(see Autoblog’s post on this for full story)

Although this isn’t necessarily tech-related it is important for all to know.

Ever notice how dealer stickers on cars (as in the sticker on the window) never really gives any good information other than price? As of September 1 that’s about to change.

New dealer stickers will be shown on all cars via all dealers in the nation. Two new things to appear will be:
1. Real-world gas mileage ratings.

As anyone who’s math-savvy knows, the “estimated” city/highway mileage ratings on dealer stickers weren’t all that accurate in many instances. This has been a complaint of car buyers for a very, very long time. The new numbers posted should (repeat: should) be much more accurate.

2. Crash test ratings.

If you wanted to find the NHTSA crash test rating on a car, the sticker didn’t list this information and the dealer usually didn’t have it either. But the new sticker does.

. . .

The next time you’re in a car dealership lot, check out the new stickers. We’ve been waiting for a more informative sticker for a long time and now it’s here. The sticker may not cure the shifty car dealer, but it’s a step in the right direction.