The trial in the case of California Uber drivers against the ride-hailing app is still going forward, scheduled for June 20, 2016. However, a few weeks ago, the judge allowed all of the drivers taking part to sue for mileage and phone bill reimbursement. Uber is appealing that ruling, and the appeal may not be resolved before the trial. This week, the judge ruled that he won’t make a final ruling until that case is resolved. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
Final Decision In Uber Driver Class Action Won’t Come Until Appeals Court Decides On Arbitration
By 12.23.15
Ford Recalls 313K Sedans Because Lights Are Necessary While Driving In The Dark
By 12.23.15
Six years after federal regulators originally closed an investigation into Ford sedans that contained headlights that could fail and four months after a new probe into the issue was opened, the automaker has issued a recall for 313,000 of the vehicles. [More]
Ford, Google Reportedly Teaming Up For Driverless Car Project
By 12.22.15
Just a week after Ford announced it would be joining the auto pack and heading to California to test a driverless car next year, the company is reportedly adding a player to its autonomous vehicle team: Google. [More]
BMW To Pay $40M For Failing To Recall Mini Coopers In A Timely Manner
By 12.21.15
Three months after federal regulators opened a probe into whether BMW failed to recall more than 30,000 Mini Cooper cars in a timely fashion after certain models did not meet side impact crash standards, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined the car manufacturer $40 million after finding a series of violations. [More]
OnStar Ignores Elderly Man’s Request For Emergency Help Because He’s Not A Subscriber
By 12.21.15
It can be terrifying when an elderly relative vanishes. One New York man who recently went missing was fortunate to be in a car with an emergency device equipped, and to know how to reach help — but the help then chose not to help him at all, leaving his family mystified about the response. [More]
Seasonal Bags Of Dove Chocolate Recalled Due To Surprise Snickers, Allergy Concerns
By 12.21.15
Food allergies can be a life-threatening condition, which is why the maker of Dove candies has recalled a winter-themed assortment of chocolates available only from one nationwide food retailer and distributed to 35 states. Which nationwide food retailer is that? Mars didn’t bother to include that information, which might have been helpful. [More]
Uber Sends Drivers New Contract That Includes Opting Out Of Any Current Class Actions
By 12.18.15
Was Uber trying to deliberately trick its drivers when it sent out a new driver agreement, or just trying to make its contract provisions clearer? While the company’s attorneys claim that the new driver contract wouldn’t actually preclude drivers still working for them from taking part in the California lawsuit or other lawsuits against them, the attorney for the affected drivers disagrees. [More]
Facebook Users Can Now Use The Messenger App To Hail A Ride
By 12.16.15
In its ongoing effort to keep Facebook users inside the Facebook universe at all times, the social media giant is adding a new feature to Messenger that will allow folks to hail a ride with Uber and other on-demand car services from within the app. [More]
Forget Stars, You Might Be Able To Rate Uber Drivers With An Emoji Soon
By 12.15.15
Who wants to get five stars when they can get a smiley face or a thumbs up instead? That’s the idea behind a new rating system Uber is testing. [More]
GM Paid Out $594.5M For 399 Ignition Switch Death And Injury Claims
By 12.10.15
Four months after General Motors said it had approved 124 death claims – 10 times the number the carmaker originally acknowledged – related to the massive ignition switch defect it failed to address in more than 2.59 million vehicles, lawyers for the company have calculated a final bill for paid-out claims: $594.5 million. [More]
Federal Judge Rules That California Uber Drivers Can Sue For Vehicle And Phone Expenses
By 12.10.15
There’s a fairly low barrier to entry if you want to work as a driver for Uber or similar ride-hailing apps: you need to be over 21, have a safe driving record, and have a car that meets the company’s criteria. Then the company sends you work through their app, an arrangement that a current class action lawsuit says makes drivers employees of the service, entitled to reimbursement of their car and phone expenses. Now a federal district judge in California has ruled that the workers are entitled to have Uber cover their vehicle and smartphone expenses. [More]
Fiat Chrysler To Pay $70M For Allegedly Failing To Disclose Crash Deaths & Injuries
By 12.10.15
Fiat Chrysler will pay a $70 million fine to federal regulators over allegations it under-reported injuries and deaths related to vehicle crashes. [More]
VW Claims Carbon Dioxide Emission Issue Only Affects 36,000 Vehicles, Not 800,000
By 12.9.15
In early November, Volkswagen added to its mounting emissions scandal by announcing that an internal investigation had found that nearly 800,000 vehicles may have issues with carbon dioxide emissions resulting in inflated fuel efficiency. But now, the carmaker says its was all just a big misunderstanding: only a fraction of those cars are actually affected. [More]
Regulators Propose Changes To 5-Star Safety Ratings To Incorporate More Crash-Prevention Technology
By 12.8.15
Crash safety tests are about to get a whole lot different. Automakers striving to achieve five stars for safety from federal regulators will have to add a few things to their vehicle rosters as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced high-tech changes to its system. [More]
Dodge Recalls More Than 121,000 Darts Over Brake System Issue
By 12.4.15
Brakes are meant to slow, stop or keep a vehicle from moving when the driver doesn’t want it to, making them an integral part of the automobile. So when there’s a problem with the system, that’s a pretty big deal. And for that reason, Fiat Chrysler issued a recall for more than 121,000 vehicles. [More]
Fiat Chrysler Spins Off Ferrari Division, Drops Hostile Bid To Merge With General Motors
By 12.4.15
With all the mergers – or would-be mergers – floating around out there, Fiat Chrysler is going in the opposite direction: spinning off its Ferrari division and dropping talks of a hostile takeover of rival General Motors. [More]
Ford Now Offering Siri Eyes-Free Software Update For 5 Million Older Cars
By 12.3.15
Though we’re living in an increasingly interconnected, digital age, perhaps you drive a car that’s a bit more… analog. For those Ford owners who have older vehicles but want to be linked up with new technology, the carmaker is offering a software update for five million cars that will allow owners to activate Apple’s Siri Eyes-Free feature. [More]
