Remember when anti-lock brakes were a major advance? Or how all-wheel drive changed how you felt about winter driving? What about the moonroof? Run-flat tires? And let’s not overlook the allure of a control screen in the center of our dash with its numerous communication features? In recent years there have been even more game changers in terms of automotive safety and convenience. Here are the most requested new features at the car dealership:

1. Autonomous Driving

   ‘Autonomous’ is a word associated with most of today’s innovations. Utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI), the car is programmed to anticipate and fulfill an expectation. In this case, control (decision-making) is transferred from the drive to the vehicle’s AI system. Some of the ground-breaking safety features noted below are AI-based. This new wave of technology is in its infancy. Not only will AI make our vehicles more intuitive and problem-solving, but also safer, and get ready for this, ultimately driverless. Brave. New. World.

2. Blind Spot Detection

   Not one for heavily relying on technology, this is one upgrade this writer can get my head around. The blind spot behind every car is responsible for a huge percentage of accidental rear collisions. How it works: a high-resolution video camera is built into the rear along with sensors that sound alerts for the driver when the potential for a collision is imminent.

3. Adaptive Headlights

   While there are numerous creatures whose eyes are static, experience has proven that this is not a great feature for vehicles. The solution is adaptive headlights. These lights will automatically redirect their beam in the direction that the car is facing, making nighttime visibility, especially on winding roads, negotiating steep hills, and driving in bad weather, much safer.

4. Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

   Another pre-emptive technology, ESC anticipates when a skid is likely to occur and takes control of the vehicle’s engine and braking systems. However, should a skid be unavoidable ECS additionally marshalls forces to mitigate its effects.

5. Reverse Park Assist

   Since the day we took our road test many of us have avoided ye olde parallel parking situation. With Reverse Park Assist, drivers press a button, engage the throttle, and the car takes over to steer your vehicle into position without damage to curbs, other vehicles, or yours. Now just how does one extricate one’s vehicle when it’s time to depart?

6. Rear Cross-Traffic Assist

   My family’s recent move to a retirement community where the average age appears to be significantly older than ourselves, prompted us to look into a new car with this feature. Suffice it to say our new locale is not a good place to have to back out of a parking space. This safety feature uses sensors to monitor the roadway on either side giving both visual and sound alerts is another vehicle is coming. This way we hope to avoid meeting our new neighbors with an auto body repair.

7. Blind Spot Detection

   These road monitors are ideal for highway driving. The sensors will flash a visual warning if there is a vehicle in your blind spot when you are trying to change lanes.

8. Lane Assist

   There are a number of versions of this feature. Most will alert drivers with an audible warning if they are drifting into another lane. More advanced Lane Assist functions will move the steering wheel slightly thereby influencing drivers to steer in the indicated direction and presumably out of potential harm’s way.

9. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

   Ever notice how law enforcement pulls over the vehicle that is not part of the pack? One of the ways to avoid this and stay in line with moving traffic, is with ACC. It enables drivers to maintain a constant distance from the vehicle directly in front, but will not exceed a set-speed to do so. If the lead vehicle slows down, yours does as well automatically. The question remains as to what happens when the lead exits the parkway, but I am sure the manufacturers have thought of that contingency!

10. Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)

    The #1 most requested safety feature at dealerships is AEB. Seen on numerous car commercials on TV, this feature uses sensors to detect the proximity of anything in front of your vehicle. When a potential obstacle is detected, AEB applies the brakes automatically to minimize impact or if your vehicle is traveling at a slower speed, to avoid a collision altogether.

As you can see, AI is behind many of today’s safety features and innovations. If you are thinking it is time to trade in your old ride but think the new one would be cost-prohibitive, we have another suggestion. Just research online and determine which safety features are ‘must haves’. Then have a frank talk with your dealer. Every model has several levels of features, and there is likely to be at least one option that is both safety, and budget friendly. Happy and safe driving.

The post Top 10 Car Safety Features For Your New Ride appeared first on Newton Search.

Getting Started

As we know, there are quite a few makes and models out there. But what’s the right one for you? Unless it’s a “play car”, you’re going to want a car that’s going to make your life easier; it should fit your lifestyle. Say you have a lot of kids, you’re going to want a lot of cargo space. If you drive a lot, you’re going to want a car with good highway mileage. The idea is to make the right choice the first time because of how important an investment a car is to the average person.

Of course, determine your price range and start your research.

Finding The Right Car For You

Once you’ve decided what kind of car you want, start narrowing it down to a few models that you think would get the job done. From there, it’s time to start comparing. Online research is going to be your best friend here, checking online reviews from a variety of sources will give you some insight on the long-term value of each model. Every car as its set of pros and cons and when you consider the stress of making this decision, you can be easily swayed by aesthetics or a quick test drive. Since you’re buying a car, you’ve got to be in it for the long haul.

New or Used?

When you get a better idea of which makes/models are right for you, it’s time to ask the next question. Should you buy new or used? Surely a new car is ideal but is also more expensive, so you have to weigh the pros and cons. As we said, while a new car may be ideal, a used car might be the right move.

Since you’re buying a car, we’re assuming you’re going to want it for the long haul. With that said, there are different levels of “used cars”. Ask yourself:

• What’s the mileage on the car?
• How much work has been done on it?
• Is there a viable warranty?
• Is there a decent resale value?

So at this point, you’ve done your research, narrowed your choice down to a few cars, and you know if you want to buy new or used. It’s time to put the pedal to the medal (not literally, you’ll get in trouble). But really, you’re going to want to test these cars out and really put thought into the car’s role in your life. The car salesperson is going to highlight a lot of the car’s features, but you want to look at it from a long-term perspective, rather than focusing on the bells and whistles that you probably won’t even use that much.

Closing The Deal

After test driving these cars, you’ve now made your choice. You know what you want, so now comes the tricky part – getting the best deal. It’s going to be clear to the salesperson that you want the car, so they’re going to leverage that, but don’t let that stop, or even intimidate you. You absolutely, 100% have to negotiate pricing because (1) this person wants to sell this car and (2) you have to gain some control. Remember, you can buy a car somewhere else so don’t forget to remind them of that. It might take time, it might be a little stressful, but you have to go back and forth to get the best deal. Once you buy the car and drive it out of the lot, the price goes down, so you don’t want to leave with any buyer’s remorse.

Protecting Your Investment

There’s no better piece of mind than protecting your investment. Invest in windshield treatment, to be proactive. Regularly change your oil, check your breaks, and keep the interior clean to ensure your vehicle retains as much value as possible. Finally, enjoy your new car! There are few things more exciting than getting used to a new car if you get the right one.

The post Top Tips For Buying A New Car appeared first on Newton Search.

The US Expansion of Industrial Revolution Begins (1820)

The rise of factories begun in 1820, which enabled the mass production of products. With the help of steam-powered machines, people were able to make exponentially more products in a fraction of the time, creating jobs and giving rise to a new age in production for future generations.

The First Industrial Research Laboratory Opens (1876)

Located in Menlo Park, New Jersey, was Thomas Edison’s first research laboratory (for industrial purposes). It was also the place where Edison invented the photograph (fun fact).

Some of the findings from Menlo Park were used for some of the United States’ latest manufacturing customs.

Ford Installed The First Moving Assembly Line (1913)

As most of us know, the assembly line was a real game changer for corporate and/or automobile production. The assembly line provided quality jobs to thousands and provided a time and resource-effective method for building cars. Cities like Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo were thriving during the peak of this era.

This helped to decrease the price of production, therefore reducing the price of automobiles making them more accessible to more people across the country. Ford’s invention was a major lift for the United States’ economy (leading to the roaring twenties), giving rise to more roads and infrastructure and changing the lives of millions every day.

The Industrial Assessment Centers Change Small/Medium Manufacturers Forever (1976)

During the mid-1900s, effective manufacturing was left only to large companies with huge bank accounts. The Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs) was started by the Department of Commerce, only to be moved to the Department of Energy of a few years later.

This was significant for the manufacturing community because it helped boost energy and productivity to help their bottom line. They offered college students industry experience in exchange for help, making it mutually beneficial for both parties involved.

The Ethernet Cable is Standardized (1983)

The ethernet might be the most underrated advancements to the manufacturing industry. This gave rise to basic internet use and more convenient telephonic communication for years to come. This was a major push forward for all companies, but manufacturing companies saw so many benefits, their industry changed forever.

Wireless M2M Technology Becomes Standard (1997)

Wireless Machine-to-Machine (M2M) allowed phones and computers to intercommunicate. Machine learning (which is vital for automated technology today) was the single most effective advancement for long-term time and productivity.

Robots Become More Common for Manufactures (2000)

M2M technology then gave rise to the start of automation and productivity skyrocketed. From the assembly line to the robot assembly line. This isn’t to be confused with the first factory robot, which was in the 1950s – this was when robots were regularly introduced for the day-to-day.

Amazon Web Services Introduces Cloud Technology to Factories (2002)

Amazon launched the next level of enhanced machine learning in 2002. Amazon Web Services utilized the cloud for enhanced machine learning, which compiles huge amounts of data to predict trends and avoid future mistakes. What sets them apart from competitors is the capacity. Giving subscribers the ability to utilize large-scale computing to build and manufacture faster in a cost-efficient fashion.

As significant as the cloud computing technology is for manufacturing, is also created a major threat. This threat is cybersecurity. This serves as a two-sided monster because as helpful as the gained data is for overall production and profits, the threat of losing the information can be detrimental for a business, whether public or private.

Sensors Drop in Price and Increase Accessibility for Manufacturers (2010)

What gives manufacturing businesses a leg up from machines with cloud computing? Increased accessibility to sensors due to decreased prices. Sensors mean access to precise cutting for everyone form automobiles to thread gauges.

The post Manufacturing, From The Beginning to Today appeared first on Newton Search.

Since 1980, however, there has been a major decline in the number of manufacturing jobs in the States. Wikipedia estimates that up to ⅓ of the manufacturing positions disappeared over the first decade of this century. Also, while the economy continues to post steady gains, that few of these jobs have returned. Some of the reasons for slow growth in this sector could be the fact that technological advances, such as widespread use of robotics, have replaced the need for many skilled workers.

For example, this is particularly true for assembly line production, where computer-driven robotic machines produce, assemble, weld, and convey a product from start to completion. Another reason for the decline in American manufacturing jobs is competition from foreign markets such as China. Since its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, competition from China has created a US. goods trade deficit (imports greater than exports) which, again according to Wikipedia, was approximately $350 billion in 2016.

Let’s begin with a list of the top industries (by revenue) currently fueling the American economy. These are:

• Petroleum
• Steel
• Automotive
• Aerospace
• Telecommunication
• Chemicals
• Electronic
• Food processing
• Consumer goods
• Lumber
• Mining

The United States is the world’s second largest manufacturer, the U.S.’s Q3 2016 industrial output (nominal GDP, annualized) was approximately $2.18 trillion. Adjusted for inflation and other factors, this output still lags behind 2007’s pre-recession peak. Still, these figures have been trending upward since 2010.

Here are the top manufactured products that Business Insider and The Bureau of Economic Analysis, an arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce, posted that during 2016, the U.S. exported $1,051 billion in manufactured goods and imported $1,920 billion, (a manufacturing goods deficit of $868 billion). Below are some of the metrics that comprised America’s $2.1 trillion Export Industry that year:

• Electrical Equipment: total revenue of $32.2 billion.
• Fabricated Metal Products: total revenue of $32.6 billion.
• Medical Equipment, Sporting Goods, Misc.: total revenue of $39.4 billion.
• Primary Metal: total revenue of $49.6 billion.
• Food: total revenue of $50.9 billion.
• Petroleum and Coal Products: total revenue of $50.9 billion.
• Transportation Equipment: total revenue of $252.0 billion.
• Chemicals: total revenue of $174.0 billion.
• Computers and Electronic Products: total revenue of $116.0 billion.
• “Machinery-Except Electrical”: total revenue of $109.0 billion.

Another factor that indicates industry change is the co-production of what were once wholy American-made goods. The infamous North American-Foreign Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (signed and sealed in the 1990s but rolled out in this century) dictates that manufacturing is shared across globally-distributed supply chains. This means that different aspects of product development conducted in different countries. The best-known example is that cars are no longer completely produced in the U.S. Parts are manufactured in the States, then shipped to Mexico where they are assembled, then returned to the U.S. for distribution/sale. International production sharing is widely blamed for U.S. manufacturing job losses since 2000.

Currently, U.S. manufacturing continues its evolution, led by advances in information technology, supply-chain and distribution innovations, reduced barriers to trade, and less competition from low-wage countries like China and Mexico. During the fourth quarter, 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecast in October 2017 that manufacturing employment would fall from 12.3 million in 2016 to 11.6 million in 2026, a decline of 736,000. As a share of employment, manufacturing would fall from 7.9% in 2016 to 6.9% in 2026, continuing a long-term trend.

Rescinding trade agreements with Canada and Mexico was a hot topic during the 2016 Presidential election with American job preservation/creation a campaign issue that has yet to be resolved. Most experts agree that regardless of the outcome, the health and continuance of the manufacturing industry in the U.S. is integral to the overall health of the U.S. economy.

It is also important to note that while manufacturing was integral to boosting the United State’s post-war economy, that today the measure of the health of a nation is not chiefly its manufacturing output. (The size and spending strength of a nation’s middle class as well as its education system are additional factors that determine whether a nation is a world leader or a country in development.) Therefore, while U.S. manufacturing employment trends down, manufacturing output in 2017 was near record levels for real Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

This means that productivity (output per worker) has also improved significantly. This is likely due to automation, global supply chains, process improvements, technology innovations and consumer demand. So that while technology takes away a number of jobs, it facilitates the production processes, reduces the time to market for most manufactured goods, and from an output standpoint, is not a negative statistic

In conclusion, U.S. manufacturing has been reshaped markedly since the days when Henry Ford’s production line was considered revolutionary. Technology and the world stage both impact where, when, and how American goods are made and in what quantities. Given the innovation of one and the sometimes volatile nature of the other, these factors will continue to dictate what is made, where these products are made, and how they are made for decades to come.

The post What Are the Top Manufacturing Industries in the U.S. Today and How Do They Contribute to the Economy? appeared first on Newton Search.

Since 1980, however, there has been a major decline in the number of manufacturing jobs in the States. Wikipedia estimates that up to ⅓ of the manufacturing positions disappeared over the first decade of this century. Also, while the economy continues to post steady gains, that few of these jobs have returned. Some of the reasons for slow growth in this sector could be the fact that technological advances, such as widespread use of robotics, have replaced the need for many skilled workers.

For example, this is particularly true for assembly line production, where computer-driven robotic machines produce, assemble, weld, and convey a product from start to completion. Another reason for the decline in American manufacturing jobs is competition from foreign markets such as China. Since its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, competition from China has created a US. goods trade deficit (imports greater than exports) which, again according to Wikipedia, was approximately $350 billion in 2016.

Let’s begin with a list of the top industries (by revenue) currently fueling the American economy. These are:

• Petroleum
• Steel
• Automotive
• Aerospace
• Telecommunication
• Chemicals
• Electronic
• Food processing
• Consumer goods
• Lumber
• Mining

The United States is the world’s second-largest manufacturer, the U.S.’s Q3 2016 industrial output (nominal GDP, annualized) was approximately $2.18 trillion. Adjusted for inflation and other factors, this output still lags behind 2007’s pre-recession peak. Still, these figures have been trending upward since 2010.

Here are the top manufactured products that Business Insider and The Bureau of Economic Analysis, an arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce, posted that during 2016, the U.S. exported $1,051 billion in manufactured goods and imported $1,920 billion, (a manufacturing goods deficit of $868 billion). Below are some of the metrics that comprised America’s $2.1 trillion Export Industry that year:

• Electrical Equipment: total revenue of $32.2 billion.
• Fabricated Metal Products: total revenue of $32.6 billion.
• Medical Equipment, Sporting Goods, Misc.: total revenue of $39.4 billion.
• Primary Metal: total revenue of $49.6 billion.
• Food: total revenue of $50.9 billion.
• Petroleum and Coal Products: total revenue of $50.9 billion.
• Transportation Equipment: total revenue of $252.0 billion.
• Chemicals: total revenue of $174.0 billion.
• Computers and Electronic Products: total revenue of $116.0 billion.
• “Machinery-Except Electrical”: total revenue of $109.0 billion.

Another factor that indicates industry change is the co-production of what were once wholly American-made goods. The infamous North American-Foreign Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (signed and sealed in the 1990s but rolled out in this century) dictates that manufacturing is shared across globally-distributed supply chains. This means that different aspects of product development conducted in different countries. The best-known example is that cars are no longer completely produced in the U.S. Parts are manufactured in the States, then shipped to Mexico where they are assembled, then returned to the U.S. for distribution/sale. International production sharing is widely blamed for U.S. manufacturing job losses since 2000.

Currently, U.S. manufacturing continues its evolution, led by advances in information technology, supply chain, and distribution innovations, reduced barriers to trade, and less competition from low-wage countries like China and Mexico. During the fourth quarter, 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecast in October 2017 that manufacturing employment would fall from 12.3 million in 2016 to 11.6 million in 2026, a decline of 736,000. As a share of employment, manufacturing would fall from 7.9% in 2016 to 6.9% in 2026, continuing a long-term trend.

Rescinding trade agreements with Canada and Mexico was a hot topic during the 2016 Presidential election with American job preservation/creation a campaign issue that has yet to be resolved. Most experts agree that regardless of the outcome, the health and continuance of the manufacturing industry in the U.S. is integral to the overall health of the U.S. economy.

It is also important to note that while manufacturing was integral to boosting the United State’s post-war economy, that today the measure of the health of a nation is not chiefly its manufacturing output. (The size and spending strength of a nation’s middle class, as well as its education system, are additional factors that determine whether a nation is a world leader or a country in development.) Therefore, while U.S. manufacturing employment trends down, manufacturing output in 2017 was near record levels for real Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

This means that productivity (output per worker) has also improved significantly. This is likely due to automation, global supply chains, process improvements, technology innovations and consumer demand. So that while technology takes away a number of jobs, it facilitates the production processes, reduces the time to market for most manufactured goods, and from an output standpoint, is not a negative statistic

In conclusion, U.S. manufacturing has been reshaped markedly since the days when Henry Ford’s production line was considered revolutionary. Technology and the world stage both impact where, when, and how American goods are made and in what quantities. Given the innovation of one and the sometimes volatile nature of the other, these factors will continue to dictate what is made, where these products are made, and how they are made for decades to come.

photo credit: Wikimedia

The post What Are the Top Manufacturing Industries in the U.S. Today and How Do They Contribute to the Economy? appeared first on Newton Search.