The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety will be releasing a series of videos showing real vehicle testing at their Vehicle Research Center in Ruckersville, Virginia. 3 episodes are currently available on the IIHS YouTube Page, and a new video will be posted every Tuesday through June and up to early July.

So far, the videos are well produced and oddly mesmerizing. The crash testing process is really amazing to watch from a scientific perspective, and as a consumer, it is comforting to know just how much these vehicles are put through their paces to determine their safety. Every scenario is considered and played out in a controlled environment so that when a real accident happens, the driver and passengers are kept as safe from harm as possible.

The full series of videos is available here, and the IIHS also has additional videos for sale on their website addressing topics from teen drivers to child safety in a vehicle.

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The survey conducted by CarSafetyRules.com asked 1,000 new car buyers in the United Kingdom which brands they expected to improve auto safety. Out of the respondents, 26 percent of women chose Apple, and 23 percent of men chose Google. Volvo was tied with Google amongst men, and it was only 1 of 2 automakers named in the survey. Volvo scored 17 percent of the women surveyed, and 20 percent of men and 14 percent of women responded Mercedes.

It isn’t all that surprising that Google ranks so high in the survey. There has been a lot of talk in the past year about Google working on a self-driving car, so it is only natural that people are associating Google with auto safety technology. It is surprising, though, that Apple is ranking so high. I can only imagine that people believe Apple can do anything, including making cars safer. Considering Apple’s distinctive look, I could picture them making the transition to auto design and technology.

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The new Mercedes C-Class will come with a 2.1-liter turbo-diesel engine, and Mercedes is already promising that the new engine will have somewhere between 20 percent and 30 percent improved fuel economy that. The new GLK250 BlueTec crossover will also be equipped with the 2.1-liter engine and will most likely replace the 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine option available now for the E-Class.

Right now, there are no other diesel options currently in the compact luxury segment. BMW premiered the 328d at the New York Auto Show, but the 328d won’t be available until later this year. Audi has also hinted that they will be adding diesel models as well, but it isn’t confirmed yet. With these announcements, however, it is clear that there will be many more diesel options for compact luxury auto buyers in the next few years.

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New data from R. L. Polk and Company shows that clean diesel registrations went up almost 25 percent from 2010 to 2012, hitting 796,794 in 2012. Texas, California, and Florida had the most diesel registrations during that time, and in the United States, there are currently 6.65 million registered diesel vehicles. During that same period, hybrid vehicle registrations also soared with over a 25 percent increase, coming out to 2,290,903 hybrid vehicles.

Car makers have offered more diesel and hybrid versions of their popular models in recent years, so there is a “chicken-or-the-egg” question of whether automakers are going with a trend or if buyers are responding to more availability of diesel and hybrid vehicles.

We want to hear from you, our readers. If automakers started making a diesel or hybrid version of your favorite vehicle, would you head out to a dealership for a test drive? Leave a comment below and sound off!

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The work vehicle fleet from Chrysler includes the Ram 1500, the Dodge Dart, the Jeep Compass, and the Chrysler Town & Country, plus others for a total of 23 vehicles. Starting prices range from $15,995 for the 2013 Dodge Dart up to $41,240 for the 2012 Ram Chassis Cab 5500, and the cost of the vehicle can be deducted up to $139,000 during the first year of ownership.

Besides a wide variety of vehicles and pricing, Chrysler has other incentives for companies purchasing commercial vehicles. Right now, they are offering $250 to $1,000 towards a company logo for the car, a 2-year lube-oil-filter service allowance, or $1,000-worth of equipment for the vehicle. Plus, business owners can enroll for Chrysler’s free BusinessLink program which includes extended service hours, a BusinessLink account manager, and priority service for maintenance and repairs.

To learn more about Chrysler’s commercial vehicle program, check out their website here and the full list of BusinessLink incentives here.

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