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Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore gives the highlights from the week in automotive news.

Here's why automakers roll out those Texas-themed pickup trucks

Every year, automakers with a full-size truck link make a big show of the Texas State Fair, usually involving a reveal of a new model. Sometimes they show a whole new truck, and other times a special edition centered on the Lone Star state. While some people might write this off as a quirk of the industry, others might be wondering, "What's the big deal with Texas?" As it turns out, part of the big deal with Texas is big truck sales. According to Dave Sullivan, product analysis manager at AutoPacific, Texas buys more trucks than any other state in the country. It's not a small margin either. Edmunds.com, one in five trucks sold in the US are sold in Texas. The state also accounts for 15 percent of the country's large truck sales, which is more than twice that of California, the second largest truck market in America. Even when you break down sales only in Texas, trucks are a huge piece of the pie - Sullivan says that a quarter of new vehicle sales in Texas are trucks. One in five trucks sold in the US are sold in Texas. But it's not just sales that make truck builders give attention to Texas. As Sullivan explained, "Pickups are life in Texas." Both he and Hugh Milne, marketing and advertising manager for the Chevy Silverado line, said that trucks are key fixtures in Texas society, as both work trucks and luxury vehicles (or Texas Cadillacs as Milne called them). Milne said Texas is so important in the truck market that if you want to be successful in the rest of the country, "you've got to be successful in Texas." As for the State Fair, it has become a prime location for reveals in part because of the importance of the Texas market and because of how big the fair is. Milne also revealed that the State Fair also hosts its own auto show, so it's an ideal venue for a vehicle introduction. So there you have it. Why do truck builders obsess over Texas? It's because Texas obsesses over trucks. When you have one market that loves your product that much, you give it the attention it deserves. Related Video: Image Credit: Donovan Reese via Getty Images Auto News Marketing/Advertising Chevrolet Ford RAM Truck f-150 texas state fair

2015 Ford Mustang will tell authorities how you crashed and if you were belted [w/video]

When the 2015 Ford Mustang hits dealers, it will be with a new batch of features that will power up Sync's 911 Assist feature, and provide an even greater degree of information to first responders in the event of an accident.
911 Assist will already make a phone call, via a Bluetooth-connected phone, should you bin your car. The automatic message to first responders is a pre-recorded blurb from Ford. With the new enhancements, though, emergency personnel can learn about the maximum change in velocity and whether the crash involved a front, rear, side or a rollover impact. 911 Assist will also send information about how many seat belts were in use and if airbags deployed, allowing more accurate dispatch of resources.
"Sync will only broadcast relevant information to save time, and it constructs a very efficient message for the operator," said David Hatton, the global project leader with Ford Connected Services. "After the introductory message, the voice line opens automatically and occupants can speak directly with the operator via Sync's hands-free functionality."