For the third time this week an automaker has recalled tens of thousands of vehicles because of a potential fire risk. In addition to recalling 52,000 sedans for wiring issues that could lead to a vehicle fire, Toyota is recalling 5,000 cars whose airbags may not deploy properly. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
Senators Urge GM To Extend Deadline For Filing Ignition Switch Claims
By 1.28.15
With just three days left before General Motors’ self-imposed victim compensation claim deadline, two senators are encouraging the car manufacturer to extend the cut off beyond January 31. [More]
Ford Issues Two Recalls Covering 221,000 Vehicles For Seatbelt, Door Latch Issues
By 1.28.15
Door latches and seatbelts are two elements of a car that you don’t exactly want to have fail in the event of an accident. That’s why Ford issued two safety recalls covering more than 221,000 vehicles today. [More]
Uber Delivering Adoptable Puppies To Offices In 10 Cities Today
By 1.28.15
Because no one can resist the lure of baby animals romping and frolicking in the workplace, Uber is teaming up with Animal Planet and the Puppy Bowl today — and today only — to deliver adoptable puppies to customers’ offices for 15 minutes of playtime. [More]
Delaware Wants To Become The First State To Offer Digital Driver’s Licenses
By 1.28.15
We have digital documents that have become just as accepted as paperwork — from contracts to concert tickets — so why not that holy grail of wheeled freedom for the minor set, the driver’s license? Delaware wants to start the technological trend of having digital driver’s licenses, with the state legislature adopting a resolution to start looking into the process. [More]
Poll: Ride-Sharing Services Are Cutting Down On Drunk-Driving Incidents
By 1.27.15
Times used to be, if your friend was drunk and threatening to drive, you’d have to deal with the inconvenience of actually calling up a cab while hiding their keys. But now due to ride-sharing services that can summon vehicles with a swipe on an app, drunk-driving incidents are down. This, according to a poll by one of those services, Uber, along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. [More]
Volkswagen, Audi Recall 80,000 Vehicles Because Leaking Fuel Can Lead To Fire
By 1.27.15
Even though fuel prices have precipitously dropped in recent months, no one wants to waste their gas because of a fuel leak. For that reason, and because a fuel leak could lead to a vehicle fire, Volkswagen is recalling nearly 26,000 sedans and SUVS in the U.S. and 80,000 worldwide. [More]
California DMV Retracts Notice Requiring Uber & Lyft To Obtain Commercial Licenses
By 1.27.15
Just a week after it was widely reported that the California Department of Motor Vehicles issued an advisory requesting all drivers of ride-sharing services to obtain commercial license plates, the agency has revoked the guidance. [More]
GM Compensation Fund Approves 50th Death Claim, Submission Deadline Saturday
By 1.26.15
Just five days before the submission deadline for consumers affected by General Motors’ massive ignition switch defect, administrators for the compensation fund say they have officially linked 50 deaths to the faulty devices. [More]
Uber Caps Surge Pricing During Juno Snowmageddon (Because It Sort Of Has To)
By 1.26.15
As those of us in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast prepare to slaughter a tauntaun and seek shelter from the snow in the warmth of its belly, the folks at Uber say they will put a maximum on surge pricing so as to avoid the backlash it has experienced in the past during emergencies, and because it promised it wouldn’t do this anymore. [More]
California DMV Says Uber & Lyft Cars Need Commercial License Plates
By 1.23.15
Ride-sharing services operating in California have several issues lately: Uber being sued by San Francisco and Los Angeles counties, and L.A. mulling its own ride-sharing-like app just to name a few. Well, things don’t look to be getting any more amicable between the state and car services, as the California Department of Motor Vehicles issued an advisory requiring all drivers for the services to have commercial license plates. [More]
Missouri Auto Dealers Sue State For Letting Tesla Sell Directly To Consumers
By 1.23.15
While many states have essentially banned the sale of Tesla vehicles, Missouri appeared to welcome the electric car company with open arms. Of course, not everyone is as pleased to have the car maker tallying sales in the Show Me State. And so to show its displeasure, the Missouri Auto Dealers Association filed a lawsuit against the Missouri Department of Revenue and its director for allowing the electric car company to sell vehicles directly to consumers. [More]
Lawsuit Against Honda, Takata Claims Civic’s Exploding Airbag Left Woman Paralyzed
By 1.23.15
The ripples of last year’s massive Takata airbag recalls continue to spread, with a new lawsuit this week against Takata and Honda Motor Company claiming that an exploding replacement airbag paralyzed a Florida woman from the neck down after her Honda Civic was involved in a collision. [More]
NHTSA To Suggest (But Not Require) Sensor-Enabled Brakes For All New Vehicles
By 1.23.15
Consumers could soon have a longer list of recommended safety features to look for when setting out to buy a new car. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced plans Thursday to change its vehicle safety rating program to include two sensor-based automatic emergency braking systems, but the agency won’t go so far as to mandate automakers’ use of the systems. [More]
GM Stops Sales Of Some 2015 SUVs After Goodyear Announces Tire Recall
By 1.22.15
If you were planning to purchase a General Motors SUV this weekend you might be out of luck. The automaker instructed dealers to halt sales on thousands of model year 2015 SUVs after Goodyear announced the recall of nearly 49,000 tires. [More]
Regulators Scrutinizing 2013 Ford Truck Recall After Receiving 30 Additional Complaints
By 1.21.15
A week after the new head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warned automakers and consumers that the agency would take an aggressive approach to vehicle safety, the regulator announced it is revisiting the 2013 recall of several Ford pickup trucks, opening the possibility of increasing the recall scope from 3,000 to nearly 200,000 trucks. [More]
Lyft Switches To Non-Fuzzy, Glowing Mustaches On Cars
By 1.20.15
Lyft already ditched its signature giant fuzzy pink mustaches for the front grills of working vehicles for its classier premium ride service, but regular drivers were still putting fuzzy pink mustaches on the front grills of their cars. Yet Lyft has been dialing back the size of the distinctive decoration, making them smaller. Now, they’re switching to a smaller, but still pink, “glowstache.” [More]
Boston Taxi Drivers Sue City For Allowing Uber, Lyft To Operate
By 1.19.15
City authorities in places like Portland, San Francisco, and L.A., have each taken legal actions against ridesharing services like Uber, and taxi drivers around the country have accused these companies from sidestepping regulations. But a recently filed lawsuit by Boston taxi drivers points the blame-finger at the city for allowing Uber, et al, to operate. [More]
