DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ A man claims a Tesla he was driving 'suddenly and automatically' took off, forcing him to intentionally crash it to avoid hitting people
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A man in New York is suing Tesla after he says a vehicle "suddenly and automatically" accelerated. His lawyer told Insider he maneuvered the car to avoid hitting anyone and had to crash it to stop. Last week, Tesla recalled over a million cars in China, citing their regenerative braking system. A man in New York is suing Tesla after he says one of their vehicles "suddenly and automatically" accelerated, causing him to crash it in order to stop it and avoid hitting people nearby. Shimko explained that as soon as Shamsuzzaman took his foot off the brake, he lost control of the Tesla.

☆ U.S. lawmakers want to bar automakers from eliminating AM radio in new vehicles
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, May 17 (Reuters) - A group of bipartisan U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation Wednesday to bar automakers from eliminating AM broadcast radio in their new vehicles citing safety concerns. Democratic Senator Edward Markey, one of the sponsors of the bill, said at least eight automakers have removed AM broadcast radio from their electric vehicles including Tesla (TSLA.O) BMW (BMWG.DE), Ford (F.N) and Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE). The bill would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue regulations to mandate AM radio in new vehicles without additional charge. Lawmakers say losing AM radio undermines a federal system for delivering key public safety information to the public. Reporting by David ShepardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ US House Republicans blast EPA refusal to appear at EV hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A spokesperson for the House Oversight Republican majority said "the EPA’s excuse for not appearing before this week’s subcommittee hearing is devoid of logic" noting EPA Administrator Michael Regan's recent testimony. Last month, the EPA proposed sharp emissions cuts that it estimates would result in 60% of new vehicles by 2030 being electric and 67% by 2032. EPA said the requested witnesses had previously scheduled meetings with lawmakers and others Wednesday preventing their participation and because the proposed rules "are currently open for public comment." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet new proposed fuel economy standards. Last week, an auto trade group warned the EPA proposal may rely on a too rapid transition to EVs and poses significant challenges.

☆ Exploding Air Bags Prompt Feds to Demand Massive Recall: What to Know
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Mike Colias | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An ARC Automotive manufacturing plant in Knoxville, Tenn. Photo: Adam Lau/Associated PressFederal vehicle-safety regulators are calling for a recall of air-bag inflation devices that would trigger one of the largest safety actions in U.S. history, citing at least two deaths and eight injuries. The maker of the devices says it doesn’t believe a recall of that scope is necessary. Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made public its demand that Tennessee-based ARC Automotive recall about 67 million air-bag inflators because of a risk they could explode in a crash and spray the car’s interior with metal shrapnel.

☆ Stellantis recalls 219,000 Jeep SUVs over fire risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado/File PhotoCompanies Stellantis NV FollowWASHINGTON May 16 (Reuters) - Chrysler-parent Stellantis said on Tuesday it is recalling 219,000 Jeep Cherokee SUVs worldwide for fire risks and warned owners to park outside until repairs are made. The recall covers 2014 through 2016 model year Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a power liftgate. An electrical short in the power liftgate module may lead to a vehicle fire with the ignition on or off. NHTSA said owners should follow Stellantis advice and park outside until the recall is developed and owners get repairs. Stellantis last year opened an investigation as a result of an increasing trend in cargo compartment fires in 2014 and 2015 Jeep Cherokee vehicles.

☆ Investigation Behind Huge Air-Bag Recall Demand Took 8 Years
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Ryan Felton | Tom Mcginty | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The U.S.’s top auto-safety regulator last week demanded a huge recall of an air bag part that is at risk of exploding during crashes. That was eight years after the government began investigating the issue, during which two people died and eight were injured. Safety-defect investigations launched by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are becoming increasingly lengthy. Many agency probes last three and four years, well past NHTSA’s longstanding goal of a year or less, according to an analysis by The Wall Street Journal of publicly available data.

☆ Parts Maker Rejects Demand to Recall Air-Bag Inflators Regulators Call Unsafe
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Ryan Felton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

General Motors recalled nearly one million SUVs that used the ARC air bags, including the GMC Acadia, from model years 2014 to 2017. Photo: mark blinch/ReutersAn auto-parts manufacturer is rejecting a demand from federal regulators that it recall 67 million air-bag inflators that the regulators say are unsafe, setting up a potential legal battle that would have wide-ranging ramifications for the industry. In a letter released publicly Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it had tentatively concluded that the inflators made by Tennessee-based ARC Automotive contain a “safety-related defect” and should be recalled. The inflators have been linked to exploding incidents that have killed two people and injured others.

☆ U.S. Regulators Urge Supplier to Recall 67 Million Air-Bag Inflators for Potential Explosions
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Ryan Felton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

General Motors said dealers will replace the front-driver air-bag module. Photo: Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press/Zuma PressFederal auto-safety regulators are demanding a supplier recall 67 million air-bag inflators linked to exploding incidents that have killed two people and injured others, in what could be one of the largest safety actions on record. In a letter released publicly Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it has tentatively concluded that the inflators made by Tennessee-based ARC Automotive contain a “safety-related defect” and should be recalled.

☆ GM recalling nearly 1 million U.S. vehicles for air bag defect
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Reuters) - General Motors (GM.N) said on Friday it will recall nearly 1 million sport utility vehicles in the United States because the driver's air-bag inflator may explode during deployment. The recall covers 994,763 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles from the 2014 through 2017 model years with modules produced by ARC Automotive Inc. An April 25 inspection confirmed that the front driver airbag inflator ruptured in the vehicle. GM said it was aware of two prior ruptures of ARC-manufactured airbag inflators in 2015 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles, and GM conducted two earlier small recalls of about 3,000 ARC inflators. All three rupture events in Chevrolet Traverse vehicles involved the same inflator variant.

☆ US wants a recall of 67 million airbag inflators, but the manufacturer disagrees
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is calling for an immediate recall of 67 million airbag inflators due to a dangerous defect, the agency said in a letter to ARC Automotive, a major manufacturer of the component. The 67 million airbag inflators that NHTSA wants recalled were all produced in the 18-year period prior to January 2018, when ARC installed equipment to help inspect inflators, according to the company. The airbag inflators are used by at least 12 vehicle manufacturers, but NHTSA did not specify which ones. “Airbag inflators that project metal fragments into vehicle occupants, rather than properly inflating the attached airbag, create an unreasonable risk of death and injury,” the agency said in the letter. “None of the 918 inflators ruptured in the tests,” Gold wrote in response to NHTSA’s request for a recall.

☆ U.S. demands recall of 67 million air bag inflators
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Air bag inflators that project metal fragments into vehicle occupants, rather than properly inflating the attached air bag, create an unreasonable risk of death and injury." ARC air bag inflators are in General Motors (GM.N), Chrysler-parent Stellantis (STLAM.MI), BMW (BMWG.DE), Hyundai Motor (005380.KS), Kia Corp (000270.KS) and other vehicles. GM on Friday agreed to recall nearly 1 million vehicles with ARC air bag inflators after a rupture in March resulted in facial injuries to a driver. NHTSA said through January 2018, 67 million of thesubject driver and passenger frontal air bag inflators. Over the last decade, more than 67 million Takata air bag inflators have been recalled in the United States and more than 100 million worldwide, the biggest auto safety callback in history.

☆ Seven US senators raise concerns about Tesla use of forced arbitration clauses
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Tesla Inc FollowWASHINGTON, May 8 (Reuters) - A group of seven U.S. senators on Monday questioned Tesla Inc's (TSLA.O) use of forced arbitration clauses in employee and consumer contracts, arguing that they prevent bringing discrimination claims and consumer safety complaints to court. Tesla has said it does not tolerate workplace discrimination and takes worker complaints seriously. The senators cited an ongoing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation into reports of “phantom braking" in Tesla vehicles. The senators sought answers to detailed questions by June 8 about Tesla's use of forced arbitration. The senators said arbitration clauses may keep"potential safety flaws from the public eye and limited regulatory authorities’ ability to protect Tesla customers and employees and hold Tesla publicly accountable."

☆ ‘The federal government is not doing their job,’ NTSB chair says about automated driving tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy sharply criticized federal regulators Thursday for not doing enough to monitor and test automatic driving technologies. “The NTSB has called on regulators to set performance minimums for these features, to test vehicles rigorously against those standards and provide the results to consumers. That’s because the IIHS and Consumer Reports worked directly with automakers to get them to add it. “Consumer Reports and IIHS tried to get ahead of this because there was no movement from regulators,” she said. Consumer Reports test drivers will still use an actual interstate highway to test features that only function when the car recognizes that it’s on a divided highway.

☆ Tesla's not even in the top 10 of self-driving firms, according to experts who ranked all of the leading companies working on automation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Research firm Guidehouse Insights regularly ranks companies developing automated driving tech. Tesla didn't make this year's top 10, and ranked last of 16 companies assessed. Moreover, of the 16 companies recently ranked by research and consulting firm Guidehouse Insights (which ranks some of the biggest names working on automated-driving technology each year), Tesla came in last. Tesla ranked last in similar lists in 2021 and 2020. To come up with the list, Guidehouse weighs factors such as a company's vision, go-to-market and production strategies, partners, tech, commercial readiness, and more.

☆ Opinion | American Road Deaths Show an Alarming Racial Gap
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Adam Paul Susaneck | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

The year before, pedestrian deaths reached a 40-year high. Pedestrian and cyclist injuries tend to be concentrated in poorer neighborhoods that have a larger share of Black and Hispanic residents. Roosevelt Boulevard North Philly High Injury Network West Philly 3 miles Percent Black and Hispanic 20 40 60 80% Washington D.C. Oslo and Helsinki, which adopted Vision Zero in the 1990s, recorded zero traffic deaths in 2019, and Helsinki had just two pedestrian deaths in 2021. In Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington, pedestrian deaths have actually risen since the adoption of Vision Zero.

☆ GM Recalls Some Chevy Silverado Trucks Over Fire Risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Ginger Adams Otis | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Some Chevrolet Silverado trucks were discovered to have a potential brake-fluid leak that could result in a fire. Photo: rebecca cook/ReutersGeneral Motors Co. has issued a recall for some of its Chevrolet Silverado trucks after discovering a potential brake-fluid leak that could result in a fire. The recall could involve as many as 40,000 medium-duty trucks made in 2019 or later, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

[1/2] A Tesla Model 3 vehicle drives on autopilot along the 405 highway in Westminster, California, U.S., March 16, 2022. Tesla denied liability for the accident and said in a court filing that Hsu used Autopilot on city streets, despite a user manual warning against doing so. "This case should be a wakeup call to Tesla owners: they can't over-rely on Autopilot, and they really need to be ready to take control and Tesla is not a self-driving system," he said. The Hsu trial unfolded in Los Angeles Superior Court over three weeks, with testimony from three Tesla engineers. The main question in Autopilot cases was who is responsible for an accident while a car is in driver-assistant Autopilot mode - a human driver, the machine, or both?

☆ States Urge Recall of Millions of Kia, Hyundai Cars After Sharp Rise in Thefts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Gareth Vipers | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

California Attorney General Rob Bonta in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday discussed the car-theft problem. Photo: Terry Chea/Associated PressThe attorneys general of 17 states urged the federal government to issue a recall for millions of Hyundai and Kia vehicles, claiming the companies have failed to take adequate steps to address a surge in car thefts. In a letter sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Thursday, the group said the auto makers’ failure to install standard safety features on many of their vehicles has put owners and the public at risk.

☆ So many Kias and Hyundais are being stolen using just a screwdriver and a USB cord that 17 state attorneys general are calling for a recall on millions of vehicles
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A group of state attorneys general is asking the federal government to recall millions of Hyundai and Kia vehicles. They cite a string of thefts in the last few years, which seem to be inspired by TikTok videos. It is unacceptable that families and communities should be forced to shoulder the cost of Kia's and Hyundai's failures." At least eight deaths and several injuries have been attributed to accidents involving stolen Kias or Hyundais, the letter states. The company also said it has shipped over 47,000 steering wheel locks to thousands of Kia owners, as well as to hundreds of local law enforcement agencies for them to distribute.

CNN —A coalition of attorneys general for 17 states and the District of Columbia on Thursday called for a federal recall of Hyundai and Kia vehicles that they say are unsafe and too easy to steal. “Hyundai and Kia announced that they will initiate voluntary service campaigns to offer software updates for certain vehicles with this starting-system vulnerability. Hyundai and Kia operate as separate companies in the United States, but Hyundai Motor Group owns a large stake in Kia, and various Hyundai and Kia models share much of their engineering. “The bottom line is, Kia’s and Hyundai’s failure to install standard safety features on many of their vehicles have put vehicle owners and the public at risk,” Attorney General Bonta said. The attorneys general’s letter asserts that the ease of theft of these Hyundai and Kia vehicles constitutes a safety hazard and the vehicles fail to meet federal standards for theft prevention.

[1/2] A Tesla Model 3 vehicle drives on autopilot along the 405 highway in Westminster, California, U.S., March 16, 2022. It said in a court filing that Hsu used Autopilot on city streets, despite Tesla's user manual warning against doing so. The main question in Autopilot cases is who is responsible for an accident while a car was in driver-assistant Autopilot mode - a human driver, the machine, or both? That executive, Ashok Elluswamy, director of Autopilot software at Tesla, testified during the Hsu trial last week about the videotape. Also at issue in the Hsu trial is the airbag.

☆ Elon Musk had a rough week across his empire — Tesla, Twitter and SpaceX
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The investors are particularly concerned with Musk and Tesla's handling of human rights and workers' rights. Their letter recounts many lawsuits in which Tesla has been sued over: racial discrimination, union-busting, wage theft, sexual harassment and unsafe working conditions. "Instead of working to address problems with regulators, CEO Musk has made derogatory tweets and comments, fueling tensions," they wrote. The open letter to Tesla's board comes after Tesla shares have declined more than 15% over the past month. Musk-led Twitter also removed "government-funded" and "China state-affiliated" labels from Twitter accounts of a myriad of global media organizations.

☆ California, other states seek recall of Hyundai, Kia vehicles over theft
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Doyinsola Oladipo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) and Kia Corp (000270.KS) vehicles represent a large share of stolen cars in multiple U.S. cities, according to data from police and state officials. While most cars in recent years have been installed with industry standard anti-theft devices, the Korean automakers have no push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices. Hyundai said its vehicles have engine immobilizers that prevent a vehicle from starting unless the correct key or fob is used, making it compliant with federal anti-theft requirements. "These specific models comply fully with all applicable federal standards, a recall is neither appropriate nor necessary under federal law," said Kia in a statement. U.S. theft claims were nearly twice as common for Hyundai and Kia vehicles compared with all other manufacturers among 2015-2019 model-year vehicles, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute said last year.

☆ Polestar’s new SUV has no back window
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The Polestar 4 is a “coupe-shaped” SUV, with a rear roof that slopes down rather than having a flat back end. These cameras provide a better view than one could get using the inside rear view mirror, anyway, especially in an SUV. Beside that, many vehicles also have camera-based rear view mirrors inside the cabin instead of just the regular reflecting mirror. That way, the rear view “mirror” always has a clear view, even if there are tall passengers or cargo in the back. The Polestar’s 4’s moonroof stretches farther back than it could if there were a back window, giving those in the back a better look at the sky.

☆ Stellantis recalls 131,700 Ram trucks over powertrain software issue - NHTSA
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Stellantis NV FollowApril 19 (Reuters) - Stellantis will recall 131,700 Ram 1500 pickup trucks manufactured in 2021 due to a powertrain software issue, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) website showed on Wednesday. The issue may cause the pickup trucks with 5.7L eTorque engines to stall due to an incorrect fuel mixture condition, according to the NHTSA. "The company is unaware of any related injuries," Stellantis said in an emailed statement, adding that there was only one report of a vehicle crash potentially related to this condition. Dealers will update the powertrain control module software on the impacted vehicles for free, according to the NHTSA. Stellantis in February recalled 340,000 diesel Ram trucks to replace an electrical connector after reports of six fires.

Search resuls for: "Traffic Safety Administration"

25 mentions found