Feds Propose Distracted-Driving Guidelines to Automakers

Citing more than 3,000 highway deaths from distracted driving in 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed a set of distracted-driving guidelines today. The auto industry and the public will have 60 days to comment on the proposal — the first ever regarding distracted driving — with hearings in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will issue final guidelines thereafter.

In a conference call to reporters this morning, NHTSA administrator David Strickland laid out a handful of guidelines to reduce the "complexity and amount of time required" for in-car systems:

• Allow usage with one hand, leaving the other on the steering wheel
• Limit how long drivers' eyes are off the road to two seconds or less
• Limit "unnecessary visual information" in the driver's field of view
• Limit the number of manual inputs required for various operations

2013 BMW X3 to Get Four-Cylinder Option

An updated 2013 BMW X3 will go into production in April with a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine, more tech options and a new M performance package.

The 4xDrive28i will replace its 240-horsepower inline-six-cylinder with an equally powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder motor. The engine — already available on the 3 Series, 5 Series and Z4 — also comes with an auto stop/start feature for improved gas mileage. The current X3 xDrive28i gets an EPA-estimated 21 mpg combined.

The new four-cylinder won't make the X3 cheaper, but it won't make it any more expensive, either. At $37,995 including destination, the SUV costs the same as the outgoing 2012 trim. The xDrive28i gets more standard equipment, however, including a power liftgate, 18-inch alloy wheels, chrome tailpipes and a fuel-saving program BMW calls Driving Dynamics Control.

For folks who still prefer the sound of six-cylinder power, the xDrive35i soldiers on with its 3.0-liter inline-six, which produces 300 hp. It also gets an auto start/stop feature that will improve fuel economy by up to 3% in certain conditions, BMW says. The xDrive35i will go on sale for $43,595, which is also the same as last year's model. An M Sport Package featuring 19-inch wheels is available on the xDrive35i.

A new lane departure warning system is optional. Additional trim, feature and fuel economy info will be made available closer to the SUV's launch early this summer.

Love That New-Car Smell? Your Body Doesn't

An environmental group has released the findings of its annual study on automotive toxic materials, and the news isn't good for 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport owners.

Mitsubishi's compact SUV was rated the worst for toxic materials in the cabin, according to tests by the Ecology Center, a non-profit group based in Ann Arbor, Mich. The center found higher levels of contaminants such as bromine, chromium and lead in the Outlander Sport's seats, plastic parts and center console. Other offenders on the list include the 2011 Chrysler 200 and the 2011 Kia Soul.

Cars.com News Briefs: Feb. 16, 2012

Here's what we have our eye on today:

• Despite losing money in confidence-starved Europe, GM posted global profits in 2011 of $9.2 billion, the highest in its 103-year history, Bloomberg News reports. European units, including GM's Opel division, lost $747 million in 2011. That's less than half of GM's Europe loss in 2010, Bloomberg notes, but not the breakeven the automaker had planned for in November. With just more than 9 million cars sold worldwide, GM was the best-selling automaker in 2011. After a 2009 bailout and subsequent initial public offering, the U.S. Treasury still holds 32% of GM's shares.
• About 30% of GM's 26,000 salaried employees — i.e., not hourly workers — have defined-contribution 401(k) retirement programs, with the remainder getting traditional defined-payout pensions. After Oct. 1, however, the automaker plans to move the remainder to 401(k)s, The Detroit News reports. Those with pensions will retain benefits earned through that date.
• Ford is bullish that its redesigned Fusion Hybrid will beat the Camry Hybrid. The automaker has 461 patents on its hybrid systems, up from just 30 a decade ago, Bloomberg News reports. Toyota, in contrast, has more than 2,000 patents for its hybrids, a spokeswoman told Bloomberg. But the Fusion Hybrid gets better gas mileage: 47/44 mpg (city/highway) compared with the Camry Hybrid's 43/39 mpg. By 2020, Ford expects hybrids and plug-in vehicles — whether all-electric or gasoline-supported — to account for 10% to 25% of its global sales.

Porsche Announces Macan SUV

The Porsche Macan compact SUV will slot below the Cayenne in Porsche's linup, bringing the automaker's sport-ute count to two. Porsche previously announced plans to sell a compact SUV, but it was rumored to be called Cajun. The Macan name is a new one for Porsche, and it is derived from the Indonesian word for tiger.

Though we don't know much about the Macan, it's likely that it will share its platform with Audi's compact SUV, the Q5. Based on the sketch, the Macan looks like a compact four-door crossover with a sloping roofline, sleek lines and coupe-like silhouette. Its closest competitor will probably be Land Rover's newest SUV, the compact Range Rover Evoque. To wit, Porsche says the Macan will be off-road ready.

The Macan will be built at Porsche's plant in Leipzig, Germany, in late 2013. No word on when it will hit U.S. dealerships, but probably in early 2014.

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 Land Rover Range Rover Sport: Car Seat Check

For parents looking to seal their social status with a car that maintains its off-road abilities, look no further than the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport. It's not nearly as sleek as its sibling, the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, but this five-passenger SUV has a certain ruggedness for those looking for off-road adventures.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.

2012 Toyota Camry Video

The Toyota Camry gets what looks like mostly iterative changes to its exterior for the 2012 model year, but it's what's on the inside that counts. The 2012 Camry has a nice polish to its interior, good sightlines and lots of cargo space. Ride comfort and brakes are much improved, too, Cars.com Industry Analyst Kelsey Mays says.

Volvo Teases New V40

Volvo's resurrecting the V40 name for its new car. In anticipation of the vehicle's reveal next month at March's Geneva Motor Show, the automaker released a picture of its new compact.

The V40 is slated to replace the S40 sedan and V50 wagon, which were discontinued for the 2012 model year in the U.S. The V40 wagon was dropped after model-year 2004.

Though we can't glean too much from the shadowy image, it looks like V40 is a compact hatchback. Based on its size, it'll likely slot above the C30 two-door hatchback in Volvo's lineup.

Follow the reveal on Volvo’s FaceBook page.

J.D. Power Releases 2012 Dependability Study

The good news today from J.D. Power and Associates is that overall vehicle dependability across all brands and vehicles has improved 13% over last year's scores. The data company's annual Vehicle Dependability Study rates the reliability of 3-year-old vehicles, so this year’s scores examine the performance of model-year 2009 cars, trucks and SUVs.

Most brands improved, with 25 out of the 32 gaining points. Six brands fell in the ranks, and one stayed the same. Brands awarded the top four slots are Lexus, Porsche, Cadillac and Toyota. The scores are toughest on Chrysler, whose brands rounded out the bottom of the list: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles performed the worst, according to the study.