Insurance regulator will resume enforcement of regulations requiring physical inspections on claims over $2500. The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation Insurance Division announced it will resume enforcement of physical inspection requirements that had been paused in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. On July 1, the Division updated its Bulletin Number 2020-2 that had […]
California Regulation to Eliminate Diesel Trucks by 2045
The California Air Resources Board adopted a first-in-the-world rule requiring truck manufacturers to transition from diesel trucks and vans to electric zero-emission trucks beginning in 2024. By 2045, every new truck sold in California will be zero-emission. “California is an innovation juggernaut that is going electric. We are showing the world that we can move […]
Indiana Prohibits Handheld Phone Usage from July 1
Effective July 1, using a handheld phone while operating a moving motor vehicle in Indiana is prohibited. According to Hilary Segura, assistant vice president and counsel, state government relations for the American Property Casualty insurance Association (APCIA), “Distracted driving and the ubiquitous use of smartphones behind the wheel are widely believed to be one of […]
Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition Calls for Signatures to Support Ballot Initiative
The Massachusetts Right to Repair coalition is asking for support for its effort to include a revamped right to repair law on the November ballot in the Commonwealth. According to the group, it needs 20,000 signatures on a petition to ensure that the Right to Repair is placed on the ballot. “Usually, we would reach […]
U.S. Department of Labor Begins Enforcement of Expanded Paid Leave Provisions Enacted in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic
The U.S. Department of Labor announced yesterday the end of the temporary period of non-enforcement of paid leave protections under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). FFCRA helps combat the workplace effects of the coronavirus by reimbursing America’s private employers with fewer than 500 employees with tax credits for the cost of providing employees […]
U.S. DOT and EPA Announce Final Rule on 2021-2026 Fuel Economy Standards
Auto industry supports gradual increases in fuel economy, opponents promise lawsuits. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule setting corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) and CO2 emissions standards for model years 2021-2026 passenger cars and […]
NHTSA Grants Low-Speed Driverless Delivery Vehicle Safety Exemption to Test Up to 5000 Vehicles on Public Roads
Nuro plans to begin public testing in Houston, Texas within weeks. NHTSA announced February 6 that it granted Nuro’s request for a temporary exemption from some low-speed vehicle standard requirements. The exemption will allow the company to deploy up to 5,000 of its 2nd generation low-speed, occupantless electric delivery vehicle, the “R2.” Unlike a conventional […]
Business Groups Applaud Senate Passage of USMCA
Automotive and general business groups are applauding the passage of the the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that was negotiated in 2018 to replace the existing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In a rare display of bi-partisanship in the face of the impeachment trial of President Trump, the Senate voted 89-10 yesterday in support of the […]
Vermont Insurance Division Bulletin Cautions Insurers that Consumers Can Request Physical Inspections versus Virtual Claims Systems
The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation Division of Insurance issued its Insurance Bulletin No. 206 titled Virtual Adjustment of Vehicle Partial And Total Loss Claims that clarifies that insurance companies must provide an in-person inspection by a licensed adjuster within a reasonable period of time if requested by a claimant. According to the bulletin, the […]
NTSB Says ‘Inadequate Safety Culture’ Contributed to Uber Automated Test Vehicle Crash
Safety Board calls for Federal review process for automated vehicle testing on public roads. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called upon federal regulators Tuesday to create a review process before allowing automated test vehicles to operate on public roads, based upon the agency’s investigation of a fatal collision between an Uber automated test vehicle […]