GM to Expand Use of Brake Override Technology by 2012
General Motors Co. said it will expand the use of its brake override technology, a move that comes as rival Toyota Motor Corp. has suffered from a massive recall due to its cars speeding up uncontrollably, The Wall Street Journal reported. GM said by 2012 it will have expanded the use of its "enhanced smart pedal" technology to all passenger cars that have automatic transmissions and electronic throttle control, "providing an additional safeguard to enhance customer confidence." The modification will allow electronic controls to reduce power to the engine in cases where the brake and accelerator pedals are being pressed at the same time. "We know safety is top of mind for consumers, so we are applying additional technology to reassure them that they can count on the brakes in their GM vehicle," said Tom Stephens, vice chairman of GM's global product operations. GM has been strong recently, showing a 43% increase in March domestic sales for the four brands the company will keep after its restructuring. Meanwhile, Toyota is in the midst of efforts to regain customer trust after issuing a huge recall to deal with acceleration problems with about 8 million vehicles world-wide.
More Industry

Nebraska Rooftop Changes Hands
The Gregg Young Automotive Group has sold its second dealership to Janssen Auto Group, both in Plattsmouth, Neb.
Read More →
Penske Auto Group Deal a Record
The deal to take the dealership and transportation services company private sets a new pace for industry buy-sell transactions.
Read More →
War Toll a Damper on Used Auto Prices
Cox Automotive found wholesale depreciation to be elevated in September amid high fuel prices and this year's unusual hurricane season.
Read More →
Bridge the Maintenance Gap
With many drivers missing recommended maintenance, service departments offering transparency and efficiency have a better chance of reaching financially strained consumers.
Read More →
California Store Has New Owner
The longtime dealership in the northern part of the state is known for robust fleet sales and has served the state capital for 115 years.
Read More →
BMW Plant Pursues Cleaner Energy
BMW Group Plant Leipzig has utilized hydrogen to help power its production since 2013, but a new pipeline is planned to take it to another level.
Read More →
Auto Affordability Inches Up
The latest Cox Automotive and Moody’s Analytics index shows a slight increase in new-vehicle affordability despite high prices.
Read More →
Ohio Auto Group Under New Ownership
After 79 years with the Schluter family, Mansfield Auto Group has been acquired by Missouri-based Clement Auto Group.
Read More →
RV Group Expands Carolina Footprint
Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast is the 13th RV dealership owned by Blue Compass in the Carolinas.
Read More →
Agent Acumen
An Agent Summit panel of people who’ve been supporting auto dealers for years gave both timely and timeless advice for those starting out or mulling the prospect.
Read More →