Technology is vital to our growing world. Today, we live in a period where we have the upper hand against the damage brought about by sickness and nature itself. Man continues to invent things hoping it would meet the demands of everyday living. One of the most helpful inventions we have these days are cars. You can see cars flooding the streets on a busy Monday or on the parking spaces of establishments around you on lazy weekends. For this invention that really made our life easier comes a tag with it – maintenance. It is the word that eternally rings a bell on all car owners as long as the car they acquired is very much serving them and up and running. Otherwise, having a car which is poorly maintained may only give you headaches every single time.
There are many inventions as well that deals with the job of maintaining vehicles. One of these inventions is the car and trucks covers. You might ask what this object can do in taking care of a car. Yes, it is a cover and is simply understood as a piece of cloth, plastic or special material that protects the car’s parts that are extremely exposed to the heat of the sun. Going deeper, it does more for a car than you could ever imagine. We know and have actually experienced nature at its worst and its best. Whether it may be a sunny day or a rainy day, it can adversely affect your car especially if it remained parked out in the open. During a sunny day, the sun’s rays actually may damage the car’s paint causing it to gradually fade and be scorched. When it rains, the paint is also vulnerable to the pressure exerted by the rain drops. Winter season would also give you a hard time taking off the snow around your car. Worse would be when a storm comes and rages its fury on just about anything.
Car covers are made up of special materials that are designed to withstand the sun’s rays, or t he rain drops as well as the adverse effects of the snow. Some materials, such as the patented Tyvec, which is a lightweight fabric, may reflect the sun’s rays by up to 50 percent. This keeps everything inside your car from being exposed to too much heat.
Imagine the four seasons of America and think of ways that can actually help you and your car survive these situations. A car cover may be simple and may seem irrelevant to use at times but it actually does a great deal of help to any car owner. Prevention is still the best practice.
Hybrid Cars
A few short decades from now, you might not have to wait in line at the gas station.
Hybrid cars, which combine internal combustion engines with a rechargeable energy system, have become an increasingly visible sight on the highway. Considered more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, they’re believed to have struck a major blow in the battle against fossil fuel consumption and global warming.
The first version of a hybrid car dates back to 1901, when Ferdinand Porshe, a French automobile developer, created the “Mixte,” a car that ran off a gasoline-powered electrical generator. The Mixte won a number of sporting events, and even broke the Austrian land speed record. Porsche later developed the original model of the Volkswagen Beetle, while his son, Ferry Porsche helped create the world-famous Porsche sports cars.
The modern-day hybrid car has its roots in the 1970s, when Victor Wouk, called “The Grandfather of the Hybrid,” developed a prototype hybrid car, the Buick Skylark. This was put on hold by the Environmental Protection Agency, under controversial circumstances. Wouk remained a supporter of hybrid technology, and did many papers and lectures on the subject up until his death in 2005.
In 1978, engineer David Arthurs developed what would become a mainstay of modern hybrid technology, the regenerative breaking system. This system allows hybrid cars to convert a part of their kinetic energy (energy of motion) into electricity, which is then stored in their batteries. In this way, a hybrid car is able to conserve power, and use energy more efficiently.
Hybrid cars made their next great leap forward in 1989, when Audi unveiled the first version of the Audi Duo, a variation on an electric car it had already manufactured. In 1993, U.S. President Bill Clinton initiated a new program with major automotive manufacturers, including Ford and General Motors, to produce more environmentally-friendly cars, helping spur development of new types of engines.
The hybrid car began to truly take off in the 1990s with the introduction of the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius. The Prius soon became the most popular hybrid car, offering up to 40 percent more fuel efficiency than combustion-based models. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which had once shot down the Buick Skylark, it is the most fuel-efficient car in the United States.
The Prius was originally developed in 1994, and first went on sale in December 1997. According to the EPA, it is able to go 46 miles per gallon of gas.
Hybrid cars have become increasingly popular, boasting a 100,000 increase in sales in 2007, a year when overall light-vehicle sales declined. About 350,000 hybrid cars were sold in 2007, marking their biggest year ever. With many U.S. manufacturers such as General Motors looking to introduce more models of hybrid cars over the next few years, it’s clear that while hybrid cars have taken a long time to gain widespread popularity, their real story is only just beginning. The future is here…and it’s hybrid.
How to Compare Cars
Now a days due to the growth of the Internet industry, it is easier to compare cars before deciding about buying one.
Earlier people used to depend on the recommendations of their friends and relatives for deciding about buying a car. The media industry was also not very developed earlier. The only television channel at that time Doordarshan did not broadcast any program on the auto industry. Newspapers also did not cover information or news about new automobile launches. There was no magazine about the auto industry then. There was no other source of information about new cars. Before 1990 even the auto industry was not well developed and there were few options in the market. This had resulted in no competition in the market. It was bad for automobile buyers as they did not have many choices for buying cars.
After the economic liberalization policy of the early 1990s the auto industry started to grow fast. Various auto companies came to India to launch their products. Now there was much competition in the market. Many new four wheelers were getting launched regularly. All major four wheeler players like Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, General Motors etc are present in the market now. Indian car buyers also have many options if they want to buy new cars. All major car models are available in the Indian car market. Recently the iconic car Volkswagen Beetle was also launched.
The growth of the auto industry has inspired media houses in the country to launch various products related to the industry. Now there are many magazines about the auto industry. National newspapers regularly cover news and events related to the industry. Television channels have also started to cover all kinds of events related to the sector.
Many Internet firms have launched various auto websites covering news and information about the auto industry. These websites also offer the facility to compare various cars and do other research about vehicles before deciding about buying a certain car. This way any user can easily research thoroughly before deciding about the car to buy. Especially the facility to compare cars is very useful for car lovers.
Car Wraps – How to Get Paid to Drive Your Car
Many companies have realized the advantages of using advertising on cars to bring in local business. You may have seen these vehicles around town, completely covered with an ad. What you may not have known is that the drivers have been given these vehicles, or have been paid to place ads on their own car
If you drive a lot around town (school activities, children’s sports, club meetings, etc) you might qualify to receive a car to drive and be able to cut a large monthly payment out of your budget! Alternately, if you are a stay at home mom with very small children and don’t get out as much but your husband drives extensively, he could apply for the program.
Often, if you own your own car and drive it enough to meet program requirements, you can simply let the company install the car wraps on your personal vehicle. They will pay you hundreds of dollars per month for letting them use it as a billboard!
To qualify for car wraps you need to be over 18 with a good driving record, drive and park your car in open, highly populated areas, and drive often. The company usually installs a GPS tracking system on the vehicle so they can verify that the advertising is reaching the desired audience.
You can apply to a large car wraps company online or get a list of companies in your area from a directory for a small fee. Be prepared to be put on a waiting list for 90 days or more; the competition for these opportunities is fierce!