News Briefs

By Levy Joffrion

Technical Clinics, OEM Forum Among Highlights of I-CAR Meeting

Technical clinics and an open forum with the OEMs will be featured as part of the 2003 I-CAR International Annual Meeting to be held July 23-26 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. More than 30 technical clinics will be offered July 24-26, with each clinic being 45 minutes in length. For the latest topic titles, schedules and clinic updates, visit www.i-car.com.

The open forum with the OEMs will be held Friday, July 25, as part of the general session. An OEM panel questionnaire is available at the I-CAR Web site to enable your questions to be addressed during the OEM panel discussion. Participants will include DaimlerChrysler AG, General Motors Corp., Nissan North America Inc. and Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.

Sales for Compacts Soaring

Sales of accessories and products for compact vehicles last year soared to $2.367 billion - an astounding growth rate in 2002 of 55.9 percent - according to the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). Just six years ago, sales stood at $295 million. A SEMA official said, "This market is fueled by the growing affection younger drivers have for their vehicles."

Ford to Host SAE World Congress

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International) has announced that Ford Motor Company will be the host company for the SAE 2004 World Congress. The event is set for March 8-11 at Cobo Center in Detroit.

Ford last hosted the SAE World Congress in 2002, and this marks the seventh time in the past 30 years that Ford has done so.

AAA Takes Road Service Online

Help when they need road service is now just a mouse click away for members of select AAA clubs in the United States, as well as several Canadian Automobile Association clubs. By logging onto AAA's Web address, www.aaa.com, members are routed to their local club site where they can access a variety of services. Using special road service prompts and screens, members are then guided through the online road service request process.

CARQUEST Institute CASE Certified

CARQUEST Technician Institute has earned Continuing Automotive Service Education (CASE) certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).

CASE is a voluntary certification program for training entities that provide continuing education to working automotive technicians. The National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) administers the program and ASE grants the certification, which is valid for three years.

New Automotive Channel Planned

Automotive Networks LLC plans to launch Wheels TV, a national television network that will focus exclusively on the world's love affair with motor vehicles. A fourth quarter launch on cable TV is expected with a lineup of original and acquired programming, including magazine and lifestyle programs, documentaries, new vehicle profiles, how-to shows, travel, safety and recall alerts, event coverage, news, movies, and TV action and comedy series.

EPA Reports Fuel Economy Trends

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its report, "Light Duty Automotive Technology and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 Through 2003." The average fuel economy for model year 2003 vehicles is 20.8 miles per gallon, about 6 percent lower than the peak value of 22.1 mpg achieved in 1987 and 1988. There is a continuing decline in fuel economy due to the increases in light truck sales, increased vehicle weight, and the use of more powerful engines. The report can be found at www.epa.gov/otaq/fetrends.htm.

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