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You 'auto' check out these standards

Need an automotive standard but can't afford to subscribe to a listing? Then Design News , in conjunction with Tech Savvy (http://www.techsavvy.com) has built a better way to help you-a Cyber Vending Machine. Now found on http://www.designnews.com , this technical document center allows you to purchase and download a standard in PDF format. You just click on a document button to view the abstract, then finalize your purchase. If you can't find the right standard, click on the Request button so we can help you. Some standards now available include Ford WSB-M4D682-A3-Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate + Polycarbonate Blend, ASME-Y14.2M Types and Applications of Engineering Drawings, and ASTM B209 Standard Specs for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Sheet and Plate.

Raise your FISITA

The International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies (FISITA), is an independent group of more than 158,000 automotive engineers from around the world. Their mission is to "create efficient, affordable, safe, and sustainable automotive transportation." Their site features links to all their member societies, information on their bi-annual Congress, and articles from Worldwide Automotive Supplier Directory and Global Automotive Network. Check it out at http://www.fisita.com .

Auto everything

Autopedia(TM)(http://www.autopedia.com) bills itself as "the complete Internet source for automotive-related information..." and they do a pretty good job. The site features a newsroom with breaking stories in the automotive industry, recall information, vehicle directory with pricing information, links to all manufacturers' sites, crash tests and theft reports, aftermarket links and reports, plus a comprehensive listing of classic car collectors, car club members and car museums.

How much is that 'beemer' on the screen?

Car enthusiasts, affectionately known as motorheads, here's the site made for your computer. ScreensaverShot.com (http://www.screensavershot.com/automations.htm ) lets you download all kinds of car, motorcycle, and other cool stuff with wheels as your screensaver. The site rates the downloads from A+ on down, lists the platform and file size, gives a description plus samples of the images, and then links to the download. We went for the Hummer!

Try before you buy

Or at least see how your vehicle rates at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (http://www.hwysafety.org ). The site lists vehicle safety ratings, facts, insurance theft losses, and a pretty nifty video of the physics of car crashes. There's tons of technical info here for automotive engineers.

World of fuel

Want to fuel around and see what's new in alternative fuels? Then the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center is the place to go. The site offers explanations of alternative fuels and vehicles, a listing of refueling sites, resources, and frequently-asked questions. Also check out their links to a variety of periodicals at http://www.afdc.nrel.gov .

How much cash for the crash?

Insure.com offers a car crash performance information at http://www.insure.com/auto/collision . You can research the crash worthiness and how much it's going to cost to get it fixed for more than 2,300 vehicles manufactured in the last 10 years. There's also a pretty good collision library of information.