On The Road To The Auto Show
February is here and that can only mean one thing...The Chicago Auto Show is just around the corner (sorry all you Valentine's Day fans out there!) Each day brings a new email or press release touting what's new at this year's show. We'll be seeing a lot of alternative fuel vehicles, new and efficient hybrids, and the perennial favorite - the concept car!
I love checking out all the new technology at the show, from plug-in cars to a plug-in port for my Ipod! This year, though, I have some other concerns. As cool as it is to have all these bells and whistles on the dashboard, isn't that incredibly distracting? We just passed a "no texting while driving" law in Illinois - what makes fiddling around with the navigation screen while driving any less distracting? Let me step off my high horse for just a moment..I'm just as guilty as the next guy as far as multi-tasking while driving, but I try to keep it to a minimum and always within the law. I'm just saying, it's very tempting to have all this technology at our fingertips - but where do you draw the safety line?
My other concern is more of an economic one...for the consumer as well as the car manufacturers. How many of us can really afford a new car right now? I know I can't. I just extended the warranty on my 2005 for 2 more years! If new car sales are flat, or down, what does that mean to the auto industry - and in the bigger picture, the overall economy?
Some other things I'll be keeping an eye on at this year's show...damage control from Toyota, and how the domestic manufacturers will use this window of opportunity.
More to come - the Chicago Auto Show will be at McCormick Place February 12th through the 21st.
That's a nice car in the picture! There has been a growing trend of showcasing cars which are more fuel-efficient. In a few more years, people may be more ready to make the switch to alternative fuel vehicles and electric cars.
Posted by: Stelle Courney | 08/23/2011 at 08:37 AM