UPDATE: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday ordered Japanese parts maker Takata to pay $70 million – and an additional $130 million if it fails to abide by the agreement – marking the agency’s largest civil penalty in history. The regulator also announced it would use its authority to accelerate recall repairs to millions of vehicles equipped with shrapnel-shooting airbags for the first time. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
Sensor-Based Emergency Braking Systems Added To List For Five-Star Ratings Starting In 2018
By 11.3.15
If you plan to start shopping for a new car in 2018, you’ll have a longer list of recommended safety features to look for. Federal regulators are set to include automatic emergency braking as a recommended safety technology when distributing 5-star safety ratings starting in three years. [More]
VW Denies Latest Emissions Violations, Won’t Halt Sales On Affected Vehicles
By 11.3.15
Just hours after federal and state regulators accused Volkswagen of using so-called “defeat devices” on newer model cars in order to ensure they passed emissions tests, the carmaker said the allegations aren’t true and that it will continue to allow sales of the recently identified automobiles. [More]
Report: VW Failed To Disclose One Death, Three Injuries To Federal Regulator Database
By 11.2.15
Last month it was reported that Volkswagen may have skirted rules that require car manufacturers to report death and injury claims to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A new analysis of the regulator’s database and lawsuits filed against the company show it failed to report at least one death and three injuries involving its vehicles. [More]
Regulators Find More “Defeat Devices” In 10,000 VW, Porsche And Audi Vehicles
By 11.2.15
A month and a half after the Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board found “defeat devices” designed to cheat emission tests in nearly 500,000 Volkswagen and Audi vehicles, the agencies’ ongoing investigation found additional Clean Air Act violations in the carmaker’s newer model Porsche, Audi and VW cars. [More]
Man Accused Of Drunkenly Attacking His Uber Driver Gets A Face Full Of Mace
By 11.2.15
UPDATE: As it turns out, the passenger who alleged assault the Uber driver in California is a Taco Bell marketing executive. At least, he used to be: the company says it’s fired the suspect after the accusations were made public yesterday. [More]
Some Skippy Peanut Butter Recalled Because No One Enjoys Small Metal Shavings In Their Snack
By 10.30.15
When it comes to peanut butter, the great war wages on between chunky-lovers and smooth-o-philes, but one thing both sides of that battle can agree on is that peanut butter should not contain metal shavings of any sort. [More]
GM To Owners Of 1.4M Recalled Vehicles: Don’t Park In A Garage For Now
By 10.30.15
Earlier this week, General Motors issued a recall of 1.4 million vehicles over concerns about a potential fire risk. Today, the beleaguered carmaker is telling owners of those cars to not park them in garages until the problem is repaired. [More]
Fiat Chrysler Recalling 900K SUVs To Fix Issues With Airbag Deployment, Anti-Lock Brakes
By 10.30.15
Another day, another major car company announcing a recall: this time it’s Fiat Chrysler, which is calling back around 900,000 SUVs around the world to address problems with anti-lock brakes and how the airbags deploy. [More]
Uber May Be Shooting Itself In The Foot With Surge Pricing
By 10.29.15
While it might be more difficult to hail a taxi at rush hour in Midtown Manhattan, the base rate for your ride is no different than if you’d flagged down that cab two hours earlier. But if you try to summon an Uber driver, you might he hit with increased “surge” pricing. Uber says the higher cost is intended to lure drivers to these high-demand areas, but a new study claims that surge pricing may have the opposite effect. [More]
Uber Customers Can Order Up A Kitten Visit In More Than 50 Cities Today
By 10.29.15
If you’ve missed your chance in the past to order a kitten visit through Uber — whether because there weren’t enough cats to go around or the offer wasn’t available in your city — you’ve got another opportunity today. Uber will bring shelter kittens (many of which are eligible for adoption) to customers in more than 50 cities today between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Snuggle fee: $30 for 15 minutes of playtime. [Uber] [More]
Lyft Can Send You Free Zombies On Demand For Halloween
By 10.28.15
Companies that send vehicles on demand also enjoy giving people the ability to summon other things with the power of their smartphones, like when Uber let people in select cities summon puppies and kittens or free fruit deliveries when the company was suspended from giving rides in Germany. Lyft’s Halloween publicity stunt is less cuddly and more spooky: they’ll send you zombies on demand if you order one. [More]
System For Recalling Defective Tires Is “Broken,” Says Federal Safety Agency
By 10.27.15
When a manufacturer recalls a vehicle for a safety defect, they’re required to contact owners of the affected models and provide a remedy for the issue free of charge. But federal investigators say this sort of smooth recall just isn’t possible for tires because the current tire recall system is “completely broken.” [More]
GM Recalls 1.4M Cars Over Fire Risk For The Fourth Time
By 10.27.15
For the fourth time in eight years, General Motors is recalling a number of older vehicles because the engine compartment can catch fire when drops of oil overheat. [More]
New Rule Bans E-Cigarettes From Checked Baggage
By 10.27.15
After more than 26 incidents in six years in which e-cigarettes have caused fires or explosions on planes, a new federal rule is set to go into effect banning the devices from being left in checked baggage. [More]
Uber, New Jersey Town Partner To Offer Residents Free Rides After A Night On The Town
By 10.26.15
Since its launch, Uber has had a somewhat contentious relationship with cities and municipalities over the legality of its services. But in an interesting turn of events, the ride-hailing app is actually partnering with one town, offering free rides for citizens that may have had a few too many adult beverages. [More]
Watch A Takata Airbag Explode In Slow Motion
By 10.23.15
Last year, owners of vehicles equipped with shrapnel-shooting Takata airbags shared their point of view of the massive safety device recall, likening the situation to driving around with an explosive device in their steering wheel and dashboard. Their description was no doubt frightening, but seeing one of the airbags rupture in real time is even more so. [More]
Mazda Recalls 1.2M Vehicles Because Grease In The Ignition Can Cause A Fire
By 10.23.15
If you have an older Mazda that still runs like a champ, listen up: the car company is recalling nearly 1.2 million vehicles made in the 1990s because of defective ignition switches. [More]
