(Source: Jalopnik, AutoBlog, TreeHugger)

Rumormill: Fiat could step in for GM in Europe, Latin America

…GM, Opel, Vauxhall, FIATForget about letting the ink dry: even while negotiations have been ongoing between Fiat and Chrysler, there have been rumors of potential additional or alternative alliances which the Italian auto group has purportedly been considering. Things may have been put on hold with Chinese automaker Chery and with Nissan, but ta..

(Source: USDOT – Office of Planning, Environment and Realty, Federal Highway Administration)

Tuesday, April 21, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

The deadline to register at the regular registration rate for the 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition of ITS America is rapidly approaching! Members of ITS America and public sector employees can register for $800.00 – that’s a $100.00 discount off the late registration rate! Full registration includes admittance to all educational sessions, the exhibit hall, the Technology Showcase, and ITS America’s networking events.  With ITS America 2009 in the Metro Washington Area, this is a wonderful opportunity to interact with legislators on the federal, state, and local level to showcase ITS products and services.  In addition to policy and technical sessions, the event will feature “city streets” vehicle and infrastructure technology demonstrations, a 150,000 square foot exhibit hall, tours of area transportation projects and facilities, and many other activities.  Be sure to take advantage of these registration rates before they increase on May 1. For more information on registration packages and to register, click here.

AVIATION

1) Hudson Ditching Survivor Joins Overwhelming Public Opposition to FAA Bird Strike Data Secrecy

Link to AP story:

http://www.startribune.com/nation/43306877.html?elr=KArks:DCiUMEaPc:UiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr

Link to all responses:

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=FAA-2009-0245

2) Airline Leaders Shift Focus on Air Traffic Control Replacement

Link to story in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2009-04-20-nextgen-air-traffic-control_N.htm

CAMERAS

3) Police: Suspect in Custody in Murder of Photo Radar Worker

Link to story in The Arizona Republic.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2009/04/19/20090419photoworker-ON.html

OTHER

4) DC First in Line for Free Mobile Digital TV; Other Cities to Follow

Link to story in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/20/AR2009042001302.html

ROADWAYS

5) Missouri City, Texas Approves Intelligent Transportation System

Link to story on FortBendNow:

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/04/21/37268

SAFETY / SECURITY

6) Secure Flight Roils Booking Technology

Link to story in Business Travel News:

http://www.btnonline.com/businesstravelnews/headlines/frontpage_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003963792

TELEMATICS

7) Low on Oil? Check Your Cell Phone

Link to story in The Korea Herald:

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/04/22/200904220069.asp

TRANSIT

8) Dubai Commuters Can Now Plan Their Journey

Link to story in the Gulf News:

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Traffic_and_Transport/10305737.html

Link to Wojhati:  http://www.rta.ae/WOJHATI/dub/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

9) Streetfilms: Behind the Scenes at Los Angeles Traffic Control

Link to video on Streetsblog:

http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/04/20/streetfilms-behind-the-scenes-at-la-traffic-control/

News Releases

1) Public Meeting on IntelliDrive Proof of Concept (POC) Results and Findings

2) Aviation Weather, Flight Planning and Airport Data on Your Cell Phone

3) DC Metro Expands Advertising Opportunities with New Digital Projection Advertising

4) Cadcorp Launches CCTV Mapping System

Upcoming Events

12^th International Conference on Automated People Movers – May 31-June 3 – Atlanta

http://content.asce.org/files/pdf/APM09_PreProgram_v14_000.pdf

Today in Transportation History

1994 **15^th anniversary** – US DOT unveiled its ‘Share the Road’ public service campaign.

http://www.sharetheroadsafely.org/supportingMaterials/shareTheRoadFinalReport.asp

=============================================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday. 

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Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.   

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

 (Source: Virgin America & Tree Hugger)

(Source: Autobloggreen & Financial Times)

Executives at India’s Tata Motors admit that their company is a bit behind the times when it comes to environmental awareness when compared to established players in Europe. “We are behind as far as the world is concerned. There are many Scandinavian companies because they are more conscious of this than the rest of us,” says JJ Irani, a director for Tata’s automotive business. He adds, “We are not shy of learning.”

Img. Source: Flickr

“Tata is new at this game,” Mr Irani told the Financial Times, explaining that the Indian group had not concentrated much on environmentally friendly products until now.

 “What we wanted was the experience of other global conglomerates who have been on this journey before,” he said.

For this reason, Irani and a few of his colleagues are currently visiting a number of large European companies in an attempt to pick up a few pointers on how to improve their eco-credentials. In addition, the group has plans to meet with executives at some of the world’s largest oil companies. Irani hopes these meetings will allow Tata to “catch up faster” than if they were on their own.  Mr Irani said he was taking managers from Tata companies to see how other groups behaved. “We want to see what sort of problems they face and how they deal with it so we can catch up faster.”

Tata has come in for heavy criticism from some environmentalists about the Nano, the world’s cheapest car, but the Indian company retorts that it is more fuel-efficient than a motorbike.

Tata sees a big opportunity because it operates in some of the biggest polluting sectors such as power generation, steel manufacturing and chemicals and carmaking. It has set up a group dedicated to exploring ways of becoming more environmentally friendly and has about 100 people working on it across all its companies.

The Tata managers will also meet some grandees of the oil industry including Lord Browne, the former BP chief executive, and Lord Oxburgh, ex-chairman of Shell.

They will also visit executives at banks Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank as well as Siemens, Europe’s largest engineering group.

On a related note, TATA is releasing its all-electric Indica for the Norwegian market and eventually for the rest of the world. 

Although the all-electric Tata Indica on display at the SAE World Congress in Detroit this week is not the soon-to-be-released model, there’s a lot we can learn from the vehicle – and from TM4’s Eriz Azeroual – about how the technology will be implemented when the new model goes on sale in Norway either later this year or in early 2010 (yes, this is later than previously expected).  A limited number of the Indica’s are already testing in Norway and the TM4 reps are heard saying that Tata Motors is “a cool company. Very aggressive.” Even though they’re most famous for the Nano and apparently wanting to dominate the low-end automobile market, in Europe market they want to be known for electric vehicles.   Norway is a perfect entry point to bring an EV to Europe because there is a high tax on gasoline-powered vehicles. The high cost of electric vehilces isn’t totally equalized by the taxes, but EVs and gas-powered vehicle prices end up being “comparable” in Norway.

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images via WSJ

Bullet Train Changes Nation — and Fast

CIUDAD REAL, Spain — To sell his vision of a high-speed train network to the American public, President Barack Obama this week cited Spain, a country most people don’t associate with futuristic bullet trains.

Yet the country is on track to bypass France and Japan to have the world’s biggest network of ultrafast trains by the end of next year, figures from the International Union of Railways and the Spanish government show.

The growth of the Alta Velocidad Española, or AVE, high-speed rail network is having a profound effect on life in Spain. Many Spaniards are fiercely attached to their home regions and studies show they are unusually reluctant to live or even travel elsewhere.

But those centuries-old habits are starting to change as Spain stitches its disparate regions together with a €100 billion ($130 billion) system of bullet trains designed to traverse the countryside at up to 218 miles an hour.

“We Spaniards didn’t used to move around much,” says José María Menéndez, who heads the civil engineering department at the University of Castilla-La Mancha. “Now I can’t make my students sit still for one second. The AVE has radically changed this generation’s attitude to travel.”

But the AVE-which means “bird” in Spanish- proved to be a popular and political success. Politicians now fight to secure stations in their districts. Political parties compete to offer ever-more ambitious expansion plans. Under the latest blueprint, nine out of ten Spaniards will live within 31 miles of a high speed rail station by 2020.

By last year, the sprawling network of lines that stretches out from the capital, Madrid, reached Málaga in the south, Valladolid to the north and Barcelona in the country’s northeast. Now, residents of Barcelona can be in Madrid in just over two-and-a-half hours-a journey that takes around six hours by car.

The University of Castilla-La Mancha’s campus here has grown sharply in size and importance. “The school is here because of the AVE,” says Mr. Menéndez, the department head. “Without it, it would be impossible to attract the high-level staff we need.”

Around a third of Mr. Menéndez’s students are from a different region of Spain — almost unheard of in a country where students mostly stay close to home.

(Source: Wired; Photo: Flickr/ Wouter Sonneveldt via Wired)

Boneheaded politician pushes for legislation aimed at banning in-flight cellular communications.  

“I think many Americans understand the potential for problems on aircraft if 100 or more people start talking on cell phones,” DeFazio said. “People are in very, very close quarters and this is a circumstance where you would have a cacophony of people on cell phones that would amount to a great potential for trouble.”

DeFazio introduced the bill in April, but so far nothing’s happened with it. Let’s hope it stays that way. Although we can think of nothing worse than being stuck next to some pinhead yammering away incessantly during a transcontinental flight, this isn’t an area the government needs to get involved in.

TG Musings # 1: This is very illogical and idiotic – TransportGooru wonders aloud if Rep. DeFazio has ever traveled across the country in GreyHound or Amtrak? If he did, probably he failed to recognize that there are no such rules about attending to a cellphone call while you are cruising on the highway or riding the rails at 60 mph.  What difference does it make if the mode of transportation? A phone call is a phone call and if it can be attended to during a train/bus travel why not it be made during the flight?  Interference with flight to ground communications can be somewhat acceptable (which in itself is a very questionable argument anyway due to the various studies conducted that totally disproved this theory) as a reason for prohibiting these phone calls.  But that’s not even in this picture painted by Rep. DeFazio.  Americans are decent people and they are much more courteous and well-behaved than you can think.If Rep. DeFazio’s logic is squarely based on his experience dealing with the people’s representatives around him in the Congress, no wonder he thinks there is a potential for problems if 100 or more people start talking at the same time – which is what politicans are prone to do, right?   With a country full of smart people,  it makes one wonder how come such people elect illogical politicians to be their intelligent voice on such societal issues? I hate to use the word Bonehead, but I think it is the only suitable word that can be applied to someone with this sorta logic (or lack thereof), Rep. DeFazio. 

TG Musings # 2:  Social Equity – This is a big issue, Rep. Defazio.  A big business owner flying First Class  can afford a $2/min phone call. He would go ahead and do it with the carrier operated, over-priced inflight phone system.  The average Joe Smith/Jane Doe on the street who is flying across the country (often on discounted fares) in the coach class does not have that kind of money.  Especially, in this poor economic climate!!! If anything he or she is already paying through his/her nose for a cellphone (that handles both personal and his small business needs) but still can’t use it, thanks to the existing FAA rule.  He/she would still hold a peice of technology in his pocket that is all well capable of making that phone call from 30K feet, but because of a logically-deficient politican he/she will never be able to make that call.  Let’s say for argument sake, if 10 businessmen in first class decide to make a phonecall at a given moment (hypothetically speaking), doesn’t that account to cacophony? You are not going to convince those business men – “People are in very, very close quarters and this is a circumstance where you would have a cacophony of people on cell phones that would amount to a great potential for trouble.” – Are you Rep. DeFazio?  If you can work  so hard on helping people not just in Oregon but across the country, please refrain from pushing this bill forward. You should spend a couple of minutes to rethin/revise your flawed logic and help all American’s in winning that  the rest of the world rightfully enjoys (i.e.,  in-flight cellular voice calls).  I am sure you want us Americans to be globally competitive in this economy and be ready to serve the needs of our business customers anytime anywhere!

(Source: Transportation Research Board)

TRB News 

TRB Webinar: Back to the Future: Do We Need Aviation Reregulation?
May 19, 2009

TRB will conduct a web briefing or “Webinar” on Tuesday, May 19, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT that will explore the prospect of increased government involvement in the airline industry, given high energy costs and an industry-wide financial crisis. Participants must register at least 24 hours in advance of the start of the Webinar, space is limited, and there is a fee for non-TRB Sponsor employees. [More]

TRB Webinar: Animal-Vehicle Collisions

May 12, 2009

TRB will conduct a web briefing or “Webinar” on Tuesday, May 12, 2009, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT that will examine efforts to design and implement mitigation techniques to prevent animal-vehicle collisions.  Participants must register at least 24 hours in advance of the start of the Webinar, space is limited, and there is a fee for non-TRB Sponsor employees. [More]

TRB Webinar: Design and Production of High-Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Mixes

May 7, 2009

TRB will conduct a web briefing or “Webinar” on Thursday, May 7, 2009, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT that will explore the research and best practices for the processing, design, and production of high-reclaimed asphalt pavement mixes.  Participants must register at least 24 hours in advance of the start of the Webinar, space is limited, and there is a fee for non-TRB Sponsor employees. [More]

TRB Webinar: Design and Production of High-Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Mixes

May 7, 2009

TRB will conduct a web briefing or “Webinar” on Thursday, May 7, 2009, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT that will explore the research and best practices for the processing, design, and production of high-reclaimed asphalt pavement mixes.  Participants must register at least 24 hours in advance of the start of the Webinar, space is limited, and there is a fee for non-TRB Sponsor employees. [More]

 TRB Webinar: Performance-Based HMA Construction Specification

TRB will conduct a web briefing or “Webinar” on Monday, April 27, 2009, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT that will examine the results of TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) project to develop performance-related specifications for hot-mix asphalt (HMA).  During this session, presenters will demonstrate the Quality-Related Specification Software , which is based on the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide.  This software provides engineers with the ability to compare the performance of an as-designed and as-built HMA pavement and calculates pay factors from the differences in performance. Participants must register at least 24 hours in advance of the start of the Webinar, space is limited, and there is a fee for non-TRB Sponsor employees. [More]

Eighth International Conference on the Bearing Capacity of Roads, Railways, and Airfields (BCR2A)

Champaign, Illinois
TRB is cosponsoring the Eighth International Conference on the Bearing Capacity of Roads, Railways, and Airfields (BCR2A’09) on June 29-July 2, 2009, in Champaign, Illinois.  The conference is designed to explore issues pertaining to the bearing capacity and mechanistic-based design of highway and airfield pavements and railroad track structures. [More]

Recently Released TRB Publications

SHRP 2 Project Brief: DOT-Utility Coordination: Understanding Key Aspects of the Problem and Opportunities for Improvement

TRB’s second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) has released a project brief that summarizes SHRP 2 Renewal project R15, which explored strategies designed to resolve issues that departments of transportation and utility companies face when working together.  The project developed a plan to test and evaluate strategies designed to eliminate or mitigate utility asset relocation delays and overcome institutional barriers for the implementation of these strategies. [More]

SHRP 2 Project Brief: Encouraging Innovation in Locating and Characterizing Underground Utilities

TRB’s second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) has released a project brief that summarizes SHRP 2 Renewal project R01, which explored ways to encourage innovation in the location and characterization of underground utilities, and identified areas that have the highest potential for innovation and improvement.  The project also developed a research and development plan to advance promising technologies. [More]

On Being a Scientist: A Guide to Responsible Conduct in Research

The National Research Council has released the third edition of a report that describes the ethical foundations of scientific practices, and describes some of the personal and professional issues that researches encounter in their work.  TRB is a division of the National Academies, which include the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. [More]

Joint Workshop on Abutment Scour: Present Knowledge and Future Needs – June 2008

TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Research Results Digest 334: Joint Workshop on Abutment Scour: Present Knowledge and Future Needs – June 2008 explores the state of knowledge on bridge abutment scour. [More]

Pre-Overlay Treatment of Existing Pavements

TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 388: Pre-Overlay Treatment of Existing Pavements explores current pre-overlay treatment practices of state departments of transportation for both hot-mix asphalt and portland cement concrete pavement structures.  The report is designed to help pavement management and pavement design groups in their selection of pre-overlay treatments. [More]

Federal Research News

Transportation Conformity Highlights: March 2009

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has released the latest issue of its Transportation Conformity Highlights newsletter.  The monthly newsletter is designed to keep conformity stakeholders up to date on issues related to transportation conformity. [More]

Review of Coast Guard’s Vessel Tracking Systems

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has released a report that examines the extent to which the Coast Guard tracks vessels at sea and can use these systems to track vessels that may pose security threats. [More]

Vision for High-Speed Rail in America

The Federal Railroad Administration has released a report that explores the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic plan for high-speed rail. [More]

Evaluation of the Focused Approach to Pedestrian Safety Program

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released a report that examines the pedestrian component of the FHWA’s Focused Approach to Safety Program. [More]

Not-in-Traffic Surveillance 2007 – Highlights

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released a traffic safety facts statistical summary that explores the Not-in-Traffic Surveillance (NiTS) system.  The NiTS system is designed to provide details regarding fatalities and injuries that occur in non-traffic crashes and in non-crash incidents. [More]

Technologies That Complement Congestion Pricing – A Primer

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has released a report that explores ways that technology can be used for congestion pricing by supporting the traveler’s decision to change travel time, travel mode, and travel route. [More]

Wildlife-Vehicle Collision Reduction Study: Best Practices Manual

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released a report that examines the causes and impacts of wildlife-vehicle collisions and identifies solutions to this safety problem. [More]

LTPP Manual for Profile Measurements and Processing

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released a report that explores operational procedures and data collection and processing methods for the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Program. [More] 

State Research News

A Functionally Optimized Hot-Mix Asphalt Wearing Course: Part I: Preliminary Results
The Virginia Transportation Research Council, a partnership of the Virginia Department of Transportation and the University of Virginia, has released a report that examines the design, production, placement, and early life performance of a new generation open-graded surface course for use in Virginia. [More] 

University Research News

Concrete Pavement Overlays and Failure Mechanisms
The Center for Transportation Research at the University of Texas, Austin, has released a report that explores asphalt concrete overlay and bonded concrete overlay projects, and examines a life-cycle cost analysis for future overlay projects. [More]

An Ambit-Based Activity Model for Evaluating Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Policies

The Mineta Transportation Institute has released a report that examines greenhouse gas emission reduction policies that are being considered in the transportation sector in the wake of more stringent emission reduction targets envisaged in a post-Kyoto international climate treaty. [More]

Creating an Educational Network in California to Assess and Address Its Future Transportation Education Challenges

The Mineta Transportation Institute has released a report that explores future transportation scenarios in California and examines various policy responses addressing these scenarios. [More]

Go! – April-May 2009
The Center for Transportation Research and Education at Iowa State University has released the latest issue of Go! magazine.  Go! is an online magazine for teens that explores the world of transportation and careers they can find there. [More]

International Research News

An Examination of the Monetized Benefit of Proposed Changes to Type Approved Noise

Limits for Tires
The U.K. Department of Transport has released a report that examines the monetized benefits of limit values for tire noise, which contributed to a proposed European Commission Regulation for general vehicle safety. [More]

Impact Assessment of EU Regulation to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions from New Passenger Cars
The U.K. Department of Transport has released a report that explores ways to improve new car fuel efficiency standards, as related to a proposed European Union Regulation on car carbon dioxide emissions. [More]

Valuing the Health Benefits of Active Transport Modes
Land Transport New Zealand has released a report that explores the per-kilometer value for the health benefits of active transport modes, such as walking and cycling. [More]

Long-Term Dust Suppression Using the Otta Seal Technique
Land Transport New Zealand has released a report that examines the use of a simplified version of the Otta seal as a method for minimizing dust emissions from gravel roads in New Zealand. [More]

In the Know

Travel Training for Student Success: The Route to Achieving Post-Secondary Student Outcomes
Easter Seals Project ACTION has released a primer for school administrators interested in learning how high schools across the country connect students with disabilities to travel training services. [More]

IIHS Status Report: Vol. 44 No. 4
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released the latest issue of its Status Report magazine.  This issue explores the results of IIHS’ study evaluating car size and weight, and the impact that these variables have in protecting people during crashes. [More]

Evaluating Options for U.S. Greenhouse-Gas Mitigation Using Multiple Criteria
The RAND Corporation has released a report that examines previous policy attempts to implement a carbon tax or cap-and-trade program.  The report outlines criteria that evaluate these previous policy efforts, and suggests ways to better inform future decisions aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. [More]

Moving into North Dakota’s Future: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe and Efficient Mobility
TRIP has released a report that examines North Dakota’s financial capacity to modernize its surface transportation system.  TRIP is a nonprofit organization that promotes transportation policies that aim to relieve traffic congestion, improve road and bridge conditions, improve air quality, make highway travel safer, and enhance economic productivity. [More]

Cycling-Inclusive Policy Development: A Handbook
The German Technical Cooperation’s (GTZ’s) Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) has released a report that examines how to develop cycling-friendly policies and facilities.  The SUTP is designed to help developing world cities achieve their sustainable transport goals, through the dissemination of information about international experience and targeted work with particular cities. [More]

Reclaiming City Streets for People: Chaos or Quality of Life?
The Active Living Resource Center has released a report that explores ways to plan public spaces in order to eliminate road traffic for pedestrians. [More]

Asia on the Move: Energy-Efficient and Inclusive Transport
The Asia Development Bank has posted presentations from its Transport Forum on sustainable transport development, which was held on September 9-12, 2008, in Manila, Philippines. [More]

Arizona‘s New Frontier: Moving Our Transportation System into the 21st Century
U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), has released a report that explores ways to invest in and expand public transport systems in Arizona. [More]

Dear Mr. Mullaly, 

I am sure you and your design staff heard the message from “Mr. EmptyisAwesome”.  If you have a response or if your marketing team has a response to Mr. Empty, please feel free to write to him at 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/EmptyIsAwesome (pls. do not forget to CC-TransportGooru in your message)

For others, who are simply curious about Mr. EmptyisAwesome, please check out his work @:  http://www.youtube.com/user/EmptysAwesome 

TransportGooru is proud to play messenger for Mr. Empty and is doubly excited to carry this message to Mr. Mullaly.  

P.S: TransportGooru ran an article last week about Fiesta’s growing popularity in Europe.  Check it out here. 

(Source:  Jalopnik); Video: Emptysawesome@YouTube)

(Source: AutoblogGreen; Photo: Jalopnik)

Take a walk through any junkyard in the world and you’re likely to come across any number of vehicles that are a mere rusted-out shell of their former selves. That’s mostly because sheet metal is thin and, as the outer-most skin of an automobile, takes the brunt of the weather’s nastiest beatings. Underneath, it’s a different story entirely.

Photo: Netwind.ru via Jalopnik

An article on AOL Autos examines the major bits and pieces of an automobile and offers rough estimates of how long it takes for the average vehicle to rot away, and there are a few surprises.

• Rubber tires decompose naturally over a fairly reasonable-sounding period of 50 to 80 years.
• Engine blocks will take at least 500 years to break down.
• And finally, the windshields take more than a million years.  That’s the figure that the figure that the U.S. Park Service uses for glass objects, and some experts in waste management think that is an understatement. Theoretically, glass lasts forever, and it would take eons of geological action to grind it into anything resembling the sand, or silica, that it comes from.

Fortunately, nearly every bit of modern automobiles is recyclable, and automakers have been making serious advancements to bring that figure as close to 100 percent as possible. USCAR says that about 95 percent of vehicles go through the end-of-life recycling process. Still, AOL Auto’s sobering figures should serve to remind us how important it is to properly dispose of used-up vehicular machinery, especially with the advent of government-sponsored scrapping programs.