We’ve all seen videos of automobile safety testing – most of them show airbags deploying to cushion crash test dummies as a car drives into a wall. But until this week, I’d never thought about the other, less spectacular-looking testing that car manufacturers conduct to make sure that our cars can stop before they hit that wall. Most of us spend our time on the road avoiding potholes, trying not to fishtail on wet roads and driving far slower than 190km/hr – but as I read in this article from Driving.ca, safety-testing a car in risky conditions is all in a day’s work for an automotive proving ground test driver. 

Automotive proving grounds are test facilities built by car manufacturers – places where they can push their vehicles to the limit in order to maximize their safety and reliability. In the early days of car manufacturing, vehicle testing was conducted on public roads, alongside regular traffic. But as the car became more popular and roads grew more congested, car manufacturers needed somewhere else to put their new models through their paces.

General Motors opened the world’s first automobile proving grounds in 1924 near Milford, Michigan. The original proving grounds were situated on 1,125 acres and included a 6.4 km gravel loop and a straightaway. Today, their proving grounds covers 4,000 acres and has several facilities, include the “Black Lake”, a pad of blacktop that can be spritzed with water and used to test vehicle dynamics. Here’s what the facility looks like today, from the air:

Photo: Google Maps

These days, most car manufacturers have their own proving grounds, designed to simulate every possible type of terrain you might encounter while driving. Test drivers are trained in advanced driving skills before tackling a wicked mix of terrains, conditions and speeds, all with the aim of compressing a lifetime’s worth of car abuse into just a few months. Gravel roads, skid pads and extreme off-road courses are a few of the terrains you’d find on any automotive proving ground. Ford recently laid down 50 miles of test tracks in their Lommel Proving Grounds in Belgium, dedicated to simulating potholes from 25 countries around the world – everything from the cobblestone streets of France to rutted intersections in China. 

These cars are rode hard and put away wet – literally, as driving through water helps to test the rust proofing on a vehicle’s undercarriage. Car manufacturers use the drivers’ feedback and their own analysis to improve their designs.

This hilarious, action-movie-trailer-style video from Volvo’s proving grounds in Hällered, Sweden highlights some of the different tests and terrains the vehicles – and test drivers – are subjected to in the name of car safety.

Compare that Volvo video with this footage about automotive proving grounds from the 1950s. Testing back then was more rudimentary but no less thorough!

The job of test driving looks like a lot of fun – but according to Kia test driver Howard Edmond, driving in rough conditions for 7 hours a day, 5 days a week can be a little monotonous – and can also be hard on the posterior.

Have you ever visited an automotive proving ground? Do you think test driving would be a good job? Let us know in the comments!

- Rose R.

Back when our conveyances were horses and buggies, your engine had a mind of its own and ran on oats. The gasoline-powered motorcar put the control squarely in the hands of the driver for nearly a century but as car technology advances and computers play a larger role in the running of your vehicle, there is a mounting concern that your car may once again have a mind of its own – or rather, that its mind might be controlled by someone other than the driver.

The more car systems become connected to the internet, the more opportunities there are for hackers to wreak havoc.

The idea of your car being “hacked” – i.e. someone remotely taking control of your vehicle while you’re driving – hit the mainstream this summer when Chrysler recalled 1.4 million vehicles in order to correct a vulnerability in its new UConnect infotainment system that would have allowed a hacker who knew a specific car’s IP address to remotely control parts of the vehicle, from the environmental controls to cutting the engine.

Check out this video from Wired to see some hackers and a Wired writer demonstrating what they’re able to do to his car with their laptops.

Obviously, not every vehicle faces a huge hacking risk – some cars are more hackable than others – and there are steps you can take to keep your car as secure as possible. This handy infographic from forensic engineering consulting firm PT&C|LWG is a bit of long read, but it really lays out which cars are most vulnerable, how “hacking” works on vehicles and what we as drivers can do to help mitigate the risks. Is your vehicle on the “most hackable” list?

I read today that the average vehicle gets retired after about 11 years of service. This is good news – back in 1995, a car generally lasted about eight years before being scrapped. But I felt a pang of anxiety when I remembered that our beloved Saturn Vue, Chloe, is coming up on 10 years old.

I’m not going to lie – I dread the day that we have to retire Chloe. She’s so reliable and comfortable and Saturn doesn’t make cars anymore, so finding a vehicle to match the glory of Chloe will be a challenge. Fortunately, she is well-maintained and is driven sparingly, so we expect her to last far longer than the average, non-glorious vehicle.

Still, it got me thinking - what do you do with your vehicle when it’s time for it to retire? Well…it turns out you can recycle it!

You can check to see if the manufacturer of your vehicle has their own auto recycling program; often auto manufacturers will offer incentives, like a substantial credit towards purchasing a new vehicle, if you recycle your ride with them. But if your car manufacturer does not run such a program, check out Retire Your Ride.

Retire Your Ride is a national program that the federal government started back in 2009 as a way to incentivize drivers with vehicles from years prior to 1995 to retire their high emissions cars. The program was meant to wrap up in 2011 but it was so successful that it still exists today, though it’s now managed by the Automotive Recyclers of Canada.

How does it work? When you’re ready to say goodbye to your vehicle, you fill out a form on the Retire Your Ride website and your vehicle information is passed on to a network of local certified auto recyclers. Each of them bid on your vehicle and Retire Your Ride presents you with the highest bid. If you accept the bid, then they’ll come get your vehicle and leave you with a cheque. Pretty sweet!

The recycling process is composed of three parts. The auto recycler will:

• Dispose of your vehicles toxic fluids and/or parts in an environmentally responsible way
• Salvage any parts that can be re-used
• Recycle the remaining parts of your vehicle into a multitude of other items.

Check out the Responsible Recycling page on the Retire Your Ride website for more in-depth details about the car recycling process.

Image credit: RetireYourRide.ca 

Ready to retire your ride? I know, it’s hard to say goodbye. But all you have to do is fill out the Retire Your Ride form to get started.

What’s the longest you’ve ever driven one vehicle for? Have you ever recycled your ride? Share your stories in the comments.

- Rose R.

One of my favourite memories as a kid was when my parents rented a RV and took us kids "camping" at Elk Island Park. We looked at buffalo, we swam, we got covered in leeches, we had our leeches removed, we had hot dogs and roasted marshmallows around the fire. And then at the end, instead of sleeping on the ground, like chumps, we all got to sleep in beds! INSIDE!

The RV was so magical that even when we came home, my brother and I begged to be allowed to sleep in it on the last night before it had to go back to the rental place. And then the next morning we begged to be allowed to eat our breakfast at the little table. We planned our next trip over bran muffins and juice boxes, in the RV, sitting in our driveway. The possibilities seemed endless.

RVs have come a long way since the '80's and there are a myriad of options to choose from, from simple tent trailers to behemoth buses with fireplaces and bathtubs. Here are some basic questions to consider when you're thinking about renting a summer adventure vehicle.

Drive-able, Tow-able or Truck Camper?
There are three main types of RVs - trailers, truck campers and motorized RVs. Truck campers are portable units which you can affix to the bed of your pick-up truck. Trailers - from folding tent trailers to conventional travel trailers - can be towed with a regular car or SUV; the larger "fifth-wheel" trailers are designed to be towed with a pick-up truck. With the trailers, one advantage is that once you reach your destination, you can set up your trailer, then unhook your vehicle and drive around for shorter trips. Of course, with a motorized RV, you can always tow your vehicle behind the RV and do the same thing!

If you're planning on towing a trailer, make sure you know the maximum weight your vehicle can tow (you can find out from your owner's manual) before you fall in love with a trailer that's too heavy.

Are you used to driving large vehicles?
This is probably the most important question to ask yourself. RVing is only fun when you don't repeatedly end up in a ditch, get stuck under a low bridge or have to handle a tricky exit from a parking lot. The largest class of motorized RV, Class A vehicles, are about the size of a Greyhound bus. If that seems like too much to handle, consider choosing a smaller vehicle you're more confident you can drive; either a Class B, which is basically a wide-bodied van or a Class C, the mini-motorhome you see in the picture above. RVs up to a certain size don't generally require a special license - check out the licensing body in your province for information.

How many people are coming with you? And how much do you like them?
Sometimes a trailer or motorized RV that says it "sleeps six" means "six people on top of each other like sardines" or "two adults, four tiny children". Figuring out how much personal space you and your travel companions absolutely need in the RV can help you determine what RV fits you best. In the end, size may not matter as much as floorplan. You might not need a Class A bus - just a Class C with a floorplan that suits your needs.

Are you mostly driving and stopping or mostly staying put?
If you're taking a trip where you're driving and stopping frequently along the way, it's smart to choose a more utilitarian vehicle that you feel comfortable driving and fuelling up a lot. If, on the other hand, you're driving to a destination where you plan to spend the majority of your holiday, you might want to try out a more luxurious ride, the kind with slide-out expansions and awnings and a built-in grill.

Are you stopping at campgrounds (with electrical and water hook-ups) or in the untamed wilderness?
If you're staying places where it will be easy to refill your water tanks/power up your vehicle, then you probably don't need to worry too much about the size of the water tanks in your RV. If you're driving out to the wilderness for an extended stay, however, it pays to be water conscious. Look into vehicles that offer larger tanks/better water efficiency. Keep in mind that the longer your trip, the more grey water and black water you'll be accumulating, which has to be emptied at special RV dump facilities (although if you're renting, many rental places will simply charge a dump fee and take care of it for you).

What kind of experience to you want to have?
Or, in other words, how at one with nature do you want to be? Do you basically want to camp without the hassle of setting up a tent or do you want the dishwasher and 40 inch TV with built-in beer fridge? Even the smallest RV options come with various levels of luxury.

In the end, best advice is generally "take the least amount of RV you need". If you don't have a ton of RV experience, keeping it simple is definitely the way to go. For more information on types of RVs, check out GoRVing.

Are you an RV addict? Have any tips to share with newbies? Leave them in the comments!

- Rose R.

We were headed to Florida last fall for some fine family fun and when we were booking our car, I had a moment. Wasn't there…some THING? About Canadians? Driving in Florida?

It's true - a couple of years ago, Florida became the only state in the US to require Canadian drivers to have an International Driver's Permit (IDP) as well as their provincial driver's licence.

The law was meant to require foreign drivers whose licences were not in English to carry IDPs but Canadians got caught up in the sweeping law and, as you can imagine, snowbirds were not thrilled.

Fortunately, the law was repealed and now Canadians can drive their pasty selves all over Florida with only their valid provincial driver's licences. Unless your driver's licence is in French. In which case CAA-Québec recommends getting an IDP if you plan to drive in the US.

But what about outside North America? Regardless of the language on your license, if you're planning to drive in any of the 150 countries who signed the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic, you'll need to apply for an IDP before you leave Canada.

What is the IDP, exactly? The IDP acts as a supplement to your existing driver's license when you travel abroad. Basically, it's a translation of your Canadian licence and presents authorities with a description of the vehicles you're licensed to drive in multiple languages. It's not meant to replace your Canadian licence - when asked, you would present both your IDP and your Canadian licence.

The CAA is the only organization in Canada authorized to issue IDPs and it's easy to get one. You just need to be:

• 18 or older
• Have a Canadian resident address
• Have a valid provincial driver's licence

To get an IDP, you can fill out the IDP application online and submit it, along with the required documentation and $25 fee, to your local CAA club. For more about IDPs, check out the CAA's IPD FAQs (pdf).

Be sure and do your research before you travel, as many countries that aren't signatories to the Convention still recognize the IDP. And other countries, Brazil for example, allow you to drive with your Canadian license (and passport) for 180 days before having to apply for a Brazilian licence, although an IDP is still recommended.

Have you had experience driving abroad with an IDP? Share your stories in the comments!

- Rose R.