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No matter how much control we like to think that we have, we never really know where we are going to be when disaster strikes. If you happen to be in your car when roads get washed out or otherwise impassible, or when you find yourself trapped on the side of the road, you’ll find that having a emergency bag is precisely what you need to stay warm and comfortable until help comes. It can be more than just a matter of comfort; it can save your life.

Remember that even if you are not dealing with an area-wide catastrophe that a good 72 hour emergency bag is still something that can come in handy. Accidents do happen, and you’ll also find that running out of gas, breaking down, running off the road and even winter road closures are things that can trap you out in your car for hours or even for days at a time. A car can be a ready source of shelter if only you know to use it, and with a little bit of preparation, you can be as cozy as you would be in your home.

The following items will provide a primer on the basic contents of an emergency bag for the automobile.
- Water: a gallon per person per day
- Food: At least three days worth of ready to eat non-perishable food. Canned food or packaged army surplus rations work well, but be sure your food does not require too much water or heat to prepare.
- Flashlight and replacement batteries (replace with fresh ones on a regular basis to prevent corrosion) or better yet, a hand crank model
- Prescription medication/feminine hygiene supplies if applicable
- A shrill whistle: to signal for help
- Dust mask: to help filter contaminated air
- Blankets/ foldable emergency foil blanket
- Maps of the surrounding area
- Personal sanitation: moist towelettes, hand sanitizer
- First Aid kit: With instructions on how to use it in case of injuries
- Tools: a sharp knife, a manual can opener for canned food and a crowbar.

Another reason that you may want to consider having a 72 hour emergency bag in your car is that you may need to evacuate with your family. In this case, a portable emergency bag is handy and each member of your family should have a bag of their own to grab should the need arise. Remember that the set that is kept in your car is different and that it should be kept in your car. The more supplies that you have stored, the better you are going to feel, so make sure that both your car and your home is outfitted accordingly.

Jon Fotheringham has been in the emergency preparedness field for several years. He hopes to help families all over the world be prepared in disaster situations. He also writes for the site www.ntemergencysurvivalsupplies.com, which offers emergency bags, emergency food and water, first-aid, and other preparedness goods.

Just passed your driving test? Chances are that you will be looking to buy second hand cars which are economical to run and classed in a lower tax bracket. Although it’s not just new drivers which are opting to purchase second hand, so why choose used?

In these times of financial difficulty we are all looking to save a few pennies and perhaps shop for bargains rather than paying top whack for everything, this is no different when it comes to buying a car. Upgrading your car does not necessarily mean having to buy a brand new car straight off the forecourt, not when there are so many opportunities to buy second hand cars of brand new standard, except with a few miles on the clock.

Most reputable second hand car dealers will have all their cars vehicle checked to makes sure of a cars authenticity, ensuring car history is up to scratch and there are no hidden shocks in store. The will also put the car through rigorous safety checks ensuring everything is working properly, perhaps even providing a new MOT if one is due. If all of these checks having been performed you are almost guaranteed a car in good working order.

Combined with this often a period of warranty is allocated to second hand cars, the warranty period may vary depending on value of the car, but this period provides piece of mind that in the initial stages of owning your car, should anything go wrong, you can take it back to the dealers from where you bought it and they should be able to fix the problem.

Part exchange is also an advantage when trying to change your car, being able to trade in your existing vehicle against the car you wish to purchase, usually a car dealer will give you a fair book price for your car, it might not be as much as if you sold your car privately, but it saves the hassle of having to advertise your car and wait for people to take interest.

Nowadays shopping for second hand cars can leave you spoilt for choice, used car supermarkets stock hundreds of cars to choose from, cars as young as a year old can be found on their forecourts, being able to test drive cars is often a bonus, being able to get the feel of a car before purchasing. Often the way a car feels or drives is what makes a person either love or hate it so a test drive in most cases is essential.

Most of these used car supermarkets and second hand car dealers will be able to offer finance options, so if you haven’t quite saved enough you can always finance your car making monthly payments to cover the cost. Before entering into a finance deal it is a good idea to know interest rates and APR purely so you are confident you are getting a good deal.

So when it comes to replacing your car, instead of purchasing brand new and losing money on your vehicle as you drive it off the forecourt, why not consider the benefits of buying a second hand car with a nearly new feel.

Anna Stenning researches the advantages of buying second hand cars as opposed to buying brand new.

The funny thing about science fiction is that it sometimes comes true. A late 1960’s film was built around the ideas of placing satellites in geosynchronous orbit and the commercialization of space travel. A 1986 movie featured ground robots taking up arms. In 1997, another feature film made us think about the inevitable ethical questions that come with DNA identification and genetic profiling.

In the 1980s, a popular television show brought the idea of a talking car with artificial intelligence. At that time, the concept seemed just as impossible as space travel did in the ’60s, or armored robots in the mid-’80s. But talking cars are out there now. Believe it or not, talking cars may someday even become commonplace.

As much fun as science fiction is, it’s still a form of entertainment. Films and books play on the most dramatic aspects, the most far-fetched consequences, the best and worst possibilities that human nature and intelligence can manifest. Placing such technology into the mainstream is a different matter. In order for these kinds of innovations to hit the mass market, they need to pass rigorous testing, be cost-effective, appealing and reliable. A lot is at stake, particularly when it comes to automotive technology.

More than five million people are injured every year in accidents. Experts predict that in a little more than fifteen years, a billion cars will be on the road - and it’s important that safety features are enhanced to handle the conditions that come with escalating roadway congestion. Much technology already exists to make roads a lot safer. Talking cars aren’t science fiction anymore. In fact, there are several innovations that enable vehicles to communicate with their own internal systems, and others that will allow future vehicles to communicate with each other to help avoid crashes.

Pre-crash sensing systems use forward sensors to help predict imminent crashes and communicate with other in-vehicular systems to deploy countermeasures. These systems help to reduce crash energy and work with restraint systems to provide maximum benefits. Measures like deceleration not only allow drivers to react more effectively but may also reduce injuries to others involved.

Some safety systems, including active night vision, use infrared-sensitive cameras to provide images enhanced by near-infrared illuminators integrated into the headlights. The enhanced image can even appear on a head-up display. Lane departure warning alerts drivers when they drift out of their own lane and side alert systems warn them of vehicles in their side blind spots when they are changing lanes.

All of these innovations can be integrated with other vehicle systems including braking, throttle, and steering systems. Imagine a cocoon of safety around the vehicle - object detection sensors in the side panels, a combination of front and rear cameras, a 76 GHz electronically scanning forward radar, pre-crash sensors, airbags and seat belts - all working together to keep drivers and passengers as safe as possible. According to prominent researchers in automotive engineering, the convergence of control, communications and computations is making a dramatic impact on automotive design and development and is a major element in improving safety.

The recent allocation of wireless spectrum for vehicle-to-vehicle safety applications has also had a dramatic impact on research and standardization activity in the automotive industry. Wireless spectrum provides the opportunity for auto manufacturers to take safety features to an even higher level of functionality. By communicating at speeds far greater than human reaction time, vehicles may soon be able to communicate with other vehicles to help avoid crashes. Such onboard computational power makes multifaceted risk assessment and advice possible in real time.

So the secret geek comes out in all of us once in a while. Science fiction reminds us of all that is possible - where amazing and reality converge. It appeals to our sense of dream and wonderment, inspiring children to become the adults that make new technology possible. Industries are putting some of these applications to good use. Those talking cars that seemed to be destined only for fictional missions and high-speed television chases may soon help save lives in the real world.

Mike Trudel, Freelance Writer.

Delphi Corp. is a leading innovator of automobile safety equipment and technology. To learn about Delphi’s safety advancements, visit www.Delphi.com/4safe.

Folks are given a lot of advice these days. Newspapers, television programs, doctors - they all follow a similar theme. They advise people to exercise, communicate assertively, read a book and do a crossword puzzle. Be active. It’s good advice that can’t be denied. Passively allowing life to pass by just doesn’t cut it.

Coincidentally, the same can be said about the automotive industry. For vehicle safety, the key word here, too, is “active.” There’s a good reason for this. Once upon a time, passive safety systems like seat belts, airbags and steering wheels were new technology. They are now essential components. It’s hard to imagine a vehicle without seat belts or a steering wheel, or even airbags.

Every year, more than five million accidents result in injury worldwide. By 2025, experts predict one billion cars will be on the road. All those numbers can quickly add up to a lot of accidents if drivers, and the industry itself, aren’t careful. Advanced automotive safety features are out there - features that can sense imminent crashes and adjacent vehicles, and that allow multiple in-vehicle systems to “talk” with each other. This kind of technology doesn’t just wait for catastrophic events to happen; it helps drivers avoid dangerous situations and works with them to mitigate injury and property damage.

For example, pre-crash warning systems with forward sensors help to predict imminent crashes and communicate with other in-vehicle systems to deploy countermeasures. Such systems ingeniously integrate active and passive safety features to help reduce crash energy and enhance restraints benefits. This not only helps the driver to react more effectively but may help reduce injuries to other parties as well.

There is more: night vision systems integrate near-infrared illuminators into the headlights, and are used with an infrared-sensitive camera and a head-up display to improve the driver’s nighttime visibility without blinding oncoming traffic. The adapted headlights illuminate the road ahead, the camera captures the image, and the display provides an enhanced image to the driver.

While night vision gives drivers a better view of what is happening on the road ahead, smart cruise control with headway alert and stop-and-go actually responds to conditions by reducing the need to manually adjust speed, apply brakes or disengage cruise control. This type of advanced system can also help alert drivers of slower traffic ahead.

What’s even better is that vehicles may soon be able to communicate with each other lowering the chance of crashes. The recent allocation of wireless spectrum for vehicle-to-vehicle safety applications has resulted in a spike in research and standardization activity in the automotive industry. By communicating at speeds far greater than human reaction time, vehicles may soon be able to coordinate their own internal systems to mitigate accidents, as well as communicate with other vehicles with a goal of avoiding them altogether. Onboard computational power makes multifaceted risk-assessment and advice possible in real-time.

Carmakers and governments are working together to develop cooperative, distributed safety systems like these that may dramatically decrease the global number of roadway injuries and deaths. According to prominent researchers in automotive engineering, the convergence of control, communications and computations is making a dramatic impact on automotive design and development and is a major element in improving safety. It may be possible to create a world in which roadway accidents simply aren’t a concern - and actually, that reality may not be far away.

More people are hitting the road, and more cars are out there every day - which can mean more dangerous situations if we don’t respond quickly, adeptly and to the best of our abilities. The automotive industry understands this. With or without financial hardships, roadways are still active, people are still driving, and lives can still be saved with the right technology and the right integration techniques. So, yes, do a crossword, read a book, communicate well - but also make sure that the seat belt is just one of the safety features between you and the road.

Mike Trudel, Freelance Writer.

Delphi is a leading innovator of automobile safety equipment and technology. To learn about Delphi’s safety advancements, visit www.Delphi.com/4safe.

Grill guards provide trucks and SUVs with a small slice of attitude and plenty of stylish protection. Drivers buy them for a number of reasons. Sometimes, they enjoy the appearance. Other times, they outfit their vehicles with them in order to protect their headlights and the front end. They can even be used to mount an assortment of accessories, such as fog lights or winches.

Below, I’ll provide three useful tips that you can use when shopping for a new grill guard. There are several styles from which to choose (for example, full frontal units, nudge bars, and skid plates) and they’re often pricey. The following advice will help you make the right selection without breaking the bank.

Tip 1 - Consider Your Desired Coverage

Even if you’re just buying a grill guard for the look, they can also offer a lot of protection for your vehicle. Some have a single bar while others offer multiple bars. Most units are not lightweight; they’re often constructed of strong, dense material that sits inside a thick steel tube. So, the more bars, the more protection you’ll enjoy.

Also, keep in mind that not all units are full frontals; some are partials and offer less coverage for your vehicle’s front end. You’ll need to balance protective coverage with style according to your personal taste and preferences.

Tip 2 - Know Your Personal Style

Admittedly, most drivers invest in grill guards for their trucks and SUVs because of the look they provide. A lot of motorists like to give their vehicles a tough appearance while others prefer something a little more sporty. This is entirely a matter of personal taste. The key is to know what type of look you’re trying to achieve and which type of unit can provide it.

For example, a full-frontal with a powder-coated black finish and multiple bars can transform a docile-looking truck into something much more aggressive. On the other hand, your SUV may need a sporty European style to accentuate its curvy frame.

Tip 3 - Think About Your Practical Needs

Depending on the type of driving you normally do and the circumstances in which you do it, grill guards can offer practical functionality. For example, you can mount fog and auxiliary lights onto them if you travel in poorly-lit areas. You can also mount winches that can provide brute lifting strength when your vehicle needs it.

Grill guards not only give your truck or SUV a unique, stylish appearance, but they can also offer front end protection and practical utility. Whether you’re planning to buy one for decoration or to prepare for an emergency, use the tips above to find the unit that best meets your needs, personal style, and budget.

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