This Automotive Podcast Would Be Cheap to Fix

Auto sales are rebounding in June as economic concerns eased and the tight supply caused by the earthquake in Japan. The Korean car makers look to gain, along with Ford, GM and a rejuvenated Chrysler. Those U.S.-based, but not entirely American, auto makers could grab more than 50% of the U.S. market.

Are flats going away?

We have debated whether driving is a right, and now another group of Saudi Arabian women have been arrested for taking to the streets: behind the wheel of a car.

A allegedly nefarious character is taking issue -- legally -- with law-enforcement efforts to track his driving by placing a GPS device on his vehicle. Is that right?

Car repairs are even more expensive in hot and dry climates like California and Arizona. David shares a costly experience that came out of an oil change.

One thing that could be a cost savings, but perhaps a greater risk, for cars not to have spare tire. But that is an increasing trend with new vehicles for some very good reasons.

Tires are getting really expensive due to higher costs, reduced capacity and a diversity of demands from auto makers.

Finally, Google won big in Nevada by getting approval for it's driverless cars.

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Is Driving a Right? Saudi Women Defy Ban

Several Saudi women were arrested this week when they took to the streets -- in cars -- to protest laws that prevent them from driving.

We have debated whether being able to drive is a right, specifically when talking about teenagers in the U.S.

But in the case of the Saudi Arabian law, it just seems silly and misogynistic to prevent someone from driving because they are not men. Unless the government believes the stereotype that women are just bad drivers.

Recent starting grids for the Indianpolis 500 refute that silly theory.

What do you think? Is driving a right?

Bob Lutz Would Perfect This Podcast Since It's About Autos

Bob Lutz is the man. Really. He confirms this in a very long and interesting essay in WSJ recently, by saying that an autocratic style is the kind of leadership needed to be successful in the auto industry.

Note the license plate. Healthy car.

We wonder if Mr. Lutz takes care of his car better than he takes care of his health. Most men polled in a recent study take better care of their cars than themselves.

We've been seeing more Nissan Leafs on the road these days, and now a Seattle-area blogger has found that the auto maker's optional Carwings data service has a loophole that could allow someone to track a vehicle through an RSS feed.

Toyota is hard at work on the next version of the Prius. Coming in the next edition, the ability to turn on and off the all-electric operation.

Did you just get in an accident? Bad news. At least you can now use your smartphone to file the insurance claim.

Speaking of accidents, some vistors to David's neck of the woods followed their GPS right into a slough, which is the West-Coast word for swamp. I hope they grabbed their smartphones as they jumped out of the sinking Mercedes SUV.

Perhaps those drivers will buy a Hyundai to replace their waterlogged Mercedes. The Korean auto maker is ramping up production further as it seeks to top 600,000 in annual sales.

Finally, we discuss art cars, which are usually old, ugly quirky vehicles that have been tiled or painted or sequined for use in parades in kooky places like Seattle's Fremont Fair.

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Fighting Over a Dollar -- In Higher Gas Taxes

GM's CEO calls for a $1 a gallon gas tax. Really. And it does make some sense. At least to David.

Large SUVs were once derided for being both gas guzzlers and unsafe. A new study says that electronic stability systems have finally made giant SUVs safer.

Unimog or Poison Dart Frog

But large SUVs are really in huge demand with gas prices where they are. Small vehicles are in demand, so much so that used car prices are rising and this is a good time to trade one in.

Cameras are all the rage for phones -- and some cars, but VW is running out of back-up cameras due to the earthquake.

Ford, meanwhile is focused on Lincoln. After years of brand neglect, the auto maker is looking to make Lincoln hip again.

Poison dart frog. Unimog. Mercedes has linked the two with a crazy concept vehicle. Really.

We finish this week with two nanny debates. First, Apple bans DUI locator apps from its ecosystem.

Also, healthy debate around whether states should prevent kids who don't finish high school or even get their equivalency degrees from being able to get a driver's license.

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Which Is More Dangerous: Facebook in the Car or Podcasting While Annoyed

Auto sales took a dip in May, and while this wan't surprising, the continuing tumbles by Toyota and Lexus are eyebrow raising.

In general, car makers are in better shape, and the government is going to get back almost all of the billions invested to keep the industry afloat. Some of that is coming from Fiat, which is buying the rest of the U.S. Treasury's stake in Chrysler for about $500 million to increase its ownership to more than half of the once-bankrupt auto maker.

Gas prices are probably going to keep rising in the coming years, but Ford's Alan Mulally wants to at least keep the government regulations consistant across the U.S. California is considering its own fuel-economy standards and that has auto makers concerned.

Distracted and Angry

Gadgets and online services are becoming more a part of people's lives, but U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is concerned about their presence in cars and trucks. He is continuing his efforts to link these new devices to distracted driving. Tell that the Ford, which is looking to extend Sync to offer health-monitoring services.

We have a feisty debate about distracted driving, which leads to a list of things that annoy us behind the wheel.

Finally, Obama's motorcade got stuck a few weeks back on a speed bump, but the Hot Wheels truck set a record distance with its jump this week.

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