2007-2009 Mazda3, Mazda5 Recalled For Power-Steering Issue
Mazda is recalling 2007 through 2009 model-year Mazda3 and Mazda5 models for an issue with the power-steering system.
The recall follows an investigation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), looking into power-steering system failures in the 2007-2009 Mazda3. Altogether, 33 complaints were received and three crashes were attributed to the issue.
The recall affects about 300,000 North American vehicles altogether, including some 2007 models, all 2008 models, and most 2009 models of the Mazda3 and Mazda5. A Mazda source told the publication that rust contamination in the vehicles' hydraulic steering system can cause the pump to overheat and shut down, sometimes temporarily. A service bulletin has already been out for more than a year.
"Should an issue occur with the power steering assist, the power steering malfunction warning light will illuminate, and the car will require more physical effort to steer," Mazda explained in a video available at its U.S. website. "But at no time is the vehicle undrivable."
Mazda emphasizes that if the power-steering fails, the vehicle will still track straight as normal, so the driver should proceed very carefully to a safe emergency pullout. Mazda spokesman Jeremy Barnes reiterated to TheCarConnection.com that if drivers experience the failure, "It just becomes much harder to steer the vehicle."
After a time, upon restart, the power steering might return and the vehicle might, at the customer's discretion, be driven cautiously directly to the dealership. However, Barnes says, if the issue has already occurred it's likely to again and drivers shouldn't assume that it was a one-time issue.
Through its dealerships, Mazda will be replacing the hydraulic lines and pumps of the affected steering systems.
Should owners have additional questions or concerns, they should call Mazda customer assistance at 800-222-5500.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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2010-2011 Jaguar XK, XF To Be Recalled For Stalling Issue
More than 5,000 late-model Jaguar vehicles are being recalled for an issue that might cause the 5.0-liter V-8 engine to stall with little or no warning.
In certain Jaguar XK Coupes or Convertibles from the 2010 or 2011 model years, or in 2010 Jaguar XF models, the fuel pump and fuel pump relay may fail to operate as they should after a restart, leading the engine to stumble, then stall.
The problem, which is considered a safety issue, and thus reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), doesn't appear to be linked with any mechanical failure. To remedy the problem, dealers will perform a simple software upgrade.
Such issues are very unusual for Jaguar in recent years. The brand has a greatly improved reputation for reliability and trouble-free ownership and has continued to do well on most well-respected metrics of quality and satisfaction. Just last month Jaguar placed second among overall brands in J.D. Power's annual APEAL study.
The issue, which we noted through a weekly summary from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, was reported by the automaker on July 21.
According to the official NHTSA brief, the recall will begin by August 30, and any owners with questions should contact Jaguar at 800-452-4827.
[NHTSA]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Transmission Woes Prompt Warranty Extension On Toyota RAV4 Models
Toyota has announced that it will provide an extended warranty on 2001-2003 model-year Toyota RAV4 models, according to the New York Times Wheels Blog, for an issue with the automatic transmission and electronic control module.
The issue, which affects around 235,500 vehicles, can lead to a damaged, rough-shifting transmission.
So far, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had logged more than 300 owner complaints, reporting sluggish acceleration, although no accidents have been directly attributed.
While the RAV4 for those model years was originally covered for five years or 60,000 miles on powertrain components, Toyota is extending coverage to ten years or 150,000 miles.
The automaker is also offering to reimburse current or former owners for repairs already made.
The extended coverage came after pressure from the California Air Resources Board; under state law that agency can force an automaker to repair vehicles or provide a warranty extension if such an issue could lead to greater air pollution.
Although Toyota is making good by not only offering the extension in California, where it's required, but throughout the U.S., the NY Times outlines that the automaker has been slow to react to this issue, as it's known about it for four years and yet had previously rejected many owners' claims when transmissions had to be replaced.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Drivers At Fault In So-Called Sudden Acceleration Toyotas, NHTSA Says
Despite ominous news reports of cars careening out of control, there's no substitute for data. And now it looks like many reported cases of so-called "sudden acceleration" in Toyotas are actually due to driver error.
That's the preliminary conclusion coming from investigators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) who analyzed dozens of event-data recorders, or "black boxes," from Toyota models that had crashed.
Black box: Accleration, not braking
The recorders showed that despite drivers' claims that they were pressing the brakes as hard as they could, in fact the accelerators were floored and the brakes were never applied.
That is exactly what happened in the March crash of a 2005 Toyota Prius in the New York City suburb of Harrison, N.Y. There, a 56-year-old housekeeper swore she was braking as hard as she could when the car raced across a busy road, slamming into a stone wall.
In that case, the NHTSA statement all but used the words driver error, saying that the car's onboard computer systems "indicated there was no application of the brakes, and the throttle was fully open."
We've seen this before
The latest conclusions, reported by the Wall Street Journal but not officially confirmed by the agency, involved data recorders selected at random by the agency, not Toyota [NYSE:TM].
The NHTSA has not yet issued a formal statement, saying it will wait to complete a longer study before commenting. But the conclusions are not unexpected among auto-safety experts. Few believe that "sudden acceleration" in the Prius or any other car is possible.
Back in 1989, the agency concluded that drivers were also at fault in so-called "sudden acceleration" cases involving Audi 5000 sedans. That was three years after a notorious documentary.
Misfiring neurons
But how can a driver believe she is braking when in fact she has the accelerator floored? The University of California-Los Angeles professor Richard Schmidt, who teaches psychology, writes, "The trouble, unbelievable as it may seem, is that [it] is very often caused by drivers who press the gas pedal when they intend to press the brake."
The culprit is "noisy neuromuscular processes," in which a limb does something slightly different from what the brain has asked it to do. In this case, the driver's foot may extend at a different angle than the body expects.
Compounding the problem
Panic then exacerbates the situation, with drivers pressing even harder on their "brake" pedals. Which of course keeps the accelerator floored and often leads to a crash.
That said, a handful of cases may have been due to oversize or improperly fitted floor mats in Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The company is now working through millions of vehicles to shorten and modify their accelerator pedals to alleviate the potential for such a problem.
That was the conclusion of the investigation into a notorious crash last August, in which a California Highway Patrol officer and three other passengers were killed when their Lexus accelerated out of control, crashed, flipped over, and burned.
That case is the only one out of more than 3,000 complaints in which the NHTSA has concluded the vehicle was at fault.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Ford Sync Gets Voice-Activated Horoscopes, Stock Quotes
Stuck at a standstill in traffic and wondering if you have options? Or wondering if tomorrow's the right time for a blind date?
Through the new voice-activated Traffic, Directions & Information (TDI) application that Ford offers in 2010- and 2011-model-year vehicles, both are now possible behind the wheel. Ford has added horoscopes, stock quotes, and movie listings, along with travel information to the system's navigation and traffic features.
The services are call-based and don't require a data subscription, or rack up additional connection fees; they're provided by Microsoft Tellme, which allows drivers to use their Bluetooth-connected phone to give make voice requests. Much like the old voice- or touch-tone services like Moviefone, the service accesses information through a set menu structure, but ties in nicely with the Sync interface and uses the driver's current location.
New stock features allow you to receive real-time stock quotes or get a list of investor specifics such as price-to-earnings ratio. With the travel-based services, it will connect calls through to 150 different airlines, 50 hotel chains, or 11 major rental-car companies.
The TDI features of Sync already allow turn-by-turn navigation, business search, and customized traffic services.
All the new features--demonstrated below in a 2011 Ford Fiesta--will be immediately available to those who have 2010- or 2011-model-year Ford, Mercury, or Lincoln vehicles. Since the upgrade, the first time they connect they'll hear a statement announcing the updated choices.
On vehicles so equipped with a version of Sync that has TDI, the additional services come with no subscription fee for the first three years of ownership.
[Ford]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Your New Car May Soon Cost $9 More So NHTSA Can Do Its Job
Remember back to last fall, when the whole Toyota recall mess started to unfold?
And do you recall that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration horrified many observers, us included, by saying it had no software or electrical engineers on staff?
Well, our elected officials took note. Yesterday, in the wake of the Toyota incidents, bills were circulated in the House and Senate that would rewrite auto-safety regulations, give the NHTSA new powers, and greatly expand its enforcement budget.
Among other powers, the Agency could order a carmaker to recall, stop selling, and/or stop building vehicles that it found to pose an "imminent hazard of death or serious injury."
Under the House bill, drafted by Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Bobby Rush (D-IL), NHTSA's enforcement budget would increase to $280 million by 2013.
To fund this, every new car sale would have a fee added: $3 in the bill's first year, $6 the second year, and then $9 the third year, with increases at the rate of inflation thereafter. That $9 would represent 0.05 percent of the cost of a $20,000 new car.
The bill would also mandate event-data recorders ("black boxes") on all new vehicles within two years, as well as brake-override software that cuts power to the engine if both accelerator and brake pedals are being pushed at the same time.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on the bill next Thursday. A draft of a broadly similar Senate bill is being circulated by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV).
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Recall Affects 2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Xterra, Frontier
Nissan is recalling 4,038 sport-utility vehicles and pickups that might have left the factory without properly tightened fasteners.
The recall only pertains to 2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Xterra, and Frontier models manufactured within a rather narrow period: between February 22 and March 13, 2010.
In affected vehicles, two sets of fasteners—those securing the front passenger airbag module, and those securing the steering shaft positioning bracket—haven't been properly tightened down. If the fasteners fall out completely, the issue could potentially increase the risk of a crash or affect the trajectory of the airbags, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall summary.
Dealers will inspect these vehicles—which are likely mostly in transit or on dealer lots—looking for missing or loose fasteners and replace and retorque them where necessary.
All three models are assembled by Nissan's Smyrna, Tennessee plant.
Owners are encouraged to contact Nissan at 800-647-7261.
[NHTSA]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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2010 Mazda Tribute – Tribute Hybrid Bottom Line
TheCarConnection.com has driven the 2010 Mazda Tribute and Tribute Hybrid to bring you this hands-on review that covers styling, performance, safety, utility, and features from on-the-road observations. TheCarConnection.com's editors also researched reviews from other sources to give you a comprehensive range of opinions from around the Web-and to help you decide which ones to trust. High Gear Media drove a manufacturer-provided Mazda Tribute and Tribute Hybrid to produce this hands-on road test.
Likes
Solid SUV styling
Nicely designed dashboard
High-mileage hybrid model
Modern six-speed automatic transmission
Dislikes
Tight for five people, no third row
Handling not up to Mazda standard
Rear seat awkward to fold
No navigation system option
The 2010 Mazda Tribute and Tribute Hybrid are low-volume crossovers that pose a bit of a puzzle. Ford has built them for Mazda since 2001 on its now-aging-but continually updated-Escape and Escape Hybrid platform (also used for the Mercury Mariner and Mariner Hybrid). Redesigned for 2008 and fitted with vastly better engines and transmissions for 2009, the Tribute twins give Mazda a traditional-looking SUV that stands out in a showroom filled with increasingly zoomy designs. The Tribute Hybrid is Mazda's sole hybrid vehicle, however, and gets gas mileage that would do a compact hatchback proud. Competitors in the sporty end of the compact crossover market include the Ford Escape itself, the Nissan Rogue, and Mazda's own CX-7 crossover. The 2010 Mazda Tribute starts at $21,155.
The latest Tributes got a bolder, tougher new look two years ago, along with a more comfortable, more upscale interior. Though it's based on the Ford Escape, the Tribute carries its own distinctive styling inside and out-including a prominent and squared-off nose that frames a large chrome Mazda wing logo with a bright surround. The look is decidedly more masculine than earlier Tributes, and that carries over to the interior too. The 2010 Mazda Tribute has a handsome and blocky dashboard, with piano-black plastic trim and a chunky steering wheel.
The base 2010 Mazda Tribute comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 171 horsepower and 171 foot-pounds of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, with a six-speed automatic available too. The optional engine is a 3.0-liter V-6 producing 300 horsepower, which only comes with the six-speed automatic.
The 2010 Tribute Hybrid model is fitted with a specially tuned version of the 2.5-liter four, mated to an electronically continuously variable transmission (eCVT) containing two electric motors that both power the car and recharge the battery pack, which sits by the rear axle. All Tribute models, including the hybrid, can be specified with either front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.
Fuel economy ranges from 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway with the base 2.5-liter four and the five-speed manual, to 18 mpg city, 23 mpg highway for the V-6 and automatic combination when four-wheel drive is also specified. The Tribute Hybrid is rated at 34 city, 31 highway in front-wheel-drive form, though that falls to 30 city, 27 highway when four-wheel drive is specified.
Handling is adequate for a tall crossover, but hardly up to the standard of the rest of Mazda's range. The electric power steering is vastly improved over earlier model years, but the Tribute and Tribute Hybrid will simply never be as fun to drive as a hot hatch like the Mazda3-the true standard-bearers for Mazda's "zoom-zoom" brand identity.
The front seats are comfortable for long trips, and there's plenty of headroom for four adults inside. The second-row seat doesn't have a lot of extra space for adults, but two will ride happily. Assembly quality seems high, with well-fitted trim and good materials. It's worth noting that the shiny black surfaces show the merest speck of dust and gather fingerprints easily, so proud owners may spend a lot of time wiping them down to keep them glossy.
Safety equipment on the 2010 Mazda Tribute and Tribute Hybrid includes standard anti-lock brakes; stability, roll, and traction control; and tire pressure monitors. Front and side airbags are standard, along with side-curtain airbags that extend rearward. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the 2010 Mazda Tribute ratings of "good," its highest ranking, for both frontal offset and side impact crash tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awards the Tribute five stars for driver and passenger front-impact protection, as well as five stars for driver side and rear passenger protection in side impacts. However, the Tribute and Tribute Hybrid count among the handful of vehicles to receive just three stars for rollover safety.
There are four models of 2010 Mazda Tribute, starting with the i-Sport, and then in ascending order, the i-Touring, i-Grand Touring, and s-Grand Touring. All "i" models have the 2.5-liter four, and the "s" model is powered by the 3.0-liter V-6. Touring models replace the five-speed manual with the automatic transmission and add power seat adjustment, while Grand Touring models come with a power sliding glass moonroof and dual heated power remote outside mirrors.
For 2010, Mazda adds a few new convenience items to the Tribute. All models now have an ambient temperature gauge, and the Grand Touring and hybrid models get a built-in garage-door opener and an electrochromatic rearview mirror with rearview camera display.
Standard features include 16-inch wheels and fog lamps. A DVD entertainment system, heated seats, Sirius Satellite Radio, and remote start are on the options list. However, unlike its Ford and Mercury brethren, the 2010 Mazda Tribute offers neither a navigation system (buy a portable one) nor the excellent SYNC infotainment system-which is a shame.
The Bottom Line: The 2010 Mazda Tribute wears crisp SUV sheetmetal and offers a high-mileage hybrid model, but it's something of an oddity in the zoomy Mazda lineup.
Other Choices:
If you like the 2010 Mazda Tribute, also consider:
- Ford Escape
- Nissan Rogue
- Mazda CX-7
Reasons Why:
The Ford Escape is a near twin to the Mazda Tribute, and it offers Ford's excellent SYNC infotainment system, which isn't available on the Mazda version. The Nissan Rogue is recommended for good handling among compact crossovers, though its cargo area is small and its continuously variable transmission is unusual. The main competitor for the Tribute, in fact, may be Mazda's own CX-7 crossover, which is slightly larger and far more carlike, with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and much better road manners. The relative merits of the two vehicles' styling remains a personal choice.
Buying Tip
The 2010 Mazda Tribute Hybrid model offers excellent fuel economy, but the i-Touring model with the 2.5-liter four and the six-speed automatic is several thousand dollars cheaper, so check your payback carefully before you opt for the hybrid.
This 2010 Mazda Tribute Review originally appeared at TheCarConnection.com where you can see more photos and news on the Mazda Tribute
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GM Recalls Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5 For Power Steering Problem
General Motors has issued a recall for the 2005 - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, the 2007 - 2010 Pontiac G5, the 2005 - 2006 Pontiac Pursuit (Canada), and the 2005 - 2006 Pontiac G4 (Mexico). GM cites a potential failure of the models' power steering motor as the cause for the recall. In all, 1.3 million vehicles are affected, making this GM's largest single recall in recent years.
The announcement comes after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a federal probe into the matter. The NHTSA received 1,132 complaints of power steering failures in the Cobalt, which allegedly resulted in 14 crashes and one injury.
According to Jamie Hresko, GM's vice president of quality, the problem develops over a number of years: "It tends to occur in older models out of warranty." GM has said that even in the event of a power steering failure, the cars would be safe to drive, and that warning lights would still come on. However, controlling the vehicles at speeds below 15 mph would take more effort than normal.
It's important to note that the NHTSA doesn't seem to have pressured GM to take action, and the recall appears voluntary. As Hresko said: "Recalling these vehicles is the right thing to do for our customers' peace of mind." It sounds as if GM might've learned a thing or two by watching Toyota working damage control. Still, it's good to see General Motors getting in front of a potentially damaging event.
GM says that it is working on a fix for the problem, and that owners will be notified when a solution has been determined. We've pasted GM's complete press release below.
* * * * *
GM Recalls Compact Cars to Fix Power Steering Assist
Safety Recall Covers 1.3 Million Chevrolet and Pontiac Models
·2005 - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
·2007 - 2010 Pontiac G5
·2005 - 2006 Pontiac Pursuit (Canada)
·2005 - 2006 Pontiac G4 (Mexico)
DETROIT -- General Motors will conduct a safety recall of 1.3 million compact cars to replace a motor in the power steering system. Vehicles affected are the 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt; 2007-2010 Pontiac G5; 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit sold in Canada, and the 2005-2006 Pontiac G4 sold in Mexico.
GM told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the voluntary recall on Monday after concluding an investigation that began in 2009. NHTSA opened an investigation Jan. 27 into approximately 905,000 Cobalt models in the United States after receiving more than 1,100 complaints of loss of power steering assist, 14 crashes and one injury.
"After our in-depth investigation, we found that this is a condition that takes time to develop. It tends to occur in older models out of warranty," said Jamie Hresko, GM Vice President of Quality. "Recalling these vehicles is the right thing to do for our customers' peace of mind.
"While greater steering effort under 15 mph may be required, if the customer experiences loss of power steering assist, it is important to note that the vehicle can still be safely controlled because the customer can still steer the vehicle," Hresko said. "When the condition occurs, both a chime will sound and a 'Power Steering' message will be displayed."
Plans for the remedy are being developed. Customers will be notified when the plan is finalized.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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IBM Is Working To Make Your Drive Faster & More Personalized
Traffic congestion isn't just annoying, it's wasteful. Every year, American drivers fritter away nearly a week of their lives and 26 gallons of gas while stuck on crowded roads. All told, that's enough fuel to fill 58 supertankers. Thankfully, IBM's industrious team of scientists are working on a system that will soon provide highly personalized transportation suggestions, allowing those who use it to travel more quickly and efficiently.
"But wait," you say, "doesn't my satnav already do that?" Well, it does and it doesn't. Most satellite navigation systems -- including advanced models like the one in the 2011 Jaguar XJ and even some found on the iPhone -- rely on a traffic data service like INRIX to generate driving suggestions or to give a rough idea of how long a commute might take.
The IBM system does that, too, but it relies on significantly more sources of data. In essence, it aggregates up-to-the-minute information on traffic, weather, police activity, and so on, then combines that data with factors like the time of day, the day of the week, and local traffic patterns to get drivers where they need to be as quickly as possible. If the system expects a commute to take too long, it can suggest alternate methods of transport, like buses and ferries. And if users opt for public transportation, it can even tell them whether the trains are running on time. In short, IBM has combined predictive modeling with real-time information to create something more than a just a driving tool: it's a travel tool.
IBM is planning a handful of pilot programs to test the system in markets around the U.S. The data will be available to program participants online (useful before commuters leave their homes) and on a range of mobile devices.
In conjunction with all this, IBM is launching something called the Travel and Transportation Center of Competency. (Sounds a little Stalin-esque, no?) The Center of Competency will use data from IBM's travel system to provide transport solutions for businesses. For example, folks from IBM used data modeling to help COSCO reduce shipping and logistics expenses by 23% and cut CO2 emissions by 15%. Properly deployed, IBM may have just found itself a very nice new profit center.
For full details, check the press release below or visit IBM's Smarter Planet site.
* * * * *
IBM Scientists Use Analytics to Break Traffic Gridlock With Personalized Trip Information Opens New Center for Smarter Transportation Systems
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- At a smarter transportation-focused event today in Washington, D.C., IBM ( IBM) announced a new research initiative to build personalized travel routes for commuters to avoid traffic gridlock. IBM researchers are using advanced analytics to develop adaptive traffic systems that will intuitively learn traveler patterns and behavior to provide more dynamic travel safety and route information to travelers than is available today.
IBM researchers are developing new models that will predict the outcomes of varying transportation routes to provide a personalized recommendation that get commuters where they need to go in the fastest time. This project intends to provide information that goes well beyond traditional traffic reports, after-the fact devices that only indicate where you are already located in a traffic jam, and web-based applications that give estimated travel time in traffic.
Using new mathematical models and IBM's predictive analytics technologies, the researchers will analyze and combine multiple possible scenarios that can affect commuters to deliver the best routes for daily travel, including many factors, such as traffic accidents, commuter's location, current and planned road construction, most traveled days of the week, expected work start times, local events that may impact traffic, alternate options of transportation such as rail or ferries, parking availability and weather.
Working with state and local transportation agencies, IBM plans to launch pilot projects for select sets of commuters to analyze, test and refine the new systems. IBM plans to provide program participants with the personalized commuting information via the web, through mobile voice interaction, combined with advanced mapping applications on mobile devices.
For example, combining predictive analytics with real-time information about current travel congestion from sensors and other data, the system could recommend better ways to get to a destination, such as how to get to a nearby mass transit hub, whether the train is predicted to be on time, and whether parking is predicted to be available at the train station. New systems can learn from regular travel patterns where you are likely to go and then integrate all available data and prediction models to pinpoint the best route.
Insight from IBM's analytics and pilot programs will help transportation agencies better understand and manage traffic, increasing safety on our roads and encouraging the use of efficient public transportation which will help reduce a commuter's overall carbon output.
"The data exists to give commuters and transportation agencies a better way to manage traffic but today it's not connected," said Gerry Mooney, General Manager, Public Sector, IBM. "IBM has the ability correlate all of this information to better predict demand, optimize capacity help improve traveler and highway safety as well as reduce our impact on the environment."
According to the Texas Transportation Institute, U.S. traffic congestion burns enough fuel every year to fill 58 supertankers and wastes enough time to consume 105 million weeks of vacation. Each one of us wastes nearly a week's worth of time and 26 gallons of ever-more-costly fuel.
Additionally, IBM is launching a new global virtual Travel and Transportation Center of Competency which will provide new solutions and deep industry expertise for air, rail, truck, and sea transportation.
IBM is assembling top consultants, software, and technology specialists on a new team who will work with clients and share the best solutions worldwide. The Center of Competency will work closely with IBM Research, one of the world's most recognized research organizations, with IBM's software labs and Business Analytics centers. The center's team will work directly with clients on ground-breaking projects to help them align capacity with demand, improve customer service, increase efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and assure safe transportation.
For example, IBM consultants helped shipping giant COSCO lower logistics cost by 23 percent and reduce CO2 emissions by 15 percent. The Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation uses IBM software to help achieve 99.15 percent on-time performance, and Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport used IBM's RFID-based baggage handling system to reduce mishandled baggage by 60 percent, cut the time required to transfer bags between flights, and save operating cost. Air Canada's new smart phone application, developed by IBM, recently won the Canadian New Media Award for Best Mobile App of 2009. The application makes check-in, electronic boarding-passes, flight information, itinerary changes and other flight information available instantly for travelers on the go.
About IBM
For more information visit http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/traffic
Watch IBM's transportation forum this morning in Washington, D.C. in real time at www.livestream.com/newintelligence.
Follow the Twitter conversation at @smarterplanet using the #ibmtransport hashtag
# # #
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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