vintage is for insurance purposes. You should always have insurance coverage on your vehicle. If anything were to happen to it you would otherwise have to pay for it out of your own pocket. And thats a chance that should never be taken with any old vehicle. Many insurance companies have a rule that the car must be at least 25 years old or older to be considered a classic. If the car is older than the 1930s it will likely be considered vintage. Of course some agencies even have a historical status for vehicles of certain ages so be sure to inquire fully.

Currently it seems that there is no concrete definition of a classic car. To some it is an old hotrod from the 1950s and for others it is the muscle cars of the 1970s. This term gets a little sticky because the definition seems to change with every person asked.

According to the Classic Car Club of America a classic automobile is any one that has been built between the years of 1925 and 1948. This is an indication of how drastically different the opinions are from resource to resource. That definition does apply to cars that were either domestic or foreign built. If you check out the clubs website and find a car missing from their classic list that you feel should be there, you can actually petition the site to add it to their list. It doesnt mean that they will but its certainly worth a try.

You will likely find that different organizations or car clubs will have their own definitions of vintage and classic cars. Many different factors affect these choices too such as the popularity of the car then and now as well as the make, model and historical value. For instance, models of vehicles that appeared on TV or in movies tend to have a higher ranking classic status than those that did not.

The rarity of the vehicle also may play a role in if it is classic or vintage. A car that is exceptionally rare will likely have a higher numerical value attached to it. This can affect what category it falls into. Do not stop searching for definitions at just one source. Compare and contrast them, form your own definition if need be based on what you find. A professional opinion is recommended for extremely valuable or rare vehicles.

The first ever IAG Automotive Advertising Awards aims to determine the most effective TV advertising campaign of automotive companies, displaying their new vehicle models. The TV ads were aired in 20 cable networks all over the US. Selection of the finalist and winners are based on the votes from over 1 million TV viewers who respond to survey questions conducted by IAG Research.

In regards with this, Volkswagen of America, Inc. has recently announced that the advertisement campaigns for the Volkswagen Jetta and Passat models are among the finalists of the first ever IAG Automotive Advertising Awards. The VW Jetta was recognized as the finalist for the Most Effective Overall Ad: Non Luxury” category, while the VW Passat wagon was selected as a finalist for the Most Effective Established Nameplate Launch Campaign.

The 2007 VW Jetta for the Dance ad features a person asking a VW Jetta owner how to dance.

The 2007 VW Jetta compact sedan was recognized for the Dance ad, which features a black person asking a VW Jetta owner how to dance. The car offers comfort and convenience for customers along with standard VW Passat parts including cruise control, CD player, air conditioning, traction control, height-and-telescoping steering wheel, four-wheel independent suspension, electro-mechanical steering, and a standard manual transmission. The VW Passat was recognized for the Safe Happens advertisement campaign. The 2007 VW Passat comes in two variants: sedan and wagon, both equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with an advanced direct-injection system.

Meanwhile, here are the finalists of the Automotive Advertising Award along with the 5 major categories:

Most Effective Overall Ad: Non-luxury
– Ford Escape Hybrid: Kermit the Frog talks about being “green”
– Volkswagen Jetta: African-American male asks white Jetta owner to teach him how to dance
– Volkswagen Passat: Women in the sedan are run into by another vehicle

Most Effective Overall Ad: Luxury
– Lincoln Navigator: Basketball star Dwayne Wade helps build an inner city court
– Lexus LS 460: Demonstration of the sedan’s no-hands parallel parking option
– Hummer H3: A man turns the SUV into a submarine

Most Liked Ad: Luxury or Non-luxury
– Honda Pilot: A troll stops a family in the SUV
– Jeep Wrangler: A lizard stares down the SUV
– GM Warranty: Cars fly above the street

Most Effective TV Launch Campaign for an Established Nameplate
– Nissan Sentra
– Lexus LS
– VW Passat wagon

Most Effective TV Launch Campaign for a New Nameplate
– Dodge Nitro
– Nissan Versa
– Toyota Yaris

IAG Research will hand the awards on April 4 at the opening of the 2007 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS).

Automotive Infotainment Systems (Informatics) Market: slim down veer of multimedia entertainment, mobile navigation growth

However, there Informatics Electronic Optimistic arrive complete the market proliferation rate is not enough, this is because even however our territory has marketed 1,300 cars, but because of stimulus-driven chiefly low-end products, and consequently the look for for researching not enjoyable process system. iSuppli major analyst at discovery institute of China Ren Zhen examination Road, following the 2.8% down veer inside 2008, the Chinese automotive infotainment electronics market is approximated that inside 2009 it leaned over via 6.1%. The market is commanded via pastime entry form. Since there is no one sign that the worldwide motor engine engine car consumption rebounded powerfully inside the next three years, Chinese-made activity commodities shipments shall persevere the down hill trend.

Correspondingly is, iSuppli viewpoints that automotive infotainment electronics Semiconductor Market 2009 propagation rate was -1.7%, and multimedia activity system-related skip within the semiconductor market inside the direction of 4.6%, wherever the mobiles navigation scheme associated inside the direction of the semiconductor market engendered via 7.7%.

As minute cornerstone inside 2009, slow rises within 2010 shall be inside the direction of reestablish and lawyer the market. iSuppli anticipates 2010 automotive infotainment electronics market shall engender 4.9%, linked inside the direction of the semiconductor market shall evolve via 7.0%.

China is now the world’s large-scale auto exert market, China’s auto market output inside 2009 afresh 13 million, higher 48%, and ranks No. 1 worldwide market; the same time, China has inside contribution bought into strongly inside path assembling and transformation. It is approximated that via 2013, China’s automotive telematics and activity webs market will come 40 billion dollar industry. Longer a mere mechanisms of transportation vehicles, there is unravelling expect towards install inside their engine vehicles inside the direction of recover information, enjoy the enjoyable operation know-how and to enhance the efficiency of the invention driver.

Automotive Infotainment Systems (Informatics) Market: slender plummet of multimedia entertainment, portable navigation growth

However, the newest market rate of Informatics e-optimistic enough, this is because even though our countryside has swapped plural than 1,300 cars, but because of stimulus-driven primarily low-end products, and thus the appeal for data not pastime system. iSuppli major analyst at examine institute of China Ren Zhen analysis Road, successively the 2.8% fall in 2008, the Chinese automotive infotainment electronics market is evaluated that in 2009 it shoved via 6.1%. The market is commanded by enjoyable process theory form. Since there is no sign that the global motor car consumption rebounded toughly in the next three years, Chinese-made amusement wares shipments will preserve the heading down trend.

Correspondingly is, iSuppli accepts as factual that automotive infotainment electronics semiconductor market in 2009, annual propagation rate was -1.7%, and multimedia enjoyable operation system-related down veer in the semiconductor market to 4.6%, wherever the portable navigation method linked to the semiconductor market expansion of 7.7 %.

As let down basis in 2009, slow expansion in 2010 will be to return and urge the market. iSuppli peers drive to 2010 automotive infotainment electronics market will engender 4.9 percent, the associated semiconductor market will care for by 7.0%.

Car enjoyable procedure Although the automotive entertainment electronics and semiconductor market in 2009, stalled, but could not concede the general tendency of technological development, improve in latest products is very active.

Freescale (Freescale) China Automotive Engineering Manager Kangxiao Dun said, onto the one hand, demand from the market perspective, users of multimedia entertainment instructions slowly increased; the other hand, automotive electronics hardware and software engineering development, and also thrust vehicle entertainment procedures to achieve a flavor of inquires for employment possible. Comparison with the past, vehicle entertainment scheme is not limited to the methodical event of raise vehicle audio, and cinema applications hoist functionality and operation enhancements in this frontier has become a sultry spot. In addition, a range of allotments and diagrams storage and network transmission technical apparatus led to the audio and TV storage and Communicate Provide the rudimentary platform and more for the motor vehicle entertainment system the affluent collection of entries development. Typical applications for example audio system, CD/DVD/VCD/MP3 multimedia player, TV Receiver, GSM / GPRS phone, camera functionality, Bluetooth mobile Headphone , Voice discerning systems, the Internet, bureau and other vehicle wages from vehicle entertainment schemes are more and more. Meanwhile, car entertainment systems are frequently integrated car headed by car information, a virtual implement panel, auxiliary backup systems, car navigation systems, spawning the vehicle data system becomes more complex.