Because trouble comes in all sizes.
You can always tell the theme of the NY Auto Show. I couldn’t help notice the emphasis on electric and hybrid-powered vehicles. Huge banners as well as giant flying pigs boldly announced innovation. Despite the Trump administration’s recent reversal of environmental standards for the automotive industry, forward progress remained intact. We picked the best in show.
Hey Dads, remember the trials and tribulations of buying your first car? If that meant purchasing a used vehicle you also took on a certain element of risk. The great unknown loomed large because you couldn’t always tell how well the previous owner took care of the vehicle. Purchase a used car too quickly and you could end up with a myriad of undiscovered problems in the future. So what steps should one take to avoid these pitfalls? First narrow down your vehicle choices to a historically reliable brand, for example, Toyota. Then you need to determine the cost of ownership for a Toyota. If the cost fits your budget, proceed with the next steps to protect yourself from a possible bad buying experience.
As a kid, I dreamed the future would be all about flying cars. As a parent, on a daily basis I witness the anarchy of shopping mall parking lots and think “nope”. In fact I’d much rather have armored plating and an abundance of airbags from head to toe. It’s not that I’m against some future incarnation of airborne vehicles, I just want people taken completely out of the equation driving said vehicles. Especially since the proliferation of inherently distracting gizmos have become standard equipment in most cars and SUVs. Automated vehicles would provide the freedom and safety to surf the web, text or video chat, work, or even take a nap. Yes, I like the nap idea don’t you? These thoughts and more informed my opinions of car manufacturers latest offerings as I walked the halls of the Jacob Javits Center at the 2015 New York International Auto Show.
Press from all over the world converged upon the 2013 NY Auto Show for two days to take a meticulous look at the latest innovations the car industry has in store for 2014 and beyond. In my own experience at the show, I was able to sit in several of the most desired and exotic luxury cars in the world. Curiously, I discovered that exorbitant cost doesn’t always translate into vastly improved design, comfort, and convenience. In addition, the influx of so called “green” cars has become pervasive. Nearly every automaker had a variant of either a hybrid or an all electric vehicle. Generally speaking, the state of the auto industry could best be described as evolutionary.
I recently had the opportunity to cover the New York International Auto Show as a member of the press. As such, I was given advance access before the official opening of the show to the general public to view the latest and greatest the auto industry had to offer as well as a peek into the automotive industry future. What struck me as I gazed upon one exquisitely sculpted piece of machinery to the next was how automobiles are toys for grownups. You could just hear the inner child in my colleagues as they wandered about the convention center “Ooh, I want the green one!” or “I want the fast car!” or even “I can climb boulders in this!” and so on. But parents on the other hand choose to deny their fun first choice in favor of responsible family oriented transportation. The equivalent of getting a nice pair of socks instead of the cool action figure toy for your birthday. Sure your feet will be warm and dry but can you go on a deep space adventure to save the planet from imminent destruction? I think not. The bottom-line is parents need toys too.