VW’s silver lining, Leasing trend continues, and a big investment in autonomous driving
January 27, 2017
Winter driving could become less of a chore for Volkswagen owners. They've annouced a new climate windshield. The windows will apparently heat up melting away snow and ice. Nothing new you might say, but VW explains these new windshields use a very thin layer of silver to do the job instead of wires embedded in the glass. They also say that this thin layer of silver helps reflect the sun, reducing some of the sizzle that comes with summer.
Leasing is the way to go for more drivers. A new report by Edmunds.com says 17.5 million new vehicles were leased in 2016. That’s the seventh year in row of increases and a new record. The most popular vehicles to lease are SUV’s followed by pick-up trucks. The report says millennials lease more than any other age group.
A big investment is being made to bring self driving vehicles to the road. Ohio Governor John Kasich announced a $45 million expansion for the Transportation Research Center. The investment will include a state-of-the-art hub for automated and autonomous testing. The testing facility will examine how the vehicles handle city, highway, and rural driving situations. The Transportation Research Center is the nation's largest independent automotive proving grounds.