Days ago, I was surrounded by a pod of Spinner dolphins off the coast of Maui, Hawaii. There must’ve been at least fifty of them, including babies that looked like silver nerf balls skimming the surface as they bounced up and down, budding their small heads.

The dolphins were not in any hurry, so they flipped and dived around us in almost choreographed repetition, some flipping airborne at least three feet above water. Our small eco tour group cheered at each leap and delighted as they swam close enough to our raft to touch them.

If you’re tossing up whether to buy a new or used car and the environment is an issue you want to incorporate in your purchase decision, here are some issues to consider.

Source:New vs used cars and the environment

Days ago, I was surrounded by a pod of Spinner dolphins off the coast of Maui, Hawaii. There must’ve been at least fifty of them, including babies that looked like silver nerf balls skimming the surface as they bounced up and down, budding their small heads.

The dolphins were not in any hurry, so they flipped and dived around us in almost choreographed repetition, some flipping airborne at least three feet above water. Our small eco tour group cheered at each leap and delighted as they swam close enough to our raft to touch them.

Texting while driving: Just the beginning of the distractions. (Flickr/Jason Weaver)

What high-tech feature would you want to see in your car (that’s not there now)? Autobytel.com asked that question as part of its “What’s Hot Now?” report, and the results indicate that people must get lost a lot-30 percent, by far the largest number, would like to have an in-dash GPS navigation device. Me, I can live without one.

In fact, just as cars are connecting big time, we’re electrifying them, and many of the early EVs will be kind of skimpy on personal tech, trying to increase battery life and increase range.

The once-crowded field at the Auto X Prize is narrowing. (Credit: Auto X Prize)

I have to say that the $10 million Progressive Insurance Auto X Prize is a bit of a soap opera. What a movie it would make. The Alternative Class came down to a photo finish for $2.5 million, with frontrunner Edison2 and its Very Light Car disqualified at the very last minute because of a software glitch.