Used Car Sales Event

Buffalo Used Car Dealer Offering Excellent Prices

It's that time of year again.  That's right, it's time for the West Herr Used Car Sales Event and Indoor Car show.  

The deals at this event are not to be missed.  Let Buffalo Bills legend Steve Tasker drive that point home even further:

As Steve said, we'll have over 1400 used cars on hand from most of our brands.  14 of our dealerships are participating.  If and when you come, be prepared to drive out of there with a great deal on a great car.  

Where will we be? Two spots:  The Hamburg Fairgrounds and the Eastern Hills Mall. Two awesome local businesses we've always enjoyed working with. 

To get a little taste of what will be on hand, check out our specials page on WestHerr.com! 

Beat The Traffic

New App Most Comprehensive Traffic Alert App Yet 

The Beat The Traffic app is about to change the way you drive.

Beat the Traffic was already a great app, but version 2.0 is a step up, by all accounts.  Beat The Traffic is designed to save you time by giving you real-time traffic updates including accidents, traffic congestion and road work delays.  

The new and improved app will offer interactive maps plus even more deeper street details.  It will estimate travel times and check this out:  it even has live camera views.  Very cool!

To get into specifics:  the app will tell you accident severity.  So if it says "high" you might want to plan a different route.  Plus it will show you how fast traffic is moving in certain areas.  

Additional tools, such as personalized traffic reports and saved routes, will be available for a fee.  The first version is now available on Blackberry, Android and iOS.  Version 2.0 will launch on iOS first 

Though Buffalo isn't insane on traffic by any means, this app will still be helpful.  Any other app suggestions? Let us know!  

Night Moves

Mass Market Night Vision Device Coming to Auto Navigation Systems

So we've all driven at night and as we all know it can be a real task sometimes.  Especially in unfamiliar territory.  A new night-vision system may just be the fix for that.  

Safety company Autoliv plans to roll out an upgraded night vision system that will help drivers identify pedestrians and large animals in the road.  So for those of us who have ever hit a deer or come close, this will be a huge addition to your car.  

"Autoliv's night-vision system detects temperature differences among objects in the road. If a pedestrian or animal is detected, the motorist gets a warning 2 to 4 seconds before the vehicle appears likely to hit it," said Cnet.  

As you can see from the picture above, the display will alert the driver on the navigation system of any potential hazards.  It will even be programmed to avoid weather affects and oncoming vehicle lights.  

So far this technology is restricted to luxury cars, but with the way things are going, it could move it's way to other makes and models.  

So what do you think, would you use a night vision system?

The Quietest Ride Of All

Ford Engineers Creating A Nearly Noise-Free Cabin 

We all have different values in a car:  some of us want speed, room, or safety.  Some people value a nice quiet ride.  In certain situations, don't we all value that a little?  

If you're looking for a quiet cabin, then the new Ford Escape could be for you.  Multiple outlets have described it as "exceptionally quiet."  

How are they doing it?  Through a new mirror tool they use in testing..  The elliptical shaped mirror looks like a satellite dish with a microphone, used to improve acoustics and decrease wind noise.  High tech stuff.  

"The mirror identifies 'hot spots' where noise penetrates the interior of the vehicle, allowing drivers to listen to music or conversation inside the car instead of external noises," the company said in a press release.

With the use of this technology, the Escape now sports a new shape designed to be optimally quite. The tuning work on the A-pillar, for example, helps ensure better noise performance in crosswind situations.

See?  As per usual, Ford thought of everything.  If you'd like to check out the Ford Escape, visit West Herr Ford in Hamburg or Amherst!  

Windows As Entertainment

GM Designing Interactive Windows

We've heard of tv screens in cars and of course infotainment, but GM is looking to take that concept to the next level: they are turning windows into interactive displays.  

Toyota first showed a demo video of this concept about 6 months ago, but it looks like GM's Research and Development department are entering the arena as well.  

The basic concept is that your windows would display interactive animations, images, etc.  You'd swipe and control it with your finger.  Basically, it's a sci-fi movie in the ilk of Tom Cruise's Minority Report come to life.  

Check out a video demo of it:

"Advanced windows that are capable of responding to vehicle speed and location could augment real-world views with interactive enhancements to provide entertainment and educational value," Tom Seder, GM R&D lab group manager for human-machine interface said.

So far the team has developed 4 apps that would "bcapable of stimulating awareness, nurturing curiosity, and encouraging a stronger connection with the world outside the vehicle," GM said.

Very cool.  Probably very far off, but we can't wait to see it if/when it does come to be.  In the mean time, check our own GM stores in East Aurora, Orchard Park and Hamburg! 

Plan Ahead For A Smoother Trip

New Ford Sync App Makes Navigation Even Easier 

Ford Sync knows where you want to go and the latest upgrade, named Sync Destinations, will ensure you arrive at your favorite places safe and sound.  

We've written about the awesomeness of the Ford Sync app in the past, Sync Destinations takes the convenience to a whole new level.  Sync Destinations will push navigation directions from an Android device, iPhone or iPad to any 2010 or 2011 Ford that supports Sync's TDI (Traffic, Directions and Information) services.  So basically you get directions on your phone, your Ford will read them off to you.

That's not all. What sets the app apart from other apps is that it account for the departure and arrival times, both current and historical traffic patterns, and searches for businesses or contacts.  

It gets better.  The app can support as many as 25 saved common access points.  So basically if you go somewhere frequently, the app will tell you how the traffic is before you go.  So if you're traveling near a sports arena and there's an event which will  impact parking and traffic, Sync will let you know about it. Sync Destinations helps you plan ahead for a better trip. 

Plus the app uses a device's built-in GPS for an added safety measure: if the device and thus the car are moving faster than 5MPH, the app will refuse to provide its features to bring attention back to the road.

Sync Destinations is free on all platforms and should be available today for Android and iOS users, although drivers need to also have registered their cars for TDI. A BlackBerry version is coming but is so far only described as coming soon.

The Self-Healing iPhone Case

Nissan Technology Could Carry Over To Smartphone Protection

Have you ever dropped your iPhone?  It's ok to admit it, I absolutely have.  Multiple times, in fact.  It definitely has a few scratches on it that I've learned to live with.  

However, a new type of paint developed by Nissan could have (and still might) change that.  

Scratch Shield paint, developed by Nissan, can repair small scratches on a surface within a few hours.  It is also far more scratch resistant than normal paint and provides a better grip.  

Luckily for clumsy iPhone owners like myself, Nissan is trying out Scratch Shield paint on iPhone cases. Cnet reported that it's currently in Beta testing, but if that goes well then the case will be available to the public later this year.  

The paint is currently used on the Nissan Murano, 370Z and X-Trail.  If this takes off, it would certainly be a gamechanger for iPhone, and eventually all smartphone, owners.

For new and used Nissan vehicles, visit West Herr Nissan in Orchard Park! 

Monitor Your Health As Your Drive

Ford To Take Sync Capabilities Into The Health Realm 

So the Ford Sync has shown it can seamlessly merge hands free calling, audio and other basic functions in a safe manner.   Ford is looking to take Sync's capabilities even further.  

Ford is looking to partner with medical companies to bring medical monitoring to vehicles.  Specifically, they will take aim at diabetes, asthma and hypoglycemia monitoring.  

The diabetes monitoring would happen through a Bluetooth-enabled device that actually connects to the driver.  It would monitor glucose levels and send instant alerts if levels got too extreme.  

The asthma monitoring system is a little more complicated. Ford is launching AppLink, a large system of in-car apps.  The app will gather pollen levels in the area and submit the info to the driver.  There's also talk of another app for real-time solutions to health ailments as well.  

These apps are still being developed and may not see the market for a bit.  Still, it's interesting to see Ford taking in car entertainment in this direction.  Stay tuned for what they come up with next! 

If you want a demo of Ford Sync, visit West Herr Ford in Amherst or Hamburg!

Horn Studies

Survey Reveals Which Type of Drivers Use Their Horns The Most and Least

So, let's all be honest with ourselves for a minute here:  we've all used the car horn once or twice. Whether it's out of frustration or out of an actual need to communicate with another driver, you've most likely honked your horn.  

However, as some of us know, some use the horn more than others.  

A unique but interesting study came out of the UK this week.  Onepoll did a survey to find out which type of drivers use their horns the most, and the least.  The results are a little surprising.  Here are the most significant findings: 

• Nissan drivers honk their horns the least, only 5% admitted to honking
• BMW owners admitted to honking their horns more than anyone
• Jaguar drivers honked their horns the second most

The main reasons cited for sounding the horn were when another driver pulls out in front (52%) and when a vehicle is stationary at a green traffic light (51%). To alert other drivers of a danger accounted for only 29% of horn use.

Onepoll surveyed 2000 motorists for this study. Interesting results indeed. How often do you use your horn and why?   

Hitting The Slopes For A Good Cause

SkiScape Event Helps Out Kids Escaping Drugs

Winter is here, but even before it hit many Western New Yorkers were already participating in some winter sports for a good cause.  

The 14th Annual Kids Escaping Drugs SkiScape event took place this past Sunday at Hollimont Ski Resort. Hundreds of skiers and snowboarders were on hand to participate in group and team races, all to help out Kids Escaping Drugs. 

Our own Bill Loecher, who is also a member of the Kids Escaping Drugs board of directors, was on hand and was thrilled with the turnout.  

“I saw a lot of familiar faces that have came back over the years,” Loecher told Metro WNY news. “It really makes this a memorable event.” 

Teenagers who are involved in the program were given the opportunity to spend the day on the slopes skiing and talking to firefighters, volunteers, and mentors who offered the kids advice about staying on the right path in life and saying no to drugs and alcohol

For information regarding other events to support KED, or how to help visit them at their website or their Facebook page.