Another day, another story of an Uber driver going outside the bounds of a normal interaction with customers: police in St. Petersburg, FL say a man who uses the Uber platform was arrested for prowling outside the apartment of two female passengers he’d dropped off earlier. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
GM Settles Two Ignition Switch Injury Lawsuits
By 9.6.16
Nearly two years after General Motors’ decades-long ignition switch defect came to light, the automaker continues to face hundreds of lawsuits. However, the company recently settled a pair of complaints that could set the tone for future litigation. [More]
Samsung Announces “Product Exchange Program” For Galaxy Note 7 — But Don’t Call It A Recall
By and 9.2.16
Despite confirming to media outlets earlier today that the Galaxy Note 7 would be “recalled” — implying that the company would soon go through official regulatory channels — Samsung has gone ahead and announced details of a “product exchange program” that is not, in actuality, an official recall. [More]
Guy Says He Was Charged $573 For A 45-Hour Uber Ride He Didn’t Take
By 9.2.16
If you took a 45-hour car ride, you’d probably remember it. Which is why a man in Chicago was confused to find he’d been charged a bucketload of money for a very long Uber trip that he never took. [More]
Samsung Will Recall Galaxy Note 7 After Reports Of Battery Explosions, Fires (But Hasn’t Done It Yet)
By and 9.2.16
Australian Regulator Sues Volkswagen Over Diesel Cheating
By 9.1.16
After many months of bad press, recalls, and legal woes, Volkswagen earlier this year reached a settlement with U.S. regulators over its emissions-cheating dirty diesel “defeat devices.” But just because the case is mostly closed (at least on paper) here in the states doesn’t mean Volkswagen’s out of legal hot water yet. There are, after all, more than 190 other nations in the world, and some of them are ticked off too. [More]
Entenmann’s Recalls Brownie Bites And Muffins Because Plastic Shards Are Not Tasty Treats
By 9.1.16
Tiny blueberries and chocolate chips are delicious additions to your baked goods, but tiny shards of plastic definitely are not. If you bought mini muffins or brownie bites made from bulk baker Entenmann’s in the last two weeks, check the packages: it might be part of a recall of items that could contain small plastic pieces. [More]
Judge Rejects $28.5M Uber “Safe Rides” Fee Settlement, Says Company Made $449M From These Charges
By 9.1.16
Not even two weeks after a court rejected a $100 million class action settlement in a dispute between Uber and its drivers, a federal judge has denied a second huge settlement in a legal battle over the nearly half a billion dollars in “Safe Rides” fees collected by the ride-hailing service. [More]
Explosion On Truck Carrying Takata Airbags Not Caused By Improper Shipping
By 8.31.16
On Aug. 22, a truck carrying potentially volatile airbags made by auto parts company Takata exploded, killing one person and injuring four others. Today, federal safety regulators said that the tragic incident could not be blamed on improper shipping. [More]
Uber Driver Accused Of Robbing, Assaulting Disabled Woman
By 8.31.16
It seems every week we’re reporting on ride-share drivers accused of mistreating the passengers they’re hired to take from point A to B, and this week is no different: an Uber driver in Massachusetts has been accused of stealing from an elderly disabled woman and assaulting her in the process. [More]
Diamond Macadamia Nuts Recalled For Possible Salmonella Contamination
By 8.31.16
Nuts are a delicious and filling snack and a tasty addition to a cookie, but they’re a lot less healthy when they come with a generous coating of Salmonella bacteria. That’s the case with macadamia nuts from Diamond, which have been recalled after routine testing turned up bacteria on a bag of nuts. [More]
Google Launching Actual Ride-Sharing Pilot To Compete With Uber, Lyft
By 8.31.16
When Uber was new, it may have claimed to be a ride-sharing service, but these days it’s a high-tech, glorified, unlicensed taxi app. So Google’s planning to start competing against it in San Francisco, with… an actual ride-sharing service. [More]
Uber “Local Rewards” Program Offers Free Rides For Shopping, Dining Out
By 8.30.16
Two months ago, Uber launched a rewards program that offered free rides to users who used a Capital One credit card. Today, the company unveiled a separate reward program with Visa, providing free rides based on how much customers spend at local businesses. [More]
Four Airlines Fined For Misinforming Passengers About Compensation For Lost Bags & Being Bumped
By 8.29.16
If you’re involuntarily bumped from an overbooked flight, or if your bags are lost, the airline owes you some form of compensation. It turns out that four carriers — American, United, Alaska, and Southwest Airlines — haven’t exactly been forthright with all their passengers when it comes to getting what they are owed. [More]
6 Things You Should Know About What Led Up To Takata’s Massive Airbag Disaster
By 8.26.16
Over the past two years, 16 carmakers have recalled millions upon millions of vehicles equipped with Takata-produced, shrapnel-shooting airbags linked to 14 deaths and hundreds of injuries. Investigations have revealed the cause of the ruptures, but a new report sheds light on how the defective safety devices ended up in so many vehicles. Like many shortsighted bad decisions, it came down to money. [More]
Mazda Recalls 190K SUVs Over Loss Of Steering
By 8.26.16
Being able to steer your vehicle in the direction that you want it to go is paramount to, you know, driving. So when that doesn’t work properly, it’s time for a recall. That’s why Mazda is calling back more than 190,000 SUVs to replace potentially defective parts. [More]
VW Reaches Tentative Agreement To Compensate Dealers For Dirty Diesels
By 8.25.16
Volkswagen took another step in putting that whole “Dieselgate” thing behind it Thursday, filing a settlement agreement that would compensate dealers affected by the carmaker’s decision to equip more than 500,000 vehicles equipped with “defeat devices” used to skirt emission standards. [More]
Don’t Waste Your Time Sending These Ideas To Ford
By 8.24.16
We’ve all been there: you’re in your car, driving along, when you’re suddenly struck with an idea for an insanely awesome invention that could totally change the way you and the rest of the world drive. That’s great, and Ford wants you to send it some of those ideas, but others, well, it’s heard’em before. [More]
