2010 Honda Element goes to the dogs -- in a good way

Forget about making cars just to make drivers happy -- American Honda is rolling out the red carpet for their dogs too.

The 2010 Honda Element includes a luxurious Dog Friendly™ pet accommodation package with equipment like an extendable ramp for Rover to enter and exit the vehicle, a dedicated fan (because dogs get hot too), and a spill-resistant water bowl.

"The Honda Element has long been recognized as an accommodating vehicle for people with active lifestyles involving sports and hobbies," said Vicki Poponi, assistant vice president of Product Planning for American Honda.

"The new Dog Friendly Element takes that concept to a whole new level with specially designed features for dogs and their owners."

These features are more advanced than just four-legged frivolities -- they also improve the safety of transporting dogs in the car. The Dog Friendly equipment secures the dog in the Element’s cargo area with soft, seat-belt-grade nylon webbing, which keeps the dog from interfering with the driver and prevents pet and people injuries in the event of a frontal collision.

But the spoiled pooch can be proud of this ride: The Dog Friendly version (with an option price of $995) also includes a cushioned pet bed for afternoon naps and all-weather rubber floor mats decorated with an attractive toy bone pattern. Owners can brag about their Dog Friendliness with included emblems that stick onto the outside of the car.

You can even decorate the second row of seats with a dog-patterned cover that matches the dog’s bed fabric. Aww.

The 2010 Honda Element will be at dealerships nationwide by mid-October. Dog owners can purchase the Dog Friendly Element on Nov. 16. 

-- Kelsey Ramos

Photo credit: American Honda

Going Vintage: Kim White's line of auto-inspired handbags

 

We've long known that the fashion and automotive industries like to combine forces on occasion. Accessories such as the Tag Heuer sunglasses designed by F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen and the stunning Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti 370 watch are just a small sampling of sartorial tie-ins to all things vehicular. The expensive and exclusive collaborations are usually geared toward those already awash in riches. To that demographic, paying $200,000 for a Bugatti-sponsored watch after already gleefully handing over $1.5 million for a Bugatti Veyron is like us paying $10 for a Dodger Dog. It means whipping out the credit card yet again, but the purchase enhances the overall experience.

The whole richer-than-thou industry can be off-putting to those who simply enjoy and respect four-wheeled machines, which is why Kim White's line of purses come across as refreshingly unique. White, a Los Angeles designer, uncovered a warehouse chock full of vintage automotive textiles and used them to create a beautiful, and relatively low-priced, accessories collection.

Each purse is tagged with a label noting the car and model year from which the fabric originates, great for the girls (or metros) who wish to have their favorite car memorialized in tote form. It's little matter if you can't tell the difference between a Ferrari and Forte though, the colorful patterns speak to the vintage resurgence that has emerged with the recession. As do the prices, which are below the $100 mark for the small handbags made from a 1980 Ford Mustang and max out at $225 for the special edition Camaro clutches. And, for once, we're not talking about car parts.

Kim White's designs can be found and purchased on her website.

-- Alison Lakin

Alison Lakin is a staff writer for Driverside.com

Photo: Kim White

Car gadgets we're looking for at CES

The auto industry might be driving off a cliff, but the Consumer Electronics Show that opens Thursday in Las Vegas will be featuring many new (and often expensive) gadgets for your car. Here’s a sampling:

One of the most ambitious items is the Dreevo 2, a GPS unit that will not only provide directions but weather updates, local fuel prices, the location of speed cameras and -- here’s the best -- open parking spots. If it works, sign us up (unless it puts us in receivership).

MiRoamer is billed as the first Internet radio for cars, capable of receiving thousands of online stations from around the world. It will work only on Blaupunkt radios, at least at first.

HD radio, which offers improved sound, has not caught on widely so far, but it will soon be enhanced with real-time traffic info.

We'll have updates from Sin City.

-- David Colker

Photo: Workers set up the Samsung booth at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas today. Credit: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press

Time to open an Aston Martin DBS

This is cool. A joint project with a major Swiss horologist and a top British supercar maker, the Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX2 DBS Transponder can lock or unlock the doors of an Aston Martin DBS. Eighteen months in the making, it’s the first watch with the ability to control access to a luxury sports car.

A transponder is integrated into the body of the watch. On approaching his or her DBS, the wearer just presses the sapphire crystal glass between 8 and 9 to open the door. To lock it, the glass is pressed between 3 and 4 as the owner saunters away. The watch is available from Aston Martin dealers when one buys his or her very own DBS ($265,000). Neither company has mentioned how much this clever chronograph costs, which is a worrisome sign. But DBS owners presumably don’t have to worry about such trifles.

—Colin Ryan

Photo: Aston Martin

Barkle up: Protecting pets on board

Sometimes, the roadkill is inside the car.

That's the sad truth about pets and driving. Although every state but New Hampshire has laws mandating the use of safety belts for human passengers, and all 50 states require child restraints, there are virtually no statutes requiring protection for our furry companions while in the car (there are some laws requiring restraints for dogs in pickup beds). 

The California state Senate is considering legislation that would prohibit people from carrying dogs or other animals on their laps while driving. That bill, as discussed here, already passed the state Assembly. It mandates a $35 fine for violators.

But even its passage may not be enough, says Christina Selter, co-founder of Bark Buckle Up, a San Diego-based nonprofit that educates drivers about safely transporting pets in vehicles. The only real solution, she says, is tethering.

Not only can untethered dogs get seriously injured in accidents, but 80-pound Dobermans and 4-pound Chihuahuas alike can become fearsome projectiles upon impact, hurtling through the air and possibly hurting passengers. (We're not even going to mention the perils of flying pet porcupines.) On top of that, Selter says, "in a crash, a big problem is that first responders open the door, the pet runs out, it can bite someone, cause another crash or get hit by a car."

Who knew driving Miss Fido could put so many lives on the line?