The redesigned Chevrolet Impala and Toyota Avalon equipped with standard side airbags earned top ratings of "good" in side crash tests that simulate an impact from an SUV or pickup truck, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

A new company broke ground Thursday morning in Auburn. Cylpro Automotive Products is building its first U.S. plant here. The company is based out of Hengelo, Netherlands.

Injecting small quantities of ethanol into car engines at moments of peak demand -- such as accelerating sharply or climbing a steep hill -- could improve the fuel economy of gasoline engines by 20 percent to 30 percent, according to MIT scientists.