Consumer safety advocates express concern over promotion of robotic technology at the expense of safety standards. Cite Tesla crash as failure by safety regulator. In a letter to National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) Administrator Mark Rosekind last week, auto safety advocates from the Center for Auto Safety and Consumer Watchdog expressed concern that NHTSA was […]
Consumer Reports Calls for Tesla to Disable AutoPilot
“Consumers should never be guinea pig for vehicle safety ‘beta’ programs” In one of the most critical comments issued in the wake of Tesla’s announcement that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was launching an investigation into the vehicle manufacturer’s Autopilot semi-autonomous driving feature following a fatal crash in May, Consumer Reports has called […]
ASA to Host Webinar July 27 on Telematics Policy
The Automotive Service Association’s (ASA) Washington, D.C., office will hold a webinar on the current state of telematics and new-technology policy at 1:30 p.m. EDT on July 27. Telematics refers to the connected car and, eventually, the autonomous vehicle that’s not far away. From the software used in instrumentation, backup sensors, adaptive cruise control, cameras […]
BMW Plans to Bring Fully Autonomous Driving to Streets by 2021
Auto manufacturer teams with Intel and Mobileye to advance autonomous technology. The BMW Group, Intel, and Mobileye announced they are joining forces to make self-driving vehicles and future mobility concepts become a reality. The companies plan to bring solutions for highly and fully automated driving into production by 2021. The announcement was made July 1 […]
Tesla on Autopilot Involved in Fatal Crash
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opens investigation into fatal crash involving Tesla in Autopilot mode. Tesla Motors announced in a blog post last week that on of its Model S vehicles operating in Autopilot mode was involved in a fatal crash in Florida during May. According to the June 30 blog post, “We learned yesterday […]
GM and Lyft Reported to Test Self-Driving Taxis Within a Year
The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that General Motors (GM) and Lyft, Inc., the ride-hailing service, will begin testing self-driving Chevrolet Bolt EVs within a year. In January, General Motors invested $500 million in Lyft to create a long-term strategic alliance to create an integrated network of on-demand autonomous vehicles in the U.S. “We see […]
J.D. Power Study Shows Consumer Interest Builds for Automated Vehicle Technologies
Young consumers are much more trusting in automotive technology. Will help drive acceptance of crash avoidance technology and automated vehicles. Trust in automation technology is very much age dependent, as younger consumers have a notably higher level of confidence in the technology than their older counterparts, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Tech Choice […]
Volvo to Launch Autonomous Driving Trial in London
Volvo Cars announced an ambitious autonomous driving (AD) trial in the U.K. next year to speed up the introduction of autonomous vehicle technology. “Autonomous driving represents a leap forward in car safety,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive. “The sooner AD cars are on the roads, the sooner lives will start being saved.” Samuelsson […]
UN Calls for Active Safety Systems to Be Standard Equipment in Automobiles
Measure promotes the adoption of active safety systems such as electronic stability control and autonomous emergency braking. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution which represents the strongest ever commitment on road safety made by UN Member States. The resolution supports the ambitious road safety targets now included in the Global Goals for Sustainable […]
Moody’s Sees Short Term Gain, Long Term Challenge for Auto Insurers from Self-Driving Cars
A new report from Moody’s Investors Service says that accident avoidance features in vehicles, such as automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure prevention will lead to lower accident frequency in the next five-to-ten years, a benefit for auto insurers. Longer term, however, self-driving cars could translate into significantly lower premiums and profits for […]