Month: December 2023

Dec 18

2023 Honda Accord: Is It the Best Sedan for the North American Car of the Year Award?

The 2023 Honda Accord, now in its 11th generation, continues the legacy of a beloved family sedan that first appeared in U.S. showrooms in 1976. Originally a compact three-door hatchback, the Accord quickly evolved to include a sedan model and began production in the U.S. by 1982, becoming the best-selling Japanese car in the country. Today, this stylish and dependable sedan remains a top choice for drivers, and it’s now a finalist for the North American Car of the Year.

One of the standout features of the new Accord is its refined hybrid drivetrain, which introduces advanced one-pedal driving with paddle shifters for energy regeneration. This innovative system, usually seen in electric vehicles, provides the hybrid Accord with enhanced energy efficiency and impressive fuel economy—up to 48 mpg combined in certain trims. The latest model also boasts a sophisticated 12.3-inch touchscreen, a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster, and premium design elements that underscore its blend of style and technology.

Inside, the 2023 Accord offers an upgraded experience with a focus on comfort and convenience. The top-tier Touring model includes heated and ventilated front seats, a heated rear seat, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system, ensuring a luxurious ride. Despite a shift in consumer preference toward SUVs, the Accord’s combination of quality, performance, and value helps it stand out, maintaining its strong position in the market.

Dec 18

Secret Service Response to Biden Motorcade Incident Sparks Controversy

Incident Overview

On a recent Sunday night, President Joe Biden’s motorcade was disrupted when a sedan collided with a parked Secret Service SUV assigned to secure intersections around Biden’s departure. As Biden walked towards his armored SUV from his Wilmington, Delaware campaign headquarters, the sedan breached the closed-off area. The crash, captured in a video by journalist Max Lewis, shows the Secret Service agents drawing their weapons and surrounding the car, while Biden was quickly ushered into his vehicle.

Response and Reactions

Despite the dramatic footage showing the Secret Service’s immediate response, some observers criticized the agents’ reaction time. Social media users, including journalist Victoria Brownworth, questioned the adequacy of the response, suggesting that agents should have acted more swiftly to protect the President. This criticism echoes past concerns about the Secret Service’s performance, including controversies over their handling of the January 6th attack and lapses in security measures.

Enhanced Analysis

The incident has sparked debate about the effectiveness of the Secret Service’s protocols under pressure. The slow response to the situation has led to calls for a thorough review of their operational procedures, especially in high-stakes scenarios involving the President. This scrutiny comes amid broader concerns about the agency’s readiness and capability to protect national leaders effectively.

The Secret Service has faced increased scrutiny recently, including allegations of mishandling crucial security details during past events. This incident may serve as a critical test for the agency’s current protocols and highlight areas needing improvement in their protective measures.

Dec 18

No Injuries in Semi – SUV Crash on I-94 Sunday Evening

Two vehicles collided on westbound I-94 in Wright County Sunday evening.

The State Patrol reports that around 6:15 PM, a westbound SUV collided with a semi truck that was stopped in the right lane of the freeway near Milepost 187 in Silver Creek Township.

Officials say the semi driver, a 52-year-old man from St. Cloud was not injured, and the driver of the Honda SUV, a woman from Waite Park, had minor injuries that did not require transport.

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office and the Monticello Fire Department assisted at the scene.

Dec 18

Biden and First Lady Securely Evacuated After Car Collision with Motorcade

Incident Details

On a recent Sunday evening, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were swiftly moved to safety by Secret Service agents after a car collided with a parked SUV in their motorcade. The incident occurred as Biden exited his Wilmington campaign headquarters, with the sedan, bearing Delaware plates, crashing into the Secret Service vehicle assigned to secure intersections for the president’s departure. The driver of the sedan attempted to enter a restricted area but was quickly surrounded by armed agents who instructed him to surrender.

Response and Reactions

In the aftermath of the crash, Biden appeared visibly shaken but was promptly escorted into his waiting SUV, where the First Lady was already present. The Secret Service’s rapid response ensured that the Bidens were safely transported back to their residence, with no further impact on the president’s schedule. The collision’s cause remains under investigation, with local authorities examining whether impairment or other factors played a role. This incident underscores the continuous vigilance required for high-profile security details and highlights the importance of effective response protocols in safeguarding national leaders.

Dec 18

SUVs: Name of the game in South Korean auto market in 2023

Back in the 1970s, when simply having a car was a status symbol in South Korea, a four-door passenger sedan was the car of choice. And Hyundai Motor Co.’s Pony, the country’s first mass-produced sedan, was a dream car for many.

Fast forward more than 50 years, it is no exaggeration to say that Koreans are in love with sport utility vehicles, so much so that six out of every 10 vehicles on the roads are SUVs. Sedans are now out in the cold.

According to Seoul-based automotive data provider CarIsYou, SUVs accounted for 61.4% of all vehicle registrations in Korea in the first 11 months of this year.

With less than one month to go before the year’s end, the ratio of SUVs versus the total will certainly rise above the 60% threshold for the first time on an annual basis, analysts said.

Just a decade ago, SUVs accounted for about a third of the Korean car market, with new SUV sales at 460,470 units in 2014. Since then, the SUV proportion has steadily increased to break the 40% resistance line in 2017 and rise above 50% just a few years later.

In 2019, SUVs outsold sedans for the first time in Korea. The gap widened to 121,000 more SUVs than sedans in 2020, and then a difference of 242,000 units in 2021 and 343,000 vehicles last year.

Mesmerized by fuel efficiency, comfort, spacious inside.

Mesmerized by their high fuel efficiency and comfortable ride – this as a result of technological advancement – and versatile use of space inside, SUVs have become the name of the game in Korea’s vehicle sales market.

According to the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, the appeal of sport utility vehicles in Korea is stronger than the global trend. SUVs accounted for 40.8% of the world’s automobile sales in 2022.

CarIsYou data showed new SUV registrations, including those of recreational vehicles (RVs) with more seats, reached 856,362 units in the January-November period – the highest since 2014 and above last year’s full-year number of 837,948.

Given the average monthly SUV registration of 77,851 units in the first 11 months of this year and the usually stronger SUV sales in the fourth quarter compared to the three preceding quarters, this year’s new SUV registrations are sure to exceed the 900,000 milestone, industry officials said.

Of the 10 best-selling cars sold in the January-November period, seven were SUVs, according to CarIsYou.

Hyundai Motor’s luxury sedan Grandeur was the bestseller, followed by affiliate Kia Corp.’s Sorento SUV, Kia’s Carnival MPV and Kia’s compact Sportage SUV.

Upping the Ante

Korea’s three leading carmakers – Hyundai, Kia and KG Mobility Corp. – said this summer they are upping the ante in their battle to take a greater share of the fast-growing mid-sized SUV market by launching sleek and stylish new models.

In September, KG Mobility, which specializes in SUVs, launched the Torres EVX, its first EV model since the company changed its name from Ssangyong Motor Co. in March.

A month earlier, Hyundai Motor, Korea’s top carmaker, started selling its latest, all-new Santa Fe – a drastically revamped flagship model, which fiercely competes with the Kia Sorento.

The showdown comes as foreign carmakers, including Toyota, Tesla and Mercedes-Benz, also bring their flagship models to challenge Korean peers on the SUV turf.

Mid-sized SUVs have become increasingly popular among Korean drivers as family cars thanks to their affordable prices, and their sales growth will continue into next year, industry watchers said.

Dec 18

President Biden and First Lady Safely Evacuated After Collision with Motorcade SUV

Incident Overview

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were swiftly evacuated to safety on December 17 after a dramatic collision involving a sedan and a Secret Service vehicle protecting the presidential motorcade in Wilmington, Delaware. The incident occurred as President Biden exited his campaign headquarters and approached his armored SUV. The sedan, which struck the parked SUV assigned to secure the area, attempted to breach a restricted zone before being surrounded by armed Secret Service agents.

Ongoing Investigation

Following the crash, the Wilmington Police Department is actively investigating the incident to determine the exact cause and any potential contributing factors. The prompt response from the Secret Service ensured the safety of the Bidens, who were quickly transported away from the scene. The investigation will assess whether the collision was accidental or intentional and whether any other elements were involved.

Dec 18

Philadelphia police SUV, Amazon truck crash at intersection

An Amazon delivery track and Philadelphia police SUV collided at a Southwest Philadelphia intersection on a rainy Sunday night.

The wreck happened before 10 p.m. at South 53rd Street and Kingsessing Avenue in the Kingsessing neighborhood.

Police didn’t immediately reveal if any police officers, the Amazon driver or anyone else was hurt.

The air bags in each vehicle appeared to have gone off. You could also see damage to the side of the police SUV as authorities investigated the crash.

Dec 18

SUV fatally runs over 3-year-old girl at Bengaluru apartment complex

A playful three-year-old girl toddled into the driveway of an apartment complex at Kasavanahalli in Bengaluru, only to be fatally run over by an SUV.

The child, Arbina, is the daughter of a Nepalese couple, Jog Jathar and Anita. Jathar is a security guard at the Samrudhi Apartment Owners’ Court, where they live in a ground-floor accommodation.

The incident occurred on 9 December. The girl sat on the sloped driveway and the SUV driver ran her over while leaving the complex.

He claimed he was unaware of the girl sitting there or his vehicle mowing her down until the police challenged him with the visuals from a nearby CCTV.

Her parents, searching for her, found her writhing in pain in a pool of blood. The couple thought she had fallen from the nearby gate and rushed her to a private hospital.

Multiple fractures

The doctors referred her to the Sanjay Gandhi Children’s Hospital, where the medical staff suspected internal injuries and asked the couple to rush the child to NIMHANS. She died en route.

At NIMHANS, the doctors found her shoulder bones fractured. A postmortem examination revealed further multiple fractures and grievous internal injuries, commonly seen in road accident victims.

“The baby had sustained massive internal injuries, and the doctors suspected that it was probably a case of a vehicle running over her and not an accidental fall as claimed by her parents,” a senior police officer said.

“The hospital alerted the jurisdictional police, who in turn, informed the Bellandur police. A medico-legal case was registered, and the police recorded the doctors’ statements,” he added.

Investigators visited the apartment complex. However, they could not pinpoint the exact cause of the child’s fatal injuries.

Two days later, the police noticed a CCTV camera installed at a house opposite the apartment complex.

“Though there was some wiring problem with the circuit, the recorder was functioning, and it had captured the incident,” a senior police officer at Bellandur told South First.

Driver booked

While going through the footage, the police found a man — later identified as Suman C Keshava Das, a resident of the same apartment complex — walking down the driveway and opening the gate. He then returned to his vehicle, an XUV 700 bearing the registration number, KA-04-NB-3564. The child was then not on the driveway.

After about two minutes, Das started the vehicle. Meanwhile, Arbina had come onto the driveway and sat there. The man, without noticing the girl on the downward slope, ran the vehicle over the child and drove away, unaware of the accident to the girl.

The police have booked Das for causing death by negligence (Indian Penal Code 304-A). The case will be transferred to the Bellandur traffic police, the officer said.

Dec 18

Unintended Collision with SUV in President Biden’s Motorcade: A Close Call

Unexpected Incident During Presidential Departure

On a rainy Sunday night in Wilmington, Delaware, a routine departure turned dramatic for President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden when a silver sedan unintentionally struck a Secret Service SUV that was part of their motorcade. This collision occurred shortly after the President and the First Lady left a holiday gathering with campaign staff at Biden’s campaign headquarters. As President Biden was engaging with the press, the unexpected crash took place, with the SUV stationed strategically to block an intersection near the campaign HQ.

Swift Response and Safety Measures

The scene was quickly secured by Secret Service agents who surrounded the sedan and the driver was instructed to raise his hands, a moment captured on national television. Although Jill Biden was already safely seated in their vehicle, President Biden was promptly escorted to join her, ensuring their safety. They were both unharmed and returned to their residence in Wilmington without further incident. A Secret Service spokesperson confirmed the crash was not related to any direct threat to the president, emphasizing the absence of a protective interest in the event.

Context and Aftermath of the Collision

The incident, occurring amidst heavy rainfall, did not lead to any serious consequences thanks to the efficient actions of the Secret Service. Despite the initial shock, the motorcade was able to depart smoothly from the scene. Reports indicated that President Biden was visibly stunned by the crash, reflecting the suddenness of the event. This incident highlights the constant vigilance required by the Secret Service and the unpredictable nature of presidential security. The Secret Service’s prompt and effective handling of the situation ensured that what could have been a severe security breach resulted in no harm to the President or the First Lady.

Dec 18

President Biden Safely Escorted After Car Crashes Into Motorcade SUV

Incident Details and Immediate Response

On a rainy Sunday evening, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were quickly moved to safety after a car collided with a parked SUV from their motorcade in Wilmington, Delaware. As President Biden exited his campaign headquarters and approached his armored vehicle, a sedan struck the SUV stationed to secure the area for their departure. The sedan, with a Delaware license plate, attempted to drive into a restricted intersection before being surrounded by armed Secret Service agents who directed the driver to surrender.

Swift Actions and Uninterrupted Schedule

Following the collision, President Biden was swiftly guided into his waiting vehicle, where First Lady Jill Biden was already seated, and they were safely transported home. Despite the startling event, their schedule remained unaffected as they returned to their residence without further disruption. The Secret Service’s quick response ensured the safety of the Bidens, and the incident did not lead to any major alterations in their plans. The silver sedan, which was damaged in the crash, was promptly contained by security officers, reflecting the high level of preparedness and efficiency in handling such situations.