Automobiles

Your morning transportation speed-read:

German automaker BMW is recalling 500,000 cars for an electrical cable problem.

Chrysler is also recalling 278,000 of its Ram trucks.

One in 4 bicycle accidents are caused by drivers, according to a study.

National Football League player Da'Quan Bowers has been arrested for allegedly attempting to carry a gun through a security checkpoint at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport.

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President Obama proposed a program in Tuesday's State of the Union address that would divert some revenues from federal oil-and-gas drilling into research for alternative fuel technology.

In a nod to the economic challenges facing many families, Obama cast the initiative, which he called an “Energy Security Trust,” as a way to reduce household gasoline expenses.

“Let’s … free our families and businesses from the painful spikes in gas prices we’ve put up with for far too long,” Obama said.

The proposal was one of many energy items mentioned in Obama’s speech, underscoring the prominent space it occupies in his second-term agenda.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

A pair of Asian airlines is offering child-free "quiet zones" on their airplanes.

Japanese automaker Toyota's Scion iQ model has been rated the cheapest car to own over the lifespan of the vehicle.

Houston's William P. Hobby Airport is unveiling its international expansion plans.

Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli (R) is backing changes to the state's current Gov. Bob McDonnell (R)'s transportation plan, which calls for eliminating the state's gas tax.

The Institute for Energy Research says the Congressional Budget Office underestimates the value of increased oil-and-gas development.

The average U.S. household spent nearly 4 percent of its income on fuel last year, according to a federal report.

A rumored contender to replace departing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will talk with reporters for the first time since the job became available this week.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Deborah Hersman will attended a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor Wednesday.

Hersman is scheduled to discuss her agency's investigation of the Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" battery issues that have led to the airplane being grounded.

However, she is likely to also face questions about her interest in replacing LaHood atop the Department of Transportation. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued an advisory warning football fans of the dangers of drinking and driving. 

Your morning transportation speed-read:

American automobile brands are more popular in Republican-leaning states than those that favor Democrats, according to a study.

A pair of women were arrested at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport for allegedly trying to smuggle drugs in diapers they were wearing.

American Airlines and U.S. Airways are reportedly closing in on a long-anticipated merger.

Spirit Airlines is invoking a controversy involving Major League Baseball player Alex Rodriguez allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs in a new ad.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu didn’t have anything to say about his future Thursday at the Washington Auto Show, but was quite chatty when it came to electric vehicles.

Chu has been dodging questions for weeks about whether he will stick around for President Obama's second term. Many expect him to leave the Cabinet, but he hasn't dropped any hints about his plans.

That trend continued at his auto show appearance, which Chu used to pontificate on the future of electric vehicles.