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MIT: The case of the missing gas mileage
Editor's note: Automakers have made great strides in fuel efficiency in recent decades - but the mileage numbers of individual vehicles have barely increased. An MIT economist explains the conundrum.

Contrary to common perception, the major automakers have produced large increases in fuel efficiency through better technology in recent decades. There's just one catch: All those advances have barely increased the mileage per gallon that autos actually achieve on the road.

Suggestions for integrating smart phone technology into your dealership marketing
Here are a couple of numbers to keep in mind when considering your dealership's marketing plan and the role that Smart phones should play in it:
- 5.5 billion text messages are sent every twenty four hours in the U.S. according to Nielsen Research
- At the end of 2011, it was estimated that ½ of all adults in the U.S. had a Smart phone.
For car dealers that still wonder whether Smart phones are here to stay, it's a lot like the dealers who wondered they needed a website in 1998. The dealers that ignored the new technology found themselves far behind the competition.

Trend Spotting
Lacey Plache, chief economist for Edmunds.com, says the auto industry is due for a shift in gears. The new year always brings a promise of change and Edmunds.com has noted a number of trends that could help the industry leave 2011 in the dust. Ms. Plache says that recession-weary car buyers are finally taking the plunge to trade in their older models, tempted by the latest technology and more freely flowing credit. With gas prices moderating, they won't necessarily be headed for compact cars, either.