Before you hand that sippy cup over to your toddler, you might want to take a minute to make sure it’s not one of a few million spill-proof vessels being recalled due to risk of mold. We may not know everything about kids here at Consumerist, but we’re willing to bet swallowing mold wouldn’t be a popular experience. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
Mayborn USA Recalling More Than 3M Spill-Proof Cups Because Drinking Mold Is Gross
By 5.27.16
Uber Nudging Users Toward Carpooling With Test Of “Upfront Pricing” Feature
By 5.27.16
In some cities, Uber customers can choose to get a ride with UberPool, which allows users to share a car with strangers who are traveling along (or close to) their route. It looks like the ride-hailing company is trying to nudge folks toward selecting that option, with a new test of an “upfront pricing” feature that displays prices for both UberPool and the more expensive option, UberX. [More]
Ford Recalls 271K Trucks Over Brake Issue Linked To 9 Crashes
By 5.25.16
While you can debate the best features in the many pickup trucks available, we can all agree that a feature no one wants are faulty brake lines, like the ones resulting in a new recall of 271,000 Ford F-150 trucks. [More]
Today In Automakers Befriending Ride-Sharing Apps: Toyota Investing In Uber, VW Teaming Up With Gett
By 5.25.16
What’s an automaker to do when it wants to get into the ride-sharing game, and make some money off people who might not ever buy a car but will definitely ride in one, without starting from scratch? Grab a buddy, of course: Toyota is plunking money into Uber and Volkwswagen says it’s teaming up with Gett. [More]
Toyota Adds 1.58M Airbags To Takata Recall List
By 5.24.16
Weeks after federal regulators increased the scope of the recall for shrapnel-shooting Takata airbags by up to 40 million safety devices, Toyota has announced just how many of its vehicles are covered by the expansion: 1.58 million. [More]
You Can Now Schedule Your Lyft 24 Hours In Advance
By 5.23.16
Allowing riders to book trips in advance essentially defeats the purpose of an on-demand ride-hailing app. But it’s a concept that Lyft is now ready to provide customers. [More]
Lyft Slashing Weekday Rides In NYC By Half
By 5.23.16
Hitching a ride in a Lyft in New York City will be a bit more forgiving on your wallet this week: the ride-hailing company plans to cut weekday trip prices in half for a limited time. [More]
GM To Compensate Some Vehicle Owners For Misstated Mileage
By 5.20.16
Last week, General Motors revealed that it had incorrectly calculated the fuel economy on three models of SUV. The carmaker stopped the sale of these vehicles and is now going through the mea culpa process, trying to make things right with drivers who already own one of these SUVs.
[More]
After Nearly 1,000 Complaints, Regulators May Open Investigation Into GM Airbag Issue
By 5.20.16
General Motors isn’t making any new Saturn or Pontiac vehicles, but owners of the many Saturns and Pontiacs still on the road should have some reasonable expectation that their airbags will deploy properly when needed. [More]
9 Things We Learned About How Few Americans Are Regularly Taking Part In The “Sharing Economy”
By 5.19.16
Though it might feel like you can turn a corner without seeing an ad for this ride-hailing app or that on-demand delivery service, Pew Research Center’s first-ever survey of how American adults interact with the new digital economy shows there’s a big difference between how many people have ever tried one of these services and the people who use them on a regular basis. [More]
Uber’s First Self-Driving Car Is Now Rolling Along Pittsburgh’s Streets
By 5.19.16
There’s a new self-driving car on the block, and it’s currently roaming the streets of Pittsburgh. Uber’s first autonomous vehicle, a hybrid Ford Fusion outfitted with sensors, radars, laser scanners, and high-resolution cameras, is on the road. [More]
Uber Allows Users To Track Other Riders’ Trips In Family Profiles
By 5.18.16
After years of turning a blind eye to Uber users who broke the company’s rules by hailing rides for people other than themselves, Uber recently introduced the “Family Profile” option to allow multiple riders to share the same account. Now the company is letting people in the same “Family” track each other’s rides. [More]
Named Plaintiff In Uber Class Action Objects To $100M Settlement
By 5.16.16
What you often see referred to in the news as “the Uber class action lawsuit” has a name: it’s called O’Connor et al v. Uber Technologies, Inc. et al. However, now that there’s a proposed settlement in the case, Douglas O’Connor, the first named plaintiff, filed a declaration in court that he objects to the proposed settlement and has hired new lawyers. [More]
Honda Adds 21M Vehicles To Its Takata Airbag Recall List
By 5.16.16
Honda, Takata’s largest customer, says it will recall an additional 21 million vehicles equipped with the parts maker’s shrapnel-shooting airbags after federal regulators recently increased the scope of the safety initiative by up to 40 million airbags. In all, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recalled up to 68 million airbags. Of those, an estimated 51 million are in Honda vehicles. [The New York Times] [More]
Cadillac Wants To Attract Millennials Somehow, Opens A Coffee Shop
By 5.13.16
Adults under 80 apparently aren’t all that interested in General Motors’ Cadillac brand, maybe because they simply don’t connect the brand with anything that interests them. “What about coffee?” we picture someone at GM saying at the end of a very long meeting. “The kids today like coffee, right?” That’s a plausible enough origin story behind Cadillac House, a café/retail space/art gallery/I swear this is an actual thing that is going to open in June in Manhattan. [More]
Lyft Agrees To $27 Million Settlement To Keep Drivers As Independent Contractors
By 5.12.16
Last month, the judge rejected a proposed settlement in a class action against ride-hailing app Lyft, saying that the $12.25 million offer was too low and didn’t account for business expansion in California since the original class action was filed. The company has now agreed on a revised settlement, pending the judge’s approval. [More]
Atlanta Puts Airport’s Ride-Share Proposal On Hold For The Moment
By 5.11.16
If you’re looking to hail a ride at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport any time soon, you won’t be hopping in an Uber quite yet: after seeing how Newark Liberty International Airport deals with ride-sharing companies, city officials are hitting pause on proposed rules that required drivers to submit to fingerprint-based background checks. [More]
Group That Is Totally Not A Union Can Represent New York City’s Uber Drivers
By 5.10.16
The people who drive for Uber in New York City are independent contractors and not employees of the ride-hailing service, at least according to current laws. Drivers know that, but want a union-like group that would advocate for workers’ concerns with the company, even if it doesn’t engage in collective bargaining to set fares. Uber has agreed to work with a non-union, the Independent Drivers Guild, which will meet with the company and help drivers appeal when they’re “deactivated,” or fired. [More]
