2014 Buick LaCrosse Earns Five-Star NHTSA Safety Score

Refreshed full-size sedan achieves top overall mark in stringent crash tests

 

The 2014 Buick LaCrosse has received the highest possible 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score for safety as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program.

“Safety is one of the pillars of the Buick brand and our flagship continues to echo this essential element to our customers,” said Jeff Yanssens, chief engineer of the LaCrosse. “Not only do we offer advanced safety technologies in the 2014 LaCrosse, but we designed and engineered the core of the car to perform well with respect to crash safety.”

Employing many advanced technologies – including the use of camera and radar – to help avoid crashes, the refreshed full-size sedan offers one of the most comprehensive collections of standard and available safety features in the segment. Helping the driver identify potential crash situations, visual, and audible or where available, seat vibration alerts are initially used by these systems. If a crash threat appears imminent, some systems can even intervene and apply the brakes.

The available safety and convenience features include: 

Safety Alert Seat – A patented General Motors’ technology, the driver’s seat works with many of the advanced safety features, providing seat vibration pulses indicating the direction of a potential crash threat.

Automatic Collision Preparation – Radar technology detects a possible crash threat and alerts the driver. If the system detects that the driver does not apply the brakes, this feature intervenes to automatically trigger the brakes in an effort to reduce crash damage.
 
Forward Collision Alert – If the camera technology detects a possible crash threat, the system will send an alert.

Full-speed-range Adaptive Cruise Control – Radar technology senses traffic in front of the LaCrosse to adjust vehicle speed, including bringing the vehicle to a complete stop and accelerating again upon driver request.

Lane Departure Warning – A camera-based lane detection system can warn the driver of unsignaled lane changes. The camera, mounted near the inside rearview mirror, identifies lane markings, and provides alerts.

Lane Change Alert – Under most driving conditions, the system helps to inform the driver of fast-approaching vehicles in the next lane that are up to 230 feet (70 meters) behind the car. The LaCrosse is one of the first vehicles to offer this technology.

Side Blind Zone Alert – Using radar sensors on both sides of the vehicle, the system scans for other vehicles in the blind zone areas of the LaCrosse and under most driving conditions, indicates their presence with light-emitting diode, or LED-lit symbols in the outside mirrors.

Rear Cross Traffic Alert – Based on the radar sensors of side blind zone alert, it can warn the driver of vehicles in traffic when backing out of a parking spot – including angled parking. Visual, and audible or available seat vibration alerts are triggered if moving vehicles are detected.

Rear Vision Camera – In reverse, the camera provides a view of the area behind the LaCrosse, shown on the display in the center stack infotainment system.

GM Foundation Grant Sends 256 Detroit Children to Preschool

 
The General Motors Foundation is making a quality preschool education possible for 256 children in Detroit’s most challenged neighborhoods through a $500,000 grant in support of the Education Achievement Authority (EAA) of Michigan.

“Early education is a critical factor in the long-term success of our children. This very generous gift from the GM Foundation will make a huge difference in the lives of our children, and we are very grateful for the support,” Education Achievement Authority Chancellor John Covington said.

Established in 2011, the EAA took over and is turning around 15 persistently failing schools in Detroit. The GM Foundation funding enabled the EAA to expand its reach into early learning and create 16 new “GM Foundation Early Learning Classrooms."

“The GM Foundation has made a commitment to fundamentally improve the lives of our children and the larger community,” said Michael J. Brennan, president and CEO, United Way. “This investment will go a long way in laying the foundation for success for some of Detroit’s youngest children. We applaud the type of corporate leadership the GM Foundation has shown time and again.”

An American Hero: The Tradition of Giving

An American Hero.

A little boy’s lesson in business has become an example of holiday giving he has shared with his family and community. Colby Groom, now 14, donated the profits he earned selling tool kits while riding along with his grandfather Mark Stuchel, who owned a Snap-on tool franchise, to purchase toys for other less-fortunate children. Eight years later, Colby’s grandmother, Suzan, and his sisters Cheyanne, 10, Courtney, 12, and Carissa, 8, share in his generosity. The family purchased 296 toys on Black Friday, which they donated to the area Toys for Tots drive. The program has provided more than 452 million toys to more than 209 million needy children since its inception in 1947.

We are still accepting toy donations, which can be brought to any Bob Brown metro location.