Nevada Prepares for Self-Driven Cars

The state of Nevada is preparing for the day when self-driving cars move from the world of sci-fi to real life, the Associated Press reports. It recently became the first state to create regulations for companies interested in testing self-driven cars on public roads.

The state acknowledges that automakers aren't close to getting this technology to market, but Nevada wants to have laws in place when -- and if -- it happens. Regulations approved by state officials include requiring companies to secure a bond of $1 million to $3 million, detail their specific plans and intended test locations, and provide all collected data to the state. Nevada also requires that during testing, two passengers will always be in the car, in case one needs to override the controls.

GM Designer Talks the Future of GMC, Defends Touch-Sensitive Controls

With the restyled 2013 Acadia SUV that debuted at last week's Chicago Auto Show, GMC could begin to graduate from what it's been for too long: a brand of Chevrolet clones.

Parent company GM has said for decades it wants to move beyond badge engineering — slotting the same car with minimal changes into its various brands — and the Acadia shows promise.

The Acadia rides the same platform as the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave, and up through the 2012 model, overall quality has mirrored the Traverse. It begs the question: Why not buy the better-equipped Chevrolet for the same price? But that has changed.

2012 Chevy Volt More Miss Than Hit for This Family

A 2011 Chevy Volt has been part of Cars.com's Chicago-based fleet for more than a year now. It was purchased to see how the Volt performed in the city's four seasons. Follow Cars.com's coverage of the Volt here.

When a 2012 version showed up at my Colorado home for a weeklong test, I wanted to see how it would handle the arduous tasks an average suburban family would put it through, including driving carpool, running errands and loading up all the kids' stuff. My family's verdict on the Volt was a mixed bag, but there were more misses than hits.

Silverado, the Official Truck of the Apocalypse

Although most of us know by now that Nicolas Cage and the Mayans got it wrong and the world probably won't end in 2012, Chevrolet wants you to know that the apocalypse is no match for its Silverado pickup.

Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: January 2012

After capping 2011 with four decent months, the auto industry hit 2012 running. Analysts expect auto sales to outpace 2011 figures anywhere from 6% to 10%, which could make 2012 the best sales year since 2007.

January enticed consumers with total incentives — including financing offers, automaker and dealer cash, and trade-in bonuses — amounting to 16% off the average car’s MSRP, CNW Marketing Research reports. That beats January 2011, when shoppers saw only 13.5% off the average MSRP.

Shoppers took advantage. January sales jumped 11%, beating Tuesday’s expectations. This marks the best annualized month since 2009, Automotive News reports. Chrysler, Nissan and Hyundai-Kia saw double-digit sales gains, with GM the only top-seven automaker to post a loss.

Chevrolet Sonic Free-Falls into Super Bowl Coverage

Here's an interesting tidbit about the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic: Until this point, it hasn't received any traditional TV ads as a part of its launch campaign, according to GM. That's about to change in a big way with the minute-long spot that'll air during Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday. The ad highlights some of the cool things Chevy has been doing with the Sonic to get the attention of young car buyers.

Some stunts include shoving a Sonic out of a cargo plane, kick-flipping a Sonic and making a music video for OK Go that features the Sonic. Check out the amalgamation above.

Shoppers Say Chevy Volt Expensive, Nissan Leaf Ugly in Study

Despite their small share of total vehicle sales, the Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius garner a lot of attention from new-car shoppers, according to J.D. Power and Associates' 2012 Avoider Study.

The study finds that gas mileage is the most important attribute shoppers are looking at now, surpassing older key reasons such as exterior styling, reliability and price.

That puts the Volt, Prius and Leaf in a good position as each are among the most fuel-efficient cars in the country.

New Chevrolets Get Ecological Label

Chevrolet says it will start putting new informational labels on its vehicles to help consumers understand the vehicle's ecological impact. But is it just a marketing gimmick?

Starting in March with the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, each new model will have a small label on the rear driver-side window. More Chevrolets will get the label starting with the 2013 model year.

The label helps explain the ecological benefits of choosing a Chevy over competing vehicles, or possibly a used car. Facts on the Sonic's label include that it was produced in the U.S. — thus reducing emissions related to transportation — and that the car is 85% recyclable. An independent third-party sustainability agency verifies the information on the labels.

We don't know of any other manufacturers with labels like this, which actually puts Chevrolet's facts into a bit of a vacuum. How will consumers know if other vehicles don't offer the same green benefits? For instance, a car is one of the most recyclable items on the planet, with about 75% to 80% being reused on average. That makes the Sonic's recyclable figure, while still better, seem less impressive.

If other automakers started printing labels like this and there were more comparative analysis and context, we could see how the labels could benefit car shoppers.

Totally New Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra Coming Next Year

If you're shopping in the highly competitive pickup truck market, expect to see a completely redesigned Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra next year, according to our friends at PickupTrucks.com.

The Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 were last redesigned in 2006. They got a new body, frame and suspension. This time around, expect more of the same. We should see a totally new exterior and interior design, a new frame and heavily revised engines, PickupTrucks.com reports.

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Now on Sale

The wait is over for customers eager to get into the redesigned-for-2013 Malibu, but there's a catch. The Malibu is just now hitting U.S. dealerships, but the first model offered for sale is the Eco version, which uses the gas/electric powertrain GM calls eAssist.

The mild hybrid system is a re-engineered version of the hybrid powertrain in the old Malibu and now-defunct Saturn Aura sedan and Vue compact SUV. It was a flop for GM due to elevated prices and disappointing fuel-economy figures.