Meaning of a Dream

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Tired of seeing those bright, digital billboards on the side of the road while driving (especially at night)? Well so is a group called Scenic America that recently filed a lawsuit in an attempt to get the Federal Highway Administration to reverse a 2007 ruling that allowed these billboards to pop up along US roadways since. The advantage of digital billboards is that companies can sell multiple advertisements that change frequently, and it's this part of the billboards that are at the heart of this debate.

According to an article in Ad Week, Scenic America contends that the FHWA (a division of the US Department of Transportation) issued a "guidance memorandum" that circumvented the usual chain of law allowing "intermittent" messages, which was a part of the Highway Beautification Act. On the opposite side of the argument, the Outdoor Advertising Association of America said that digital billboards follow the rules since there is no flashing or animation involved.

What do you think about digital billboards? Let us know in the poll below.

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Have you ever had the urge to warn the owner of a vehicle that they have unknowingly parked illegally, and are about to get towed? How about wanting to contact someone whose car is parked dangerously or blocking you in a driveway?

Three guys in San Francisco have come up with a solution to a city slicker's everyday problem, and the answer is called CurbTXT. In a nutshell, participants register their vehicle's license plate number online and then affix a small sticker to the vehicle identifying them as a fellow partaker in the program. If one happens upon a vehicle wearing the C-Text insignia, doing something against the grain of society's conformity, they are able to send an anonymous SMS-based text to the owner of the car or truck by simply punching in a license plate number. For those with privacy concerns, the sender does not have to be registered, and the personal information of the sender and recipient are kept anonymous, unless the the sender identifies themselves.)

While the program is interesting, it is obviously only effective with widespread use (as of now, the service has been used to send "dozens" of messages). That said, the company is in fast-forward mode to register as many vehicles as possible in the San Francisco area. If it gets enough traction, this innovative new way to help fellow motorists avoid parking fines and towing could be coming your way.

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Launched in 1990, Infiniti was expected to be Japan's answer to BMW (Lexus would end up chasing Mercedes-Benz). Yet things went awry almost right out of the gate. Overlooking the fledgling automaker's now infamous early marketing campaign, its product line over the past twenty-four years has been a roller coaster ride of strong hits (Q45, FX35 and G35) and frustrating misses (M30, I30 and QX4).

In a recent interview with Ward's Auto at the Detroit Auto Show, Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer revealed that the company's luxury brand was almost cancelled by CEO Carlos Ghosn as unnecessary. Infiniti, like most premium marques owned by a volume manufacturer, had fallen into the trap of losing autonomy and pushing its high-end product just like its mainstream models.

The one obvious exception to this industry blunder, said Palmer, was VW Group's Audi brand. Realizing that Audi's impressive comeback over the past two decades shamed even that of actor Robert Downey Jr., Nissan hired Audi veteran Johan de Nysschen to bring Infiniti to its intended glory – and protect it from extinction. Check out the complete interview here.

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Remember the Nismo Leaf Nismo Concept show at the Tokyo Motor Show more than a year ago? To refresh your memory, it was a Nissan Leaf gussied up with an aerodynamic body kit, new wheels and a few cosmetic enhancements inside the cabin – the motor and powertrain remain unchanged. In any case, it appears that the green vehicle has received the green light for limited production.

Nismo chief Shoichi Miyatani has reportedly confirmed to Autocar that the zippier-looking electric Nissan will head down the assembly line in Japan this summer. But instead of a world-wide launch, the five-door will be sold only in the automaker's domestic market until consumer reaction is gauged. Even then, such low volumes will hardly justify expanding to other markets, Miyatani added.

In other news, it appears that the Leaf RC race car program – hinted as a one-make race series – is probably not going to happen.