When you give a AAA membership, you’re sharing peace of mind and savings.

 The house is cleaned and decorated and the cookies are in the oven, but you feel like you’re still missing something …
 The presents!
 Don’t worry. AAA makes holiday shop­ping easy and affordable. Here are some of the many gifts you can save on this season.
 1. AAA gift memberships. Never know what to give that one person on your list? Give him or her peace of mind and savings with a AAA gift membership. It’s available at your local AAA office, at AAA.com or by calling (800) JOIN-AAA. You can have the membership welcome kit mailed directly to the recipient, or if you’d prefer to hand-deliver it, you can have it sent to your address.
2. American Express gift cards. Let your friends and family pick out their own special something when you give them an American Express prepaid gift card. Use the cards wherever American Express is accepted. There’s no expiration date, and through Dec. 24, you pay no purchase fee when you buy five or more cards at a AAA office.
3. Movie tickets. Are your loved ones counting down to the holiday movie season? Get them discounted movie tickets at AAA.com/tickets or at your local AAA branch. Discounted tickets are available for AMC, Cinema World, Entertainment, Regal and Showcase Cinemas.
4. Shopnow. From flowers to fashion, sports memora­bi­lia to sweet treats, AAA members get plenty of online discounts. Visit AAA.com/shopnow, and click on your favorite re­tailer, like Barnes & Noble, Kohl’s or Target. You’ll save big on your online purchases made through the site. Restrictions apply. Discounts do not apply to in-store purchases. See AAA.com/shopnow for details.
5. T-Mobile. Whether you’re looking for a basic cell or the trendiest smartphone, save when you sign up with T-Mobile. AAA members qualify for discounts on many new phones. You’ll even save the $35 activation fee. (Two-year contract required.) Plus, members save 13 percent on their monthly T-Mobile wireless bill. Visit AAA.com/tmobile for details.

BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

When driving in the snow, make all maneuvers slow and steady.

 Cold. Snow. Ice.
 While the weather outside may seem frightful, there are basic tips for driving safely this season. Here are some winter-driving guidelines from AAA.
Slow Down
 Cars require a 30- to 50-percent greater distance to stop in wintry conditions. To accommodate this, reduce speed accordingly; if the speed limit is 60 mph, slow down to 40 mph. Make all maneuvers, from steering to braking, slow and steady to prevent skidding.
 Four-wheel drive doesn’t mean winter weather won’t affect you.
“It may help you up the hill, but it won’t slow you down or help you stop going down the hill,” said AAA Traffic Safety Manager John Paul. “Don’t get lulled into a false sense of security just because you have a car with four-wheel drive.”
Stay Aware
 Ice and snow are most slippery when they are just starting to melt. This is most evident at intersections, where cars stop over the snow, melting it with the heat of the vehicle. Be especially careful at these areas.
Even if roads don’t look icy, there could be black ice, a thin layer of invisible ice. This dangerous road condition forms when ice and snow start to thaw and then refreeze. It is usually found in the morning in shady areas like on- and off-ramps.
Remain Calm
 If you feel your car starting to skid, it is crucial that you don’t panic or immediately step on the brake.
 AAA recommends you look and steer in the direction you want the car to go. Once the car is back on track, begin to accelerate slowly until you are at the speed of traffic.
Be Prepared
 It’s important to dress appropriately for the climate inside the car. Don’t wear so many puffy layers of clothing that you cannot move comfortably while driving. Also, wear sensible gloves made for gripping a steering wheel, rather than mittens or other bulky gloves. Keep the heat at a reasonable level inside the car, and stay well ventilated. Excessive heat can lead to drowsy driving.
 Keep an emergency road kit in your vehicle to prepare for conditions of all sorts. AAA offices offer a 42-piece kit for the discounted member price of $21.99. Add winter supplies like a blanket, cat litter, ice scraper, shovel and snow brush, and you are ready to go.
 For more advice on winter driving, check out AAA’s brochure “How to Go on Ice and Snow.” Pick up a copy at your local AAA office or download one at AAA.com/horizons.
 More winter driving tips are available at AAA.com/PublicAffairs.

BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE

The electric Nissan Leaf has a range of 100 miles.

 
 The automotive business tends to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. So does that mean the 2010 model year will be boring and lack any innovations?
 No. Although the internal combustion engine has been around for more than a century, the technology continues to change.   For 2010 we will see more technology, more horsepower, lower vehicle emissions and better fuel economy than ever.
 As an example, Ford Motor Co. is introducing a new engine technology called EcoBoost, which will deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy. The EcoBoost family of four- and six-cylinder engines features both turbo-charging and direct-fuel-injection technology to improve performance.
 According to Derrick Kuzack, group Vice President of Ford’s Global Product development, “EcoBoost is meaningful because it can be applied across a wide variety of engine types in a range of vehicles, from small cars to large trucks – and it’s affordable.”
 The added cost of EcoBoost, according to Ford, can be recouped in less than three years — as opposed to the up-to-eight years it can take to offset the additional expense of the hybrid technology.
 Recently, I drove two models with EcoBoost technology: the Ford Flex and the Lincoln MKS. Both models performed as if they were equipped with V-8 engines delivering smooth, steady power from a stop up to highway speeds.
 Certainly, two of the most interesting vehicles slated to appear in 2010 are the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt. The Leaf is an affordable electric car with a range of about 100 miles and a top speed of 90 mph. It will use a lithium-ion battery pack that should provide V-6 engine acceleration and zero emissions.
 Of course, recharging the battery is always a concern. The Leaf will have two options, including a home charger that will provide a full charge in about eight hours. The second met­hod is more interesting: Nissan has developed a “quick” charger that will give the Leaf an 80 percent charge in about 30 minutes. This could be the first use of a “filling station” for electric cars.
 The Volt takes a different approach. It is an advanced hybrid, extended-range electric car. The battery can deliver about 40 miles of everyday driving. When it runs low, a gasoline generator powers the electric motor, giving the Volt the equivalent of 300 miles per gallon. General Motors estimates a 100-mile trip would cost about $2.75.
 Beyond the cars, the technology debuting in 2010 is exciting in its own right. BMW has developed an upgraded system for its night-vision display; it uses an advanced infrared system to detect objects and pedestrians. I drove an early version and was amazed at how sensitive it was. On a country road, it could detect a rabbit crossing the road 30 feet away. Pedestrians that were completely invisible at night stood out like bright lights on the display panel.
 Although the concept is slightly “big brotherish,” Volvo and Mercedes Benz vehicles can watch how you drive. Based on certain criteria and accumulated data, the cars can suggest the driver take a break and rest, rather than drive tired or impaired.
 Other Volvo models take a more active approach in safety. Certain 2010 models have a braking system called City Safety Technology, designed to avoid crashes in stop-and-go driving. It uses an infrared laser sensor to monitor the distance to the vehicle in front of yours. If the car’s computer detects the driver isn’t slowing down fast enough, the system activates the brakes to stop the car in time, avoiding a rear-end collision.
 Although I drove the Volvo XC 60 with the City Safety system, I didn’t have the nerve to test it out. I’ll have to trust the engineers at Volvo.
Blind-spot-monitoring systems, designed to tell the driver it could be dangerous to change lanes, have been around for a few years in luxury cars.  In 2010, we are seeing them in more affordable cars. Ford is offering it in the Fusion and Milan, and Mazda is offering a similar system in many models.
For 2010 we won’t see any flying cars, but we will see some of the most advanced technology ever.

BACK TO HORIZONS MAIN PAGE