Summer Safety Tech Watch: Chevy Now Touts Technology that Acts as an Extra Set of Eyes

Just last week, we marked the official beginning of summer in the state of Tennessee, as well as right here in the Memphis metro. Barbecue will be simmering, live bands will be playing on into the night, and the children of the area have a delightful reality ahead of them: they are out of school for a few quick months. This is the time when drivers have to be more careful than ever, as any of the neighborhood kids may pick the driveway perch right behind your vehicle to get some playtime in.

The majority of backover accidents happen because the driver does not properly take in their surroundings before lurching out of the driveway, and the U.S. Department of Transportation claims that 40 percent of severe crashes occurred in residential areas. 24 percent of these crashes occurred in driveways, and undoubtedly drivers were in a hurry.

It is hard to slow it down when you may be late for work or an appointment, and leaving from home is that danger zone where children may be lurking behind you. Fortunately for the many Memphis area drivers that are looking to boost safety on their commute, Surround Vision Technology is available! For now, it's integrated into the all-new 2018 Equinox, and provides a 360-degree bird's eye-view around the vehicle.

Intended to help assure safety when coming in or out of the driveway, Surround Vision acts as multiple sets of eyes that will scan the area for you. There are four cameras working for you here simultaneously: the standard Rear Vision Camara, a forward-looking camera placed in the front grille, and two side-looking cameras under each left or right mirror.
When drivers shift into reverse and get ready to roll, the birds-eye view is displayed neatly on the center stack instrument panel. Situated right here are also images from the forward and rear looking cameras, so you can quickly scan the entire area before departing. We want to assure you that the safest way to clear the area is to WALK around the car before leaving: some toddlers are small little tykes, and may need to be spotted by the human eye!

The Surround Vision feature is available on the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV, Equinox, and Traverse. Rear Vision Cameras can be found on the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV, Camaro, City Express, Colorado, Corvette, Cruze, Equinox, Express, Impala, Malibu, Silverado, Silverado HD, Sonic, Spark, Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, Trax, and Volt. We are proud as a dealership to offer numerous ways that you can feel safe on the road, and part of the Chevy promise is to uphold a longstanding tradition of above average safety features.

Keep in mind that pets and toys left strewn about are some of the biggest lures for small children, and that if you know you have a cute puppy or bikes in the yard, kids may follow. Other activities in the driveway like sidewalk chalk and lemonade stands are abundant in the Memphis metro during the summer: stay safe and keep your eyes open during the longest and most savored days of the year!

Stronger-bodied and Safe for The Long Haul: The 2018 Equinox's Luster

On the very cool travel website known as “Thrillist.com”, we recently ran across an awesome article that offers up the fine points of road trips you can embark on from Memphis. Ranked near the top was Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park: Just 17 miles away, it has three interlocking loops that you can hike or run on, and canoe trips you can take right through the cypress swamp. This and other locations such as Village Creek State Park would be incredibly involved tasks for the new Equinox to conquer: the recent shedding of extra pounds and improved body structure will be sure to have you raving about its features and many mobile abilities.

For this 2018 redesign, the vehicle has rid itself of nearly 400 pounds, which chalks up to ten percent of its mass. This results in a much more responsive, fun, and noticeably safe driving experience. It wasn't just the weight loss that the designers deemed a big deal: the all-new body has been optimized to glean top safety ratings as well, which it no doubt will not have trouble claiming. The 1.5-L turbo engine offers a large balance of fuel efficiency, backed up by performance that won't let you down when you need it most. The 2.0-L turbo engine offers 252 horsepower, and can navigate the 0-60 mph test within around 7.2 seconds. Whether you are looking for a smooth experience accelerating, or turning corners, the 2018 Equinox is an overall very light drive, which allows for a greater feeling of precision behind the wheel.

The high and ultra-high strength steel that is placed in the body structure of the Equinox is the base for a very able “safety cage” that envelopes the passengers. Together with the Equinox's restraint systems, energy is managed in such a way during a crash that protection of all occupants is at its latest and greatest capabilities. Reducing the need to account for chassis flex in the tuning elements of the suspension system paves the way for a much stiffer body structure, and this allows engineers to focus more on the comfort of the ride itself, and handling various attributes with greater precision. The lower weight also gives the Equinox a huge edge in fuel economy, and this current model delivers EPA ratings of 32 mpg, as well as 29 mpg highway.

If you opt for the diesel version, you will clock an impressive 40 mpg on the highway, which will inspire you to jump on the notion of taking the trip you wanted to this year to visit your long-lost college roommate or any relatives you haven't seen for awhile. Once you arrive, you'll be able to fully enjoy the ample cargo space, multiple Chevrolet connectivity options, and large list of safety features. The turbo-charged engines won't hurt either: you can gleefully race away into the sunset, far from whatever ails you in the cubicle, or the frenzied pace of the classroom.

Hidden underfloor storage space and a flattened cargo floor both make the task of loading and unloading much easier, and the many technologies used to make the Equinox safer will immediately have a grave effect on your day-to-day driving habits. Safety Alert Seat, Surround Vision, Forward Collision Alert with Following distance indicator, and other great advances are all present to assure that you don't have even the least amount of worry while you are transporting those most precious to you from A to B. Providing customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that won't break the bank, Chevy has a real winner on their hands with the Equinox: come see just how awesome this vehicle named after celestial coordinates will be for you. 

Tennessee Torque Addict's Thunder: 2019 Camaro Model Progress

It was just two years ago when the sixth-generation Camaro went on sale, much to the satisfaction of many here in Memphis and nationwide who have massive love for the vehicle. It utilized the GM Alpha Platform that was shared with the Cadillac ATS and CTS, and boated the trademark McPherson struts in the front that many grew to love. 70% of the components in this build were claimed to be unique to the car, and production returned to the US from Canada. Compared to the previous generation, it was 2.3 inches shorter, .8 inch less wide, and 1.1 inches shorter in the height department.

A ZL1 trim level with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 was available for this year's model, and features a lower grill opening that improves vital cooling function. There is also a new front splitter, and carbon hood insert to removed gusty hot air from the confines of the engine compartment. The 1LT trim now receives the 8-speed automatic transmission assisted by shift paddles as standard gear for the year, and prices were lowered a bit, to the delight of the avid Camaro enthusiast. Just recently outside of GM's Milford Proving Grounds, there have been sightings of more than one camouflaged Camaros making their testing rounds, in an attempt to assure that the models rolling out two years down the road are exceptionally awesome.

Included in the sightings have been the base 4-cylinder model all the way up the chain to the popular and roaring 650-horsepower ZL1. At this early stage in the game, it looks as if the front and rear fascia are being given a bit of a facelift, while the center section of the car will be relatively untouched. We expect lighting in the front and rear to have some modifications that do their best to pair up with the revised styling, but they may not be too entirely different from current models. Even though it's hard to be positively sure, the 2019 Camaro could very likely come with a rockin' and relentless DOHC V8 engine, and the new 10-speed automatic could make its way into many new models.

The 2017 model is already sitting pretty with 4-piston Brembo front brake calipers, a track-cooling package, suede steering, and a nicely-piped dual mode exhaust. Come see us at Chuck Hutton to check out how much you'll love the current model with its comfortable suede and leather upholstery, and see just how great the 1LS, 1LT, and 2LT trims run with a turbocharged Inline-4. The current ZL1 Model goes from 0 to 60 MPH in about 3.5 seconds, and we expect a pleasant boost in these running stats with the 2019 re-vamp as well. From a product line that Motor Trend Magazine called 2016 Car of the Year, we aren't going to expect anything half-assed or shoddy from the Camaro franchise. We encourage all Memphis area Camaro fans to look towards the future in anticipation to see what two years around the corner brings: screeching tires and the purest of pavement engagement will be sure to follow.