IN BRIEF

DETROIT

Malibu, Mazda CX-9 get car show awards

The Chevrolet Malibu and the Mazda CX-9 were chosen as the car and truck of the year at the North American International Auto Show.

The awards were presented Sunday, the first day of media previews for the show. It opens to the public on Saturday.

It was the second major award for the CX-9 crossover, which was named Motor Trend's 2008 sport utility of the year in October.

"The CX-9 was designed for North America, and I think the award is recognition that the team delivered on the promise," Mazda Executive Vice President Robert Graziano said.

The Malibu, Cadillac CTS and Honda Accord were finalists for car of the year, while the CX-9, the Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid were finalists for truck of the year.

GM was a double winner in 2007, while Honda Motor Co. captured both honors the year before.

To be considered for the coveted honor, which often is used in automakers' advertising, vehicles must be new or substantially changed from the previous model. More than 50 new vehicles were eligible this year, but jurors winnowed that list to 15 cars and 13 trucks.

SAN FRANCISCO

Netflix to extend time to watch Web movies

Girding for a potential threat from Apple Inc., online DVD rental service Netflix Inc. is lifting its limits on how long most subscribers can watch movies and television shows over high-speed Internet connections.

The Associated Press has learned the change will become effective today, on the eve of Apple's widely anticipated move into the movie rental industry. .

Netflix is gearing up for the increased competition by expanding a year-old feature that streams movies over the Internet instead of making customers wait for their online rental requests to be delivered through the mail.

Until now, Netflix restricted how long its more than 7 million subscribers could use the streaming service each month, based on how much they pay to rent DVDs.

For instance, under a popular plan that charges $16.99 per month to rent up to three DVDs at a time, Netflix customers could watch as many as 17 hours of entertainment each month on the streaming service, dubbed "Watch Instantly."