Although hybrid cars are the rage, and there are all kinds of alternative energy sources on the horizon, hybrids are cost prohibitive, usually ranging $3000 to $7000 more than the gas only version of that model. However, instead of changing fuel sources, some automotive companies have been using a new type of transmission to improve fuel economy, lower emissions, and actually make vehicles faster without adding to the sticker price.

These companies are using a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and instead of having set gear ratios (or gears), it constantly varies the gear ratios, as well as engine performance, so that they both operate at their most efficient level in any driving scenario.

Because these key components of the power train are at their peak performance at all times, fuel economy is improved by 6-8% and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 10%.

Although these figures may not sound impressive, the gas savings increase the highway mileage of most vehicles by 4 to 6 mpg, which adds up pretty quickly at $3/gallon.

The CVT’s potential for reducing emissions is also significant. As Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Company, said, achieving his goal of selling one million CVT equipped vehicles by the end of 2007 will have “the same effect in terms of reducing CO2 emissions as selling 200,000 hybrid electric vehicles.”

Since there is no shifting between fixed gears, there is no ‘shift shock’ or jerking sensation, which makes them exceptionally smooth to drive. CVTs also do well in hilly terrain since there is no ‘gear hunting’ or bogging down on a hill, followed by a loud, violent downshift, which also contributes to its superior acceleration.

You may be wondering why this isn’t in every car if it is so great. Well, every year, more vehicles in the American market add CVTs as an option, though it has happened quietly, as many people are leery of new technology, especially in cars.

The CVT is actually quite old although it is new to American automobiles. The concept was developed by Leonardo DaVinci and was first patented in the late 1800’s for industrial applications. The CVT has been used in Asian and European vehicles since the 1950’s, but until recently CVTs could not handle the power that American drivers demand from their cars. However, CVTs have seen widespread use in snowmobiles and Formula 500 racing where they have a reputation for extending engine life and being much easier to rebuild than either a manual or automatic step transmission.

So where can you test drive a CVT-equipped vehicle? Well you can go to dealerships selling Ford, Dodge, Audi, or Mini-Cooper, to name a few, although a Nissan dealership may be the best place to go. In order to hit their goal of one million CVT sales in 2007, they have installed CVTs in nearly every sedan in their lineup, including the best selling Altima, Maxima, and economical Versa (as a side note, Nissan has also made side curtain airbags standard in these models, improving safety and reducing insurance costs).

Although you may not have the budget for a hybrid vehicle or cannot wait for that miracle fuel to hit the market, you can take it easy on the environment, as well as your checkbook, by checking out a few cars with a CVT.

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“This video is part of a series of videos developed by students in Doctor Crazie’s introduction to management information systems class to showcase new technologies and how they might impact the world tomorrow. This video introduces three new automotive technologies.

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Levi Quinn -
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Find the best deal on the auto insurance coverage you need. Visit us today for money-saving tips and receive free quotes for cheap car insurance for young drivers from respected insurance companies.

Whether you’re dreaming of beginning a career in the pit crews of NASCAR, thinking about getting a tech job at one of the major car or aftermarket companies, or just exploring the many possibilities within the industry, follow the information provided, to make informed decisions about your future.

A degree from a good automobile repair school helps to know the trade, makes you more comfortable with the norms and technicalities in the automobile field. It also gives higher-level openings such as master mechanic or mechanic positions depending on your experience. Whether you’re dreaming of beginning a career in the pit crews of NASCAR, thinking about getting a tech job at one of the major car or aftermarket companies, or just exploring the many possibilities within the industry, Automotive Schools contains the right information for you to make informed decisions about your future.

Automotive School Programs:

Automotive Technology
Diesel Technology
Collision Repair & Refinishing
Motorcycle Technology
Marine Technology
Aviation Maintenance
Applied Service Management
High Performance
Street Rod & Custom Fabrication

General Automotive Courses with Top Level salary estimation:

Automotive Technician – $58,000-108,000
Automobile Mechanic – $60,000-100,000
Diesel Technician – $60,000
Auto-Body Technician – $60,000
Paintless Dent Repair Technician – $50,000 – $300,000
Automotive Electrician – $20/hr
Motorboat Technician – greater than $21/hr
Motorcycle Service Technician – more than $41,000
Aircraft Mechanic – greater than $29/hr
Alternative Fuels Technician – $60,000-100,000

Ways to choose a Good Automotive School:

Mentioned below are some ways that may help you in choosing a good automobile repair school:

School Reputation: You need to find out the reputation of a school. This factor is important, as it will have a good impression on your curriculum vitae (CV). There may be several reasons for a good reputation of an automobile school. Generally the most common reason for having a good reputation is graduates from that particular school have performed exceptionally well in the automobile field. You may even cut short your list of schools whose reputation is not known or questionable.

Degree Program: Mostly all schools offer an associate’s degree to help you start in the auto industry. These degrees are short time courses, which on completion allow you to join the respective field as soon as possible. Many schools also provide a master’s degree to help ambitious people to attain positions that are more respectful. Do a good research on the degree program you want to join and check that the program teaches all the skills and techniques required in the field. You also need to ensure if the school provides an ASE (Automotive Standards of Excellence) certification or not. It is extremely important as it allows the company to know your skills in a particular area. Also, see if the school is offering internship or employment opportunities.

Resources Offered: You need to check for what resources the students get from the school. Generally, all automobile schools offer various resources to their students. Please check if the school is offering job placement assistance. Make sure that the school has a good program for graduates or students who are searching for a job. The school also needs to have programs like creating good CV, providing job listings and teaching interview skills.

Cost of the program: This is also an important factor while choosing an automobile school. A good school needs to be affordable too. You need to carry out a research on the cost of the program and need to know what all features are included in the cost. For instance, some schools provide everything in the listed price, while some schools may provide only the course for the listed amount leaving the books, tools and other necessary things required for the program. These need to be bought separately.

These are some ways to choose a good automotive repair school. Do thorough research and choose an automobile training school, which will give a boost to your auto career. Learn the differences between automotive diplomas, degrees, and certification.

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Mobileye’s vision applications serve both day and night scenarios. The visual processing modules can also be adapted to accept Infra Red spectrums – Near and Far.

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Bobe -
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I love automobiles. Fast sports cars, classics, luxury vehicles are some of my favorites. I am also a certified ASE Technician and auto GURU.

If you are interested in building a career in the diesel, auto and auto body industry, then all you need is to get enrolled in an automotive training school. These kinds of schools help you to learn the basic rules of maintenance and also auto repair procedures. The programs offered by such schools include a combination of classroom instruction and practical experience and also provide instruction on older model as well as on the newer model vehicles. Since, complex computer operated cars and electronic systems are very popular these days, the automotive training schools are also offering instruction on using various electronic diagnostic equipments and providing computer-based study materials. Though most of these schools offer one year certificate programs, two year degree programs are also in high demand.

There are several universities and schools that offer online as well as regular automotive training programs.

Advanced Technology Institute: The Advanced Technology Institute is a private non-profit and interdisciplinary research center. They are completely dedicated in progressing the photonic device technologies and the next-generation electronic. The institute has NATEF and ASE certified career programs. The several automotive training provided by this institute includes:

• Automotive Technology: It is wide ranging program that includes suspension and tires to computers and diagnostic and also ASE/ Ford-Plus Training.
• Diesel/Heavy Vehicle: This program provides knowledge on marine diesels/ ships and boats and also about farm tractors and equipment. This course is very essential for professionals dealing with road construction, bulldozers and graders.
• Commercial Driving: It provides all the information essential for tractor or trailer truck driving. It also offers tuition reimbursement and has financing options and opportunities.

Arizona Automotive Institute: This educational institute offers several automotive programs in order to provide the student ample career options. It is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology and is a member of the Arizona Private School Association. The various courses offered by this institute include:

• Diploma in Automotive Technology: The course content of this program are fuel and ignition systems, information on steering, brakes, and suspension systems, and practical experience on conventional and computerized electrical systems.
• Associate Degree in Diesel Technology: This course provides information on heavy diesel two and four stroke engines, computerized diagnostic systems, heavy truck chassis systems, diesel hydraulic systems, and also on fuel and ignition systems etc.

Some helpful tips:

• Make a thorough research about several automotive training schools before making your final decision. You can get detailed information about such schools in the online education portals.
• Choose an automotive school that updates their curriculum regularly in order to keep up with the rapid changes in technology.

For more information about automotive training schools you can visit topeducationguide.com

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Learn about OSUIT’s Automotive Service Technology department and the programs offered within it: Chrysler CAP, GM ASEP, Ford ASSET, Pro-Tech, and Toyota T-TEN.

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Automotive Training Schools – Top Education Guide is a comprehensive directory of colleges, universities, trade schools, vocational training and online trade schools. You can quickly search through our database of online and campus college locations to find the right degree program best suited for advancing your professional goals. Start searching today, find a degree, and discover a rewarding new career.

The wish for increased vehicle security may be granted in the not-so-distant future. By 2025, experts predict at least one billion vehicles will be on the road, ramping up the urgency to develop more advanced vehicular safety. Rumors of everything from foam-filled airbags capable of expanding throughout the vehicle, to talking, self-guided, Knight Rider-like coupes hitting the market abound. What is actually happening in the engineering world, though, may be even better.

The reality of vehicular technology capable of reaching the masses is that it must be cost-effective, innovative and reliable in addressing actual roadway situations. While cars with star personality are, indeed, being made, automakers and engineers are setting up a network that will allow millions of these smart autos to not only talk with us but talk with each other. By communicating at speeds far greater than human reaction time, vehicles may soon be able to coordinate their own internal systems to mitigate crashes, as well as communicate with other vehicles to avoid them altogether. Such onboard computational power makes multifaceted risk-assessment and advice possible in real-time.

One event that spiked research and standardization activity in the industry was the recent allocation of wireless spectrum for vehicle-to-vehicle safety applications. According to prominent researchers in automotive engineering, the convergence of control, communications and computations is making a dramatic impact on automotive design and development. Carmakers and governments are working together to develop cooperative, distributed safety systems that may dramatically decrease the global number of roadway injuries and deaths.

An organization to watch along with these advancements is the Transportation Active Safety Institute (TASI). Currently proposing a vehicle safety testing facility in North America dedicated to testing these new active safety systems, TASI is a not-for-profit organization. Formed by four universities and a prominent manufacturer in the industry, TASI is on a self-declared mission to encourage innovation, expand the active safety knowledge base and hasten the industry’s alignment of worldwide system architecture, performance standards and testing methodologies. Their tests and interactions with manufacturers, other universities and standards-setting organizations just may help determine future manifestations of vehicular safety.

Such unprecedented global cooperation of automotive suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, government regulatory agencies and academia is expected to increase the acceptance of active safety systems, dramatically reduce their costs, and decrease the societal and economic impact of collisions. Automotive engineers are at the forefront of these efforts, making daily advancements to ensure roadway safety is a matter of course.

Precursors of this technology are already on the road thanks to these engineers, and certain manufacturers have hundreds of patents on safety systems. Pre-crash warnings systems with forward sensors that can predict imminent crashes and communicate with other in-vehicular systems to deploy counter-measures are out there. Such systems ingeniously combine active and passive safety features to decelerate crash energy and help enhance the benefits of restraints. This not only allows the driver to react more effectively, but may reduce injuries to other parties as well. Smart cruise control, active night vision, lane departure warning, side alert and rear-view cameras are out there too, and they are also capable of being integrated with braking, throttle, steering and other systems. Imagine a cocoon of safety: object detection sensors in the side panels, a combination of front and rear cameras, a 76 GHz electronically scanning radar, pre-crash sensors, airbags and seat belts – all communicating to keep passengers as safe as possible.

Studies show buyers want to not only know their vehicles look good, get good mileage and are environmentally friendly, but also that they are equipped with advanced safety systems. Today’s vehicle market isn’t driven only by aesthetics; it’s driven by intelligent choices. Traffic accidents happen every day. Consumers know this. Satisfying them is just a matter of making sure they get what they want – and what they need – to feel safer.

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www.freescale.com – Watch how this futuristic car moves through the Freescale logo to provide an inside look into critical automotive active and passive safety systems such as airbag systems, electronic stability control and tire pressure monitoring systems.

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Mike Trudel, Freelance Writer -
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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.

You are a gearhead. Why not get paid big bucks for it?

You love the roar of the horsepower and smell of the rubber hitting the road. You would rather restore a rusted-out piece of you-know-what to it’s former glory than buy a car new.

You would tear apart a big-block V8 and see what makes it tick – than watch football for 8 hours on any given Sunday. You, my friend, should be doing what you love, and getting paid good top dollar for it.

The schools listed below may be just the ticket you need to take the next step and become a professional mechanic. Get real-world mechanic training in state-of-the-art shops from automotive instructors who know what they’re doing.

Universal Technical Institute

Universal Technical Institute (UTI) offers the training you need for an exciting career as an Automotive, Diesel or Collision Repair & Refinishing technician in a little more than a year. With nine locations nationwide, manufacturer specific training for Audi, BMW, Ford FACT, International, Mercedes, Nissan, Porsche, Volkswagen and Volvo, and the incredible high performance training at Hot Rod U, you need to take a look at what UTI has to offer.

WyoTech

WyoTech is dedicated to superior quality, college-level, career-oriented education in the automotive, diesel, motorcycle, aviation, marine watercraft and collision/refinishing industries. Most WyoTech diploma programs can be completed in less than a year and a half, and there are seven WyoTech campuses located across the country. WyoTech prepares students for the post-graduation working world by teaching on a workday, not a school day schedule. Most students attend classes approximately eight hours a day, five days a week. This is real world technician training for Automotive, Motorcycle, Collision & Refinishing, Aviation, Diesel and Marine technology.

NASCAR Technical Institute

Shift your training into high gear and let over a half a century of racing heritage work for you! NASCAR and UTI have teamed up to open the first-ever NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI) – a training facility committed to high performance, not only on the track, but also in the classroom. Here you’ll receive a wide range of automotive technology courses to train you for a rewarding career as an entry-level automotive technician with the added boost of NASCAR-specific courses and a Ford FACT elective that revs up your training and delivers a fast-paced, well-rounded course of study.

YTI Career Institute

Motorcycle popularity has become mainstream – proven by the increase in riders. With this growth comes the demand for skilled technicians for motorcycle repair and maintenance. At YTI Career Institute’s new Motorcycle Technology Center, you get real-world training in a 15,000 square foot facility which includes motorcycle diagnostic & test equipment – including a DynoJet ® 250i dynamometer – 16 fully equipped service bays, wireless Internet access throughout the campus and student laptop computers.

Marine Mechanics Institute

The Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) provides real-world marine technician training programs to start your career in the marine industry. With support and/or endorsements from major marine manufacturers such as American Honda, American Suzuki, Mercury Marine, Volvo-Penta, SeaDoo, Polaris, Bombardier, Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA, and Yamaha Motor Corp. you can train to be a marine technician and launch your career in as little as 60 weeks.

Baran Institute of Technology

Since our founding in 1979, Baran Institute of Technology has emphasized exciting hands-on training in our automotive technical programs and electrical technical programs. You get to work and learn on real projects — for practical knowledge you can use in the real world. Programs include auto body, automotive, CDL, diesel and motorcycle training.

Nashville Auto Diesel College

Love cars and trucks? Get the technical training you need for a rewarding mechanic career at NADC. For over 80 years, Nashville Auto-Diesel College (NADC) has been providing students like you with the hands-on training they need to succeed. Career focused diploma and associates degree programs are available in diesel, collision and refinishing repair, and high performance technologies.

Motorcycle Mechanics Institute

The Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) Motorcycle Technology programs provide the knowledge and skills you need to become a successful entry-level motorcycle technician. Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) has two great locations: Phoenix, Arizona or Orlando, Florida, each offering a wealth of exciting places to explore and enjoy with people who share your passion for motorcycles.

Lincoln Technical Institute

Are you looking for hands-on training at a well-respected technical school? Since its founding as a post-war job skill training source in 1946, Lincoln Technical Institute has been helping people just like you achieve their goals in the skilled trades. With national accreditation, state licensing, career education and career placement expertise, Lincoln Tech knows what it takes to help give you the competitive edge you need to not only compete but be successful in today’s fast-paced marketplace.

Regardless of whether you’re still in high-school trying to figure out ‘what you want to be’ or a bit older and looking for a career change to get you out of your current dead-end job, a career in automotive mechanics may be the answer you are looking for. The top mechanic colleges listed above are the best in the business. Take a look at what they have to offer and decide for yourself. Good luck!

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Purdue University’s Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, a hub of industry- oriented research in areas ranging from advanced automotive technologies to “smart” buildings, turns 50 in July with an eye toward the future. “It isn’t easy to balance the needs of industry, academics and basic research, but that’s what Purdue has accomplished at Herrick Labs over the past 50 years,” said Patricia Davies, Herrick director and a professor of mechanical engineering. “The labs have developed a formula for satisfying the practical requirements of industry without compromising the academic standards of Purdue’s faculty and students.” news.uns.purdue.edu

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Mike Gracen -
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Mike Gracen is the founder of Loud Market (www.loudmarket.com), a mechanic college directory that offers free information from top mechanic schools for people looking to get into the automotive industry.