Airline passengers have to deal with all manner of human menace — whether it’s that inconsiderate person in the aisle seat eating a tuna sandwich, the charming child repeatedly kicking the back of your seat while his parents pretend not to notice, or the dude next to you voiding his bladder on your leg. At what point does another passenger’s transgression become the fault of the airline? [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
GM Wants To Be The First Company To Test Driverless Cars On NYC Streets
By 10.17.17
With its maze of one-way streets, congestion, aggressive taxi drivers, double-parked cars, occasional motorcades, parades, and exploding manhole covers, New York City can be a challenge for even the more skilled drivers. And if General Motors gets its wish, you could soon add driverless to this mix. [More]
Mercedes-Benz Recalls Nearly 500K Vehicles Over Inadvertent Airbag Deployment
By 10.17.17
Airbags can save lives, but they can also hurt people if they deploy at the wrong time. To that end, Mercedes Benz has recalled nearly 500,000 vehicles in the U.S. that contain airbags that could deploy without warning. [More]
Flight Lands Safely After Plane Loses Cabin Pressure, Rapidly Descends
By 10.16.17
Passengers on a flight from Australia to Bali on Sunday say they were terrified when the plane cabin depressurized at around 34,000 feet and then rapidly descended about 23,000 feet in a matter of minutes. [More]
Ford To Inspect, Repair 1.3M Explorers Over Exhaust Fumes
By 10.13.17
More than a year after federal safety regulators announced they were investigating at least 600,000 Ford Explorer SUVs after receiving hundreds of complaints that potentially dangerous exhaust fumes were leaking into the car’s cabin, Ford says it will inspect and repair more than 1.3 million vehicles. [More]
Following Mid-Flight Explosion, FAA Orders Emergency Inspection Of Some Airbus Engines
By 10.13.17
In the wake of the recent in-flight engine explosion on an Air France jet, the Federal Aviation Administration has ordered an emergency inspection of the engines on some Airbus superjumbo jets to make sure this is not likely to happen again. [More]
Tesla Recalls 11,000 Model X Vehicles Over Seats That Could Fly Forward
By 10.13.17
It’s not only convenient, but often necessary, for a vehicle’s seats to move. However, if those seats don’t return and stay in their proper position it can be a problem. Case in point: 11,000 Tesla Model X SUVs now under recall. [More]
Exploding Sunroofs: Danger Overhead
By 10.12.17
When it happened, Heather Savage had two of her five children with her in their 2016 Nissan Pathfinder. Four-year-old Eli was strapped into a car seat in the second row, and Raquel, 15, whom they’d just picked up from ballet class, was in the front passenger seat. [More]
Delta Passenger Blames Edible Marijuana For July Attack On Flight Attendant
By 10.12.17
A Florida man who was arrested after allegedly attacking a flight attendant on a flight in July — starting a brawl that injured two others — claims the incident was triggered by some edible marijuana he’d eaten before getting on the plane. [More]
Southwest Airlines Plans To Start Flying To Hawaii, Eventually
By 10.12.17
Southwest Airlines put on its best floral shirt to announce that the (sometimes) lower-cost carrier intends to start offering service to Hawaii. But when those flights to the far-flung island state will begin remains a question. [More]
United Airlines Strands Couple In Puerto Rico, So They Decided To Get Married
By 10.11.17
A couple from Oregon who were visiting Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria hit say they were abandoned by United Airlines, forcing them to find their own way home. But their extended stay on the Caribbean island also resulted in an impromptu wedding. [More]
Got $2,000/Month To Spare? You Can Get Unlimited Access To Porsches On-Demand
By 10.11.17
If you’re the kind of person who fancies a set of fancy wheels but can’t decide which ones to roll with on any given day, Porsche has an idea: A $2,000/month subscription that entitles you to unlimited access to luxury vehicles. [More]
Uber Facing At Least 5 Federal Investigations, Claims Report
By 10.11.17
Uber’s recent woes — a $20 million text message spamming settlement, an ousted CEO, investigations into sneaky software, and other issues — continue to deepen, as the Department of Justice has now reportedly opened at least five investigations into the company and its business practices. [More]
Hyundai Promises Accurate Online Pricing; 3-Day Return Window; Test Drives At Your Home
By 10.10.17
Hyundai may be one of the world’s largest car companies, selling some 5 million vehicles a year worldwide, and the company’s constant TV advertising has at least drilled into viewers’ head that it’s pronounced “Hyundai like Sunday.” But the Korean automaker is still a bit player in the U.S., responsible for only 1-in-25 cars on American streets. In an effort to stake a bigger claim stateside, Hyundai has introduced a new program intended to provide more transparent pricing and more consumer-friendly practices. [More]
High-Tech Features Distract Drivers for Dangerously Long Periods, AAA Study Finds
By 10.6.17
High-tech infotainment systems—the ones that allow drivers access to navigation, audio, and phone features—are distracting drivers for dangerously long periods of time, a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found. [More]
Woman Dragged Off Southwest Flight Disputes Airline’s Version Of Events
By 10.5.17
The woman who was forcibly removed from a Southwest Airlines flight last week — and later charged with disorderly conduct and a slew of other offenses — is now disputing the airline’s version of how the incident unfolded. [More]
United Airlines Passenger Arrested After Allegedly Trying To Open Door 3 Times During Flight
By 10.4.17
While they say you should try, try again if at first you don’t succeed, that familiar maxim should not apply when what you’re trying to do is open the exterior door of a commercial jet flying several thousand feet above the ground. [More]
Volkswagen, Porsche Recall 125K Vehicles Over Engine Fires
By 10.4.17
Gasoline may make your engine go, but if there’s a fuel leak, it can also make your engine go up in flames. That’s why Volkswagen and its Porsche brand are recalling more than 124,000 vehicles. [More]
