Air pollution has become a clear problem in Anchorage it has led to a demand for a reduction in air pollution. The Anchorage market is seeking the use of alternative fuel vehicles.  There are various vehicle options depending on what fuels are available in the Eagle River area.

These vehicles have both advantages and disadvantages. Anchorage car owners should research and have more knowledge about them before purchasing a vehicle that uses alternative fuel.

Flex Fuel Vehicles

Flex fuel vehicles can run on gasoline or on a combination of both ethanol and gasoline. Ethanol is made from corn, so flex fuel vehicles lessen our dependency on fossil fuels. These vehicles have lower exhaust emissions than gasoline-powered vehicles which is less harmful. In Eagle River E85 is less expensive than regular gasoline.

Diesel

Diesel engines are common in Alaska and the great fuel economy is beneficial. Diesel fuel can be made from vegetable oil and other renewable sources. A diesel fuel made from algae will soon be on the market in Eagle River.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is less expensive than gasoline in Anchorage and burns more cleanly. There are special pumps that can be installed in a home gas line that can be used to fuel your vehicle. The disadvantage is the lower fuel efficiency and lack of refueling stating in Alaska.

 Hydrogen

The appeal in using Hydrogen is that its exhaust is composed of water vapor. Hydrogen represents a clean-burning fuel. However hydrogen vehicles won’t come into widespread use until refueling stations become available here in Anchorage and throughout Alaska.

Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles are great for the environment. However the wont be widely used until research is done to improve battery life. They are easy to recharge, since they can be plugged in at home, but there are many researchers working on improving the battery technology in these vehicles.

 Hybrids

Hybrids uses both gas and diesel engine and has an electric motor. They have become one of the most successful alternative fuel vehicles in Alaska. Full-hybrid vehicles rely on the electric motor for power, but the gas or diesel engine generates power for the battery.  While it still consumes fossil fuels, it uses less of them than a standard automobile, and also reduces harmful pollutants. It also avoids the common issues all electric vehicles face.

There are numerous alternative fuel vehicles throughout the Eagle River area today, and more are now being developed.

The post Alternative Fuel Vehicles, Alaska’s Response to Air Pollution? appeared first on Alaska Car Shipping Blog.

Federal safety regulators are working on technology that can be used in cars to detect alcohol by touch and breath, in order to reduce alcohol related accidents.

Nat Beuse an associate administrator for vehicle safety research at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said the alcohol detection technology is one of several systems his agency is studying.

Little is known on how it would work or which suppliers are involved, but Beuse believes an alcohol detection system integrated into vehicles would reduce the number of accidents and fatalities caused by drivers under the influence.

Throughout the last couple of years NHTSA has been making efforts to advocate technology solutions in response to the numerous accidents caused by drinking and driving. The agency states they were awarded a $2.2 million contract from safety products supplier Takata Corp. to develop a device that can measure a driver’s sobriety.

The technology is still being developed and hopes to be available for implementation by 2018.Federal officials are unaware as to how the device will work. If Alcohol is detected, the vehicle could possibly be disabled or an alert will be issued, the decision is still undetermined.

The post Cars That Can Detect Drunk Drivers appeared first on Alaska Car Shipping Blog.

Recently automakers have been integrating touchscreens into vehicles for safety reasons. Tech companies have been designing safer ways for customers to stay connected to their favorite apps behind the wheel. Google’s Android is working on a platform called Android Auto that allows maps, music, and personal phone functions to be accessed through a larger screen in the car which is their response to safety precautions.

Patrick Brady, Google’s director for engineering of Android, says, “You get the best of both worlds. You get the connected apps and services on your smartphone, with the physical controls that were optimized for driving in your car.”

Many drivers struggle with their phones while driving since the screens are too small and the interface and menus are complicated. “We had to take an experience that was designed for a smartphone and break it down to its bare essentials,” Brady says.

Android Auto will encourage a more convenient driving experience. The system allows quick voice based access to Google maps, text messaging, and apps like Google Play Music. It will be fully compatible with the dials, knobs, and buttons on your dashboard and steering wheel. Since everything you see on screen is actually directed from your smartphone, Google says the in car experience will be even better.

The post Google’s Android Auto Coming Soon appeared first on Alaska Car Shipping Blog.

Nissan has debuted a new kind of paint that repels dirt, dust, and even mud, keeping cars bright and shiny.

Nissan is looking to offer this paint as an aftermarket application so that practically any car can have the capability.

The paint is called Ultra-Ever Dry, it was created by UltraTech International Inc. According to Nissan, the paint is both hydrophobic and oleophobic meaning resistant to water and oils. This is achieved by creating a protective layer of air between the paint and the environment.

So Far Nissan Europe is the only company to explore Ultra-Ever Dry’s automotive applications. There’s no word on if or when it will be offered elsewhere.

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