Wadley March 4

Here is my "final" draft (yes, I realize it will probably need to be cut):

Getting from point A to point B has never been so progressive.

With all of the developments in technology since the first cars were mass produced in the early 1900s, the automotive industry has consistently turned out vehicles with features to increase the safety, luxury and fuel efficiency of the driving experience. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced plans Feb. 3 to move forward with development of vehicle-to-vehicle communication in light vehicles.

"Vehicle-to-vehicle technology represents the next generation of auto safety improvements, building on the life-saving achievements we've already seen with safety belts and air bags," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a press release. "By helping drivers avoid crashes, this technology will play a key role in improving the way people get where they need to go while ensuring that the U.S. remains the leader in the global automotive industry."

Communications among vehicles using this technology would improve safety by providing the vehicle with 360-degree motion awareness to avoid potential crash situations, such as passing on a two-lane road, making a left turn across the path of oncoming traffic or approaching a busy intersection. According to the NHTSA press release, these warnings would not automatically operate any vehicle systems, like brakes or steering control, but rather alert the driver of these warnings in order to avoid dangerous situations.

Safety is a driving factor behind a myriad of new features in consumer vehicles, including those that offer a safe alternative to entertaining oneself while driving. Apple unveiled a system called CarPlay that integrates a driver's iPhone into the built-in display of a vehicle, giving the driver hands-free access to GPS, phone calls, messages and music.

The system will combine voice control, a dashboard touch screen and the knobs, dials and buttons in the car, according to the Apple website. It supports other iPhone apps, such as iHeartRadio, Stitcher and Spotify, with more to be announced in the future. These features will be available in models from Ferrari, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo in 2014.

With the increased cost of additional features, drivers may be looking to cut costs. Electric vehicles offer the option of saving on gas while reducing carbon emissions simultaneously, and Nissan's Leaf offers drivers a completely electric, zero-emissions driving experience, said Alonzo Scott, a sales and lease consultant at Sunbelt Nissan in Augusta, Ga.

“(The Leaf) averages 99 miles between charges,” Scott said. “(Home charging stations) are available. It comes with a trickle charger that you plug up to a 120-volt, regular home outlet to fully charge overnight.”

The car includes features to alert drivers where the nearest charging stations are while they are on the road, Scott said. It also has an “econo-mode” feature which conserves power while the car is coasting.

“It also regenerates power,” he said. “Say if you're coasting and you take your foot off the gas going down a hill, it regenerates power and recharges the battery. The SL, which is the top of the line, it has a solar panel built into the car, which uses solar energy to recharge and power the accessories.”

In addition to the Leaf, another Nissan model also offers drivers a fuel-friendly option.

“The 2014 Altima, especially, comes with a 2.5 four-cylinder engine, and gas mileage is just out of this world, 33 miles to the gallon on the highway and and 27 in the city,” Scott said. “And that's off a regular gas-burning engine.”

With the Leaf being so technologically advanced, one might expect a huge price tag, but Scott said the price range is similar to many other new models on the market of gas-burning vehicles and includes a wide array of features.

“It's going to be in the gamut of 29,000 to 35 or 38,000 (dollars),” he said. “Even in the base model, you still get heated seats, keyless entry, keyless start, power windows, power door locks, air conditioning.”

Scott said these technologically advanced features are a necessity for cars in order for them to sell.

“The old term of base model, stripped down model—you can throw that out of the window,” he said. “You don't see anything anymore without air conditioning, without power windows.”