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Gizmos proliferate amid concerns on distracted driving

(NEWSER) - Imagine cruising down the highway at 65mph while checking tweets, buying movie tickets online, or booking reservations at a restaurant. This scenario is the not-too-distant future of driving, reports the Wall Street Journal , as auto manufacturers seek to design an innovative "connected car" full of Internet-accessible gadgetry. The push for a tech-infused car comes as a national push for rules banning phones in cars seems to be fizzling out and automakers look to entice the youth demographic. More»

Toyota recalls cost Asian automakers their reputation

(AP) - After a long romance with foreign rivals, Americans are once again falling in love with American cards. In a new AP-GfK poll, 38% said US-made cars are of a higher quality than their Asian rivals, compared to 33% who preferred Asian brands. The numbers appear to have been largely fueled by a plunge in Toyota's reputation and an upsurge in Ford's—the survey was conducted in March, when Toyota's recall scandal was in the news. More»

Software is buggy, but then, so are we

(NEWSER) - The latest Prius recall isn’t over a mechanical failure, but a software one. Most cars these days are no longer run mechanically, but by computers loaded up with as much software as the average desktop PC, explains Farhad Manjoo of Slate , and that’s pretty dang terrifying. Software is notoriously buggy, after all—a Windows release is considered ready for release when it has less than 500 known bugs. More»

(NEWSER) - Now that American automakers have turned it around, you’re planning to buy an American car, right? No? Well, you should be, writes Jim Montavalli of Money Watch, and he’s got six cars worth snapping up.

• Ford Fusion: A fun-to-drive mid-size sedan that’s getting gushing reviews—Consumer Reports calls it “one of the very best cars produced by Detroit.”
• Chevy Malibu: An affordable family car that makes few compromises, performing just a bit below a sports sedan.

(NEWSER) - The rumors of the “cash for clunkers” deal’s demise have been greatly exaggerated, the White House said today, promising that the trade-in program will continue even after consumers have used up its allotted $1 billion. “If you were planning on going to buy a car this weekend using this program, the program continues to run,” said spokesman Robert Gibbs. More»