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Automotive demographics deal with the population characteristic of automobiles. Generally, the automotive demographics involve the analysis of demographic variables such as how many people are using automobiles, the age of the drivers, the gender of the driver and the demand of different automobiles. The main means of transportation in the United States is road travel. There are about 4 million miles of public roads in the US. Highways and byways are getting heavily crowded with the arrival of more and more automobiles. According to the automotive demographics, about 17 million new domestic and imported cars and trucks are purchased by the Americans. To compensate this high level of consumer demand, automakers in the US have to produce about 12 million to 13 million new cars and trucks each year.

There are many factors that affect the demand for automobiles in the industrialized countries. The research on travel demand and transportation shows that the demand for automobiles rises with income. Many non-economical factors also affect the demand of automobiles. Automotive demographics show that the demand of automobiles also varies with age and gender of the user. Interestingly, women with low income generally travel less than men, middle aged people and people with higher incomes. The household characteristics such as family size, family type, age of the house holder and marital status are also important automotive demographic variables that explain the variation in travel demand.

Demographic variables are also important in making transportation projections. The graphical analysis of demographic composition of automobile use is widely used as the first step in many automotive analytical systems. The collection of right data is the first step in automotive demographics.

Whether you’re a car hobbyist or a seasoned auto repair technician, you know that finding the cause of that quirky rattle or mysterious thumping can be both frustrating and rewarding. Indeed, the sign of a great repairperson is the ability to diagnose those persnickety problems – and then fix them. The talent for doing so comes from both solid automotive training and, often, many years on the job.

Today, sophisticated automotive equipment requires that service personnel – whether in the capacity of technicians or automotive management jobs – stay on top of the latest technology coming from auto manufacturers around the world. In other words, automotive training doesn’t end with a certification. On the contrary, that certificate is just the beginning.

Although car enthusiasts may be able to tinker around with old, used engines and other used automotive equipment, auto repair technicians are faced with the ever-increasing complexity of the integrated electronics systems and computerized systems that run today’s cars and trucks. Indeed, a vehicle might have as many as four dozen microprocessors. The engine control unit controls spark timing, fuel injectors, and much more, while anti-lock braking systems, air bags, and a myriad of other sensors are controlled by many other microprocessors.

Although the diagnostic tools available to assist auto repair technicians have also become more sophisticated, it still takes continuing education to stay ahead of the proverbial curve and truly understand the nuances of the new vehicles that roll out every year.

There are a few ways that technicians can receive continuing auto training. For those who work for dealerships, the manufacturer or dealership will ensure that the technicians receive ongoing education about their vehicles. Those who work at private repair shops can attend continuing education courses in automotive training at local community colleges and at technical schools. These continuing education courses are often certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), which is considered the national standard for automotive training.

Often however, seasoned auto repair technicians turn to one another for advice and assistance. Increasingly, there are online communities that offer a variety of services for professionals. Often, these communities have discussion groups or forums where automotive repair industry technicians can discuss problems and share solutions. There are also a number of articles and downloads available that are written by those in the trenches; often, these articles provide valuable insights, as well as tips and tricks to solve thorny problems.

The need for online communities has grown along with the complexity of cars and trucks. As a source of continuing education in automotive training, such sites and forums often provide shortcuts and innovative methods of auto repair that even the best courses overlook.

As an owner of a car, I find myself becoming educated on the subject of automotive wiring. Since I am just about the last person who should be playing with anything that has electrical current running through it, I was hesitant to attempt to tackle the issue of automotive wiring.

However my vehicle decided otherwise when it started to randomly select electrical systems that it wanted to me tamper with. When the electric seat belts started to slide back and forth without reason as I drove down the highway, I decided I better figure out how to tamper with the electric systems, considering the exuberant rate of automotive repair.

I found myself with a decision to either, break down and spend $100 an hour for a so-called expert to look at it and try to repair it, or I could learn how the electrical system of my car worked. Considering my level of ignorance I probably was going to try to conquer the impossible. After all the only thing I knew about electrical systems is that AC/DC was a rock band and that dummies and wiring usually did not get along.

However despite my reluctance, I set out to learn what I could about automotive wiring. I quickly learned that there is a huge supply of information available on the subject of automotive wiring. A quick search on Google provided me with an array of information. There are many different levels of sites offering information.

Some sites provided a basic overview of the average electrical system of most cars. A company named Long Island Customs offered some great basic information. They stated that their information was simply for a basic understanding and not for a detailed explanation of particular models. However they actually provide some thorough information on basic systems such as AC and lighting. They also provide some great trouble shooting information.

Another site for general information on electrical systems is TBud.com. This educational website offered general programs on electrical systems in their integrated publishing section. Read the rest of this entry »