WomanOnWheels.ca

Making license plates: The job you don't want!

Not in a jurisdiction such as Ontario, where they're made by prison inmates. (That's also the case in New Hampshire, where prisoners have to stamp out license plates that include the state's slogan, Live free or die...)

Find out more on how they're made in my Driving Force column in Metro.

Why should you do oil changes?

Oil's possibly the most important fluid in your vehicle: without it, your engine can turn into a piece of scrap in a very short period of time. Changing it regularly can help prevent engine wear. Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro.

Too much fuel? Push the button ...

Many vehicles now have "economy" buttons, which alter such things as the throttle response and transmission shift points for improved fuel economy. Find out more about Honda's version in my Driving Force column in Metro.

Building auto parts: It's a numbers game

Automakers depend on mass production: that's how they bring the prices down and turn a profit. Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro!

Why your car crumples in a crash

It's not to make the body shop rich; rather, it's to save your life. Your car crumples to dissipate crash energy that would otherwise make its way to you. Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro.

All about auto platform sharing ...

You may have heard of "platform sharing," but have you ever wondered what it is? I found out ... and it's here in my Driving Force column in Metro.

What's a boxer engine?

You've probably heard that Subaru has a "boxer" engine, but do you know what it means? Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro.

Pet safety: Is your best buddy buckled in?

A huge number of people let their pets roam loose in the car, but it can be extremely dangerous - both to the pet, and to occupants in the vehicle. Buckling in your pet can potentially save lives. Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro!

Spring's coming - are you ready?

Your car's had a rough time all winter, so as the weather gets warmer, it's time to show it some love. I have some tips in my Driving Force column in Metro (along with a handsome model for the photo!) - click here.

Stop and steer: Why ABS matters

Just about everyone has heard about anti-lock brakes, or ABS, but do you know exactly why cars use this system? Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Distracted driving: Teens think it's dangerous

A recent poll found that if anything's going to stop young drivers from driving while distracted, it's because it's dangerous, not because they could get a ticket. Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Locked liftgate? Kick it open!

That's the deal behind Ford's hands-free power liftgate, which opens or closes automatically when you have the key in your pocket, and you kick your foot under the bumper. Read how it works in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Hyundai eye-tracking: Who needs buttons and knobs?

Hyundai recently rolled out its HCD-14 concept, but the big news was inside. The car has no conventional centre stack. Rather, it uses a system that includes eye tracking and 3D hand gestures to operate such things as the radio or climate system. Learn more in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

So what will happen with all those electric car batteries?

Companies are already working on the issue of reuse, even though there aren't many electric cars on the road, especially since they'll still have lots of life left in them. One such use could be stationary storage, which GM demonstrated recently with this unit. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Toyota Prius Plug-In: How it works

It looks like a regular Prius, and it runs as a hybrid just as the regular one does, but you can also plug it in and travel part of your route entirely on a household charge. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

The scoop on clean gasoline

Although there are more cars on the road, and we're driving more, the air is actually cleaner than it used to be. Some of this is due to cleaner gasolines, including low-sulphur ones. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

What's depreciation all about?

It's the difference between what you paid for your car, and what you could get for it if you sold it, but the amount it goes down depends on numerous factors. Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Has your car been recalled? Here's what you should know ...

First of all, don't panic. And secondly, just because you have the notice, it doesn't necessarily mean that your car is unsafe. Read all about recalls in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Winter tires: Look for the mountain and snowflake

That's the symbol for a tire that meets the standard for winter use, but it doesn't necessarily mean you're buying the best tire for the job. Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Winter driving: It's all about your eyes

"Look where you want to go" is the key to safe driving, which I discovered at a Michelin event where I was sent into a skid and had to get myself out of it. Find out why your eyes are important in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Ford is putting plants in your car

 I went to visit the Research and Advanced Engineering complex at Ford, where I discovered, among other things, that the manufacturer is making parts from plants ... and money. Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Wiper blades: Oh, say, can you see?

If you can't, then change your wiper blades - they're an essential safety feature. Find out more on them, and on winter blades, in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Turbochargers and superchargers: What do they do?

You've heard of turbos, but do you know how they work? Or why you're hearing more about them for fuel efficiency? Find out more in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Towing: Are you thinking about safety?

Towing may look simple, but it can be dangerous if you don't do it right - and the smaller trailers are the most likely candidates for unsafe rigs. Read more in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Air filters: Your car needs to breathe

That nasty thing is an air filter that's been left too long in a car, and it's clogged and can't do its job. You'll want to change your cabin and engine air filters regularly. Read all about them in my Driving Force column in in Metro by clicking here.

Infiniti's Personal Assistant: What do you need to know?

There are a few automakers who can link you to a live person who will help you out when needed, but Infiniti has taken this a step beyond with its Infiniti Personal Assistant. You can ask for sports scores, movie times, trivia questions ... and yes, it really works.

 I was given a chance to try it. I was going away and was going to make a restaurant reservation at my destination, so I called IPA (no, not the beer), gave the restaurant name and town it's in, and left it at that. Two minutes later, I got an email with all the info. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

How do you measure a car? With ping-pong balls!

Yes, ping-pong balls. Ford engineers found that it's difficult to measure oddly-sized compartments using traditional methods, and came up with the idea of computing the space between balls and then filling containers with them. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

School safety: Parents need lessons, too

According to a new survey by InsuranceHunter.ca, some 80 per cent of parents dropping off their children at school have watched other drivers speeding, ignoring signs, or driving while distracted. Read my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here - and drive carefully any time you're around a school.

Do you know how to keep your child safe in a car?

I asked Britax, and got all kinds of information, including the fact that development is the key, rather than just the child's age or weight. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Are you sitting properly in your car?

If you're not, you could be setting yourself up for injury, or the inability to properly control your car in an emergency. Read all about how to sit, hold your hands, and stay safe with the airbag in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

"Green" tires: How, exactly?

Tires today have to do more than just get you home safely: they also have to do it while using as little fuel as possible. Learn more about low rolling resistance in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

General Motors goes to the hospital

Crash-test dummies are invaluable for gathering crash information, but they have their limits: since they don't break, or have soft tissue, they can't tell the full story on what's happening to the body.

General Motors engineers are training at a hospital to see how crashes affect the human body and what can be done to improve safety. I spoke with Barbara Bunn, at the far right in the photo. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Focus groups: Are they really talking to people?

Indeed they are, it seems. Automakers talk about "focus groups" when it comes to developing a product, which got me wondering: do they phone people, do they put them around a table, or what? So I asked Chrysler. Read the answer in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Discs versus drums: What's in your brakes?

You've probably heard of both, but do you know the difference? Find out in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Gas versus diesel engines: What's the difference?

Quite a bit, especially when it comes to low-end power and fuel efficiency. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Ford's RUTH is making sure you're comfortable

If a driver says a button has the right feel to it, or a fabric is soft enough, how do you measure that so your engineers can duplicate it? Ford uses RUTH, a robot that pokes and prods a vehicle, collecting data that can be sent to the assembly line. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Subaru's EyeSight: An extra pair of eyes

Subaru's new system, dubbed EyeSight, uses twin cameras above the mirror to look ahead, prompting when needed so the car warns you of trouble ahead. If you don't pay attention, it'll also do some of the braking for you. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

The Atkinson cycle: Old technology on modern cars

You've probably heard of the Atkinson cycle, a common feature on engines in hybrid vehicles, but do you know what it is? Find out in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Got a cool car? Protect it with an appraisal

An appraisal isn't just to make you feel good about what your car's worth - it will help protect you if your vehicle's damaged or stolen. Without it, you could get only a fraction of its value. Read my Driving Force column in Metro to find what you need by clicking here.

Car repair: Where should you go?

Finding a good repair shop isn't always easy, but I have some tips in my Driving Force column in Metro. Read all about it by clicking here.

Are you too tired to drive?

Being sleepy behind the wheel can be just as dangerous as being intoxicated, but a surprising number of people drive when they're tired. Read about the danger in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Is your car cluttered? Here's some advice!

I spoke to a professional organizer, who gave me the scoop on how to organize a vehicle - it looks better and can be safer, too. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

New "communicating" tires tell all!

A new tire system from Michelin will debut on buses at the Olympic Games in London. The tires contain sensors and chips that communicate such information as their identification numbers, tire pressure, age, and temperature wirelessly through a hand-held device, leaving operators more time for visual checks. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Ford's crush cans: Taking the force so you don't

That's a "crush can," and it's an important part of the upcoming all-new Ford Fusion. It fits behind the bumper, and in a collision, it crushes to absorb crash energy. In a very minor crash, it could potentially be the only part of the car that needs replacing; in a major one, it's the first step toward protecting occupants. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

The newest airbag: Out from under the hood

Perhaps more than any other automaker, Volvo has a lot of technology designed to help protect pedestrians. The latest is an airbag that deploys from under the hood, lifting it up (since pedestrians are often injured when they slam into the hood, and it buckles and they hit the engine under it) and covering the wipers and A-pillars.

Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here. (You too, Joe.)

Just what is a cylinder, anyway?

Four-cylinder, six-cylinder, V8 ... what do the automakers mean? They're referring to cylinders bored into the engine, which contain the pistons that help to power the car. Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Learning to fix cars: It's more than just wrenches

Those items in the picture are hybrid components, and they're just a fraction of the high-tech items that auto students need to master today. I spoke with a professor at Centennial College in Toronto, who told me that while grease and tools are still important and always will be, math and sciences dominate in the auto repair field.

Read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

What's attached to that gearshift lever, anyway?

Shifting your transmission is pretty simple, but that lever is attached to a remarkably complex component, whether you have an automatic or a stick-shift. I have an explanation in my Driving Force column in Metro - check it out by clicking here.

Get your feet off the dash!

If you ever ride like this in a vehicle, or if you allow others to do so, stop it right now. This is a recipe for disaster: in even a minor crash, someone riding like this could suffer permanent injuries or possibly be killed. Find out why in my Driving Force column by clicking here.

Guard rails: More high-tech than you think

Okay, so maybe this one looks a little old-fashioned. But highways contain a number of high-tech systems to keep vehicles on the road and to absorb crash energy when someone runs into them. You can read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.