Earlier this week, it looked like Chicago was about to become the biggest city to require that drivers for services like Uber and Lyft provide fingerprints to check against existing criminal databases; but after intervention by the Mayor Rahm Emanuel — whose brother is an Uber investor — Chicago city leaders have approved a compromise version of these rules that kick the fingerprint can down the road for at least another six months. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
After Threatening To Leave City, Chicago Will Not Require Uber, Lyft Drivers Provide Fingerprints
By 6.22.16
Fiat Chrysler Will Stop Using Recalled Takata Airbags In New Vehicles
By 6.21.16
Earlier this month a report revealed that at least four major carmakers continue to equip new vehicles with Takata airbags that will soon be recalled after being found to deploy with enough force to shoot pieces of shrapnel at drivers and passengers. Today, one of those carmakers — Fiat Chrysler — announced plans to immediately stop using the safety devices in question. [More]
Austin City Councilman Sues Mayor To Overturn New Ride-Hailing App Ordinance
By 6.20.16
A new law requiring drivers for ride-hailing services to undergo a city background check, including fingerprinting, led the two leading companies in the industry, Uber and Lyft, to pull out of the Austin market, leaving passengers rideless and around 10,000 drivers jobless. Now a city councilman who was against the original law has filed a lawsuit against the city. [More]
Electric Vehicles Could Cut Gasoline Demand By 20% In Next 20 Years
By 6.20.16
Part of the appeal of driving around town in an electric vehicle is that it doesn’t need gasoline, and thus, is better for the environment. But there’s one thing all of these vehicles aren’t good for: gasoline demand. [More]
Jeep Recalled For Gear Shift Issue Linked To Star Trek Actor’s Death
By 6.20.16
When Fiat Chrysler (FCA) recalled 811,000 Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles in April over concerns about the cars’ confusing electronic gear shifter, the carmaker said it was aware of more than 100 crashes, including 41 injuries, resulting from drivers inadvertently leaving their vehicles in gear with the engine running. The issue is now being linked to the death of a young actor over the weekend. [More]
Elon Musk: Tesla Model S Can Be Used Like A Boat For “Short Periods Of Time”
By 6.20.16
It’s a car, it’s a boat… it’s a Tesla? Should Model S owners ever find themselves in a suddenly wet situation, Tesla CEO says not to worry — the cars can basically turn into a boat for a little bit when you need them to. [More]
VW Focusing On New Electric Car Offerings To Make Up For Emissions Scandal
By 6.16.16
After admitting to equipping more than 11 million vehicles worldwide — around 500,000 in the U.S. — with illegal “defeat devices” designed to cheat emissions standards, Volkswagen is trying to undo that damage by focusing more on greener, electric vehicles. [More]
Lawsuit Claims GM Exaggerated Fuel Mileage On Some SUVs For Seven Years
By 6.16.16
General Motors announced last month that it would provide compensation to owners of their models of SUVs after admitting it had incorrectly calculated the fuel economy on the vehicles. But that apparently isn’t enough for some GM owners who have filed a potential class action against the carmaker. [More]
Volkswagen Gets More Time To Sort Out Buy-Back/Fix Plan For Cheating Diesels
By 6.16.16
In April, Volkswagen and federal regulators came to a proposed settlement agreement that would see the embattled carmaker offer to buy back hundreds of thousands of vehicles equipped with emissions-cheating “defeat devices.” However, that plan was still far from final, and didn’t explain how VW would actually fix these cars. The court had given the company and the government until June 21 to reach a final agreement, but now that deadline has been extended — just the latest extension for the carmaker that admitted to using emissions-cheating software in more than 11 million vehicles worldwide. [More]
Uber Teams Up With Capital One For Rewards Program
By 6.15.16
For the most part Uber and credit cards go hand-in-hand: in order to hail a ride you must be willing to pay for your ride via a debit or credit card stored to your account. So it should come with little shock that the company is now partnering with Capital One on a rewards program for riders. [More]
Here Are All Of The Snacks Included So Far In The Peanut-Contaminated Flour Recall
By 6.14.16
Severe allergies to peanuts are terrifyingly common, which is why products get recalled when they could have just tiny amounts of the legume. After a commercial supplier recalled a batch of flour that may contain some peanut protein, snack-makers are recalling products made with the affected flour. Those snacks include major brands like Keebler, Famous Amos, Rold Gold, Mother’s, Murray, and Special K. [More]
Tesla Opens A ‘Boutique’ Inside A Nordstrom Store
By 6.14.16
This weekend, electric car maker Tesla will open its latest showroom in California in an unexpected place: inside a Nordstrom department store. Sure, there are Tesla stores in malls, but a mini-store that sells actual cars inside a department store is a new development. Even if the store doesn’t actually sell any cars. [More]
GM Debuts New “Rear Seat Reminder” Feature In Battle Against Hot Car Deaths
By 6.13.16
Every summer we find ourselves hearing about children who have died after being left behind in hot cars, and it’s no different this year: 12 kids have died from heatstroke in cars, safety advocates say. In an effort to prevent those deaths, GM has unveiled a new feature that will let drivers know when someone has been left behind in the car. [More]
Kia Recalls 219K Minivans Because Hoods Shouldn’t Just Fly Up
By 6.13.16
There’s nothing worse than driving down the road only to have the hood of your car all of a sudden fly up, obstructing your view. Okay, that likely doesn’t happen often, but for more than 219,000 owners of recently recalled Kia Sedona minivans it is certainly a possibility. [More]
Teva Pharmaceuticals Pulling Zecuity Migraine Patch After Users Reported Burns, Scars
By 6.13.16
Having a migraine can bad enough, but getting literally burned by a product that’s supposed to help alleviate that pain makes it an even more painful experience. That’s why the makers of a patch called Zecuity, which is marketed for migraine relief, are yanking it from shelves, after users reported burns and scarring. [More]
Uber Investigator Pretended To Be Reporter To Dig Up Dirt On Lawsuit Plaintiff
By 6.13.16
Two years ago, Uber was heavily criticized (by basically everyone except investor/sort-of actor Ashton Kutcher) when an executive suggested the company should probe the personal life of a reporter who criticized the ridesharing service. Now Uber has gone from trying to dig up dirt on reporters, to hiring investigators who pretend to be reporters to dig up dirt on a someone suing the company. [More]
You Probably Just Shouldn’t Eat Anything With Sunflower Seeds In It For A While
By 6.10.16
Sunflower seeds are a satisfying snack, and especially good to eat during a long drive. They’re also a common ingredient in cereals, granola, granola bars, protein bars, cookies, and you can even buy sunflower seed butter. We didn’t realize quite how popular they are until a company called SunOpta found Listeria monocytogenes contamination after routine testing of their bulk sunflower seeds. Since then, companies from supermarkets to sporting goods stores have been recalling their products that contain sunflower seeds, and those little seeds are everywhere. [More]
Former Uber And Lyft Drivers In Austin Sue Over Abrupt Pullout
By 6.10.16
In Austin, TX last month, city voters approved a ballot measure that would require drivers for ride-hailing apps to pass city background checks and be fingerprinted. Both companies immediately pulled out of the city, suddenly leaving thousands of workers, many of whom were driving for their full-time jobs, out of work. Now drivers are suing the companies, alleging that they were owed notice under the WARN Act. [More]
