Auto Safety

September 5, 2008 -- The latest member of the Lancia family has been awarded five prestigious Euro NCAP stars, positioning itself at the top of the safety league tables. This recognition confirms the special attention paid by Fiat Group Automobiles to all aspects of driver and passenger protection.

2008 Lancia Delta

Highest Possible Ratings for All-New Kia Mid-Size SUV in Frontal and Side Impact Crash Tests

IRVINE, Calif., September 5, 2008 – The all-new 2009 Kia Borrego has achieved a five-star crash safety rating, the highest rating possible, for all seating positions in the latest frontal and side impact crash tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This is the first time Borrego has been tested by the government agency.

2009 Kia Borrego: Highest Possible Ratings for All-New Kia Mid-Size SUV in Frontal and Side Impact Crash Tests

Highlights:
- All-New Kia Borrego joins four other Kia models with five-star crash safety rating

Sept. 8, 2008 -- Volvo Car Corporation and the Swedish National Road Administration will work together to avoid or lessen the effects of road accidents. This is the thrust of the declaration of intent that Volvo Cars' President and CEO Fredrik Arp and the Swedish National Road Administration's Director General Ingemar Skogö signed at the start of the traffic safety seminar today in Tylösand.

The Swedish National Road Administration has worked on its zero-vision approach since 1997, while Volvo Car Corporation presented a vision in 2007 whose aim is to design cars that do not crash. In the shorter term, this means that by the year 2020, nobody should be injured or killed in a Volvo.

Cypress, Calif., August 20, 2008 -- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) today awarded its "Top Safety Pick" to the 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander, after the crossover SUV earned the top rating in all three of the Institute's crashworthiness evaluations.

2008 Mitsubishi Outlander ES

"When you add Outlander's superior crash protection to its combination of styling, performance, fuel efficiency, and value, it doesn't take a back seat to any vehicle in the crossover segment," said EVP of Sales and Marketing Dan Kuhnert. "We're extremely pleased that the IIHS has confirmed our commitment to safety."

08.20.2008 -- The 2009 Nissan Rogue has earned a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. The Rogue, as well as nine other small SUVs, was evaluated for front, side and rear crash protection. The Top Safety Pick award recognizes vehicles that provide superior overall crash protection among vehicles in their class and only includes vehicles with available electronic stability control, the Rogue comes standard with Nissan’s electronic stability control system, Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC).

About the safety features of the Nissan Rogue:

"Ford is a leader in safety and fuel economy - not even Toyota or Honda can match the new Escape's safety and fuel efficiency ratings."

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 18, 2008 - The 2009 Ford Escape and 2009 Mercury Mariner compact sport utility vehicles added to Ford's leading number of top-safety-rated vehicles by earning five stars in each of the government's crash-worthiness tests. The results top the Toyota RAV-4 and, with the 2009 Escape's improved fuel efficiency, offer better combined safety and fuel efficiency ratings than the Honda CR-V.

2009 Ford Escape

Highlights:

Audi leads luxury automakers in number of 2008 IIHS Top Safety Pick awards as Audi’s commitment to safety goes beyond crash test safety ratings, includes range of preventive safety features

HERNDON, Va., Aug 12, 2008 - The 2008 Audi Q7, a luxury performance SUV, earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) Top Safety Pick award for 2008. The Audi Q7 received a “good” rating in all three crash tests: side impact, offset frontal and rear impact seat tests.

2008 Audi Q7

Overtiredness is one of the most frequent accident causes in holiday traffic

Stuttgart -- Aug 11, 2008 -- Stuttgart - Accident researchers at Mercedes-Benz are acutely aware of the danger in nodding off at the wheel (the "one-second nap").

Mercedes-Benz Attention Assist: Overtiredness is one of the most frequent accident causes in holiday traffic: Mercedes-Benz to introduce Attention Assist into series production in spring 2009

Two all-new technologies introduced: Side Collision Prevention and Back-up Collision Prevention

TOKYO, August 5, 2008 - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has unveiled an All-Around Collision Free prototype incorporating two all-new technologies – Side Collision Prevention (SCP) and Back-up Collision Prevention (BCP). Incorporating the available Distance Control Assist (DCA) and Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) systems, this latest prototype vehicle further extends Nissan’s “Safety Shield” concept to help protect the vehicle and its occupants from potential risks coming from multiple directions.

Nissan System Functions

Tokyo July 17 2008 — Mitsubishi Motors Corporation will unveil its new Pajero Sport*1 SUV model at the Moscow Auto Salon 2008 (The Moscow Motor Show) to be held at the Crocus Expo in Moscow between August 26 and September 7 (opens to the public on August 29). The new Pajero Sport will be phased in selected regions*2 such as Russia, the ASEAN area, the Middle East, Latin America and Oceania starting in the fall this year.

2009 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

*1 The model will carry a different name in different markets: Montero Sport in South America, Nativa in Latin America and Challenger in Australia.