There Auto Be A Law

Hi folks, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and its impending regulations is our first topic. AEB works but the industry shill fights against it. Subaru gets hacked (and they are tracking you), traffic cameras in NYC reveal some marital issues, Vietnam and Norway have excessive (?) but interesting (?) fines for traffic violations and recalls.Donate to keep the show going.This weeks links:https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/trump-administration-reviewing-us-automatic-emergency-braking-rule-2025-01-24/https://www.wired.com/story/emergency-braking-will-save-lives-automakers-want-to-charge-extra-for-it/https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/5110890-sean-duffy-transportation-secretary/https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/01/trumps-new-head-of-dot-rips-up-us-fuel-efficiency-regulations/https://www.autoevolution.com/news/nhtsa-investigation-into-ford-bluecruise-fatal-crashes-reveals-shocking-detail-245894.htmlhttps://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/01/millions-of-subarus-could-be-remotely-unlocked-tracked-due-to-security-flaws/https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/speed-camera-report.pdfhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/world/asia/vietnam-traffic-fines.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/10/08/europe-speeding-day-fines-wealthy/https://www.forbes.com/sites/selikajosiahtalbott/2025/01/27/the-waymo-vandalism-incident-a-wake-up-call-for-the-av-industry/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V010-6500.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V011-2124.PDF

Automakers are still complaining that Automatic Emergency Braking is too impossible... while admitting that at least one Toyota already meets the new standard. The law and law enforcement is struggling with marijuana impaired driving. And Tesla makes it next to impossible to escape from one of their vehicles if they are on fire. Plus recalls.Donate!This weeks links:https://www.autosinnovate.org/posts/press-release/automakers-seek-repeal-of-biden-dot-flawed-aeb-rulehttps://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/nhtsa-orders-engineering-analysis-of-ford-bluecruise-after-crashes/ar-AA1xxpxahttps://www.autosafety.org/veterans-teachers-public-health-professionals-consumer-advocates-and-watchdog-groups-file-suit-challenging-the-doges-secret-operations/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/01/us/marijuana-driving-impairment.htmlhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/urban-infrastructure/transportation-infrastructure/ants-never-overtake-have-smart-traffic-sense-could-solve-urban-transport-challenges/ar-AA1xsHPdhttps://www.wsj.com/articles/self-driving-cars-dont-do-snow-goodyear-says-the-solution-is-smarter-tires-6ccf0e85https://www.ktvu.com/news/closer-look-tesla-cybertrucks-design-following-death-3-piedmont-studentshttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V006-1666.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2023/INCLA-PE23018-11022.pdf

Howdy,Lots to cover this week and we barely make a dent.New York City's congestion pricing and its effects on traffic and pollution;Self driving cars still lacking in data transparency, safety standards, and industry practices;Waymo, the boondoggle at Google?Safety is defined as 'absence of unreasonable risk' and this is nonsense;Telsa recalls and the Cybertruck gets a lot in it's first year;and moreLinks:https://www.wsj.com/us-news/nyc-congestion-pricing-traffic-update-e31e638ahttps://www.iihs.org/news/detail/high-visibility-clothing-may-thwart-pedestrian-crash-prevention-sensorshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-09/san-francisco-s-robotaxi-takeover-as-seen-from-city-hallhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/12/22/waymo-robotaxi-passengers-harassment/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/12/30/waymo-pedestrians-robotaxi-crosswalks/https://arxiv.org/pdf/2306.01917https://www.wsj.com/tech/uber-lyft-self-driving-taxis-a3659c9chttps://cleantechnica.com/2024/12/29/tesla-is-secretly-recalling-cybertruck-batteries/https://electrek.co/2025/01/13/elon-musk-misrepresents-data-that-shows-tesla-is-still-years-away-from-unsupervised-self-driving/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V957-2661.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V954-5979.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V002-6930.PDF

This week we are joined by Missy Cummings, Director of George Mason University's Autonomy and Robotics Center. Missy walks us through the safety concerns with self driving cars based on your research, talks about the definition of 'safe enough', how laughable remote operations are and lack of functional safety testing.This episode underscores the urgent need for both state and federal regulations to improve safety standards and accountability for autonomous vehicles.Linkshttps://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10778107https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/12/30/waymo-pedestrians-robotaxi-crosswalks/https://www.autosafety.org/support-us/https://apnews.com/article/autonomous-vehicles-safety-guidelines-voluntary-nhtsa-8fec0adfb3580eddbef92f4b32a0347d

NHTSA is wrapping up the new year with new rules for whistleblowers, event data recorders and seatbelt warnings. Waymo is the highlight for the 'Gaslight of the Week' due to misleading safety certifications for its autonomous vehicle program. Donald Trump is likely to scrap a rule on crash reporting for autonomous vehicles. Bench seats might be coming back. And recent automotive recalls and potential cybersecurity threats associated with software-defined vehicles.Donate to support this podcasthttps://www.wsj.com/articles/top-u-s-auto-safety-regulator-finalizes-whistleblower-program-rules-bd13316chttps://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/nhtsa-finalizes-seat-belt-reminder-rule-increase-seat-belt-use-improve-occupanthttps://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-29862.pdfhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/trump-is-probably-going-to-kill-the-crash-reporting-rule-that-made-tesla-look-bad/ar-AA1vOXkAhttps://waymo.com/blog/2024/12/waymos-first-responder-program-receives-independent-safety-confirmation/https://www.tuvsud.com/en-us/resource-centre/white-papers/automated-driving-requires-international-regulationshttps://www.sae.org/standards/content/avsc-d-02-2024/https://www.sae.org/news/2024/11/cybersecurity-for-software-defined-vehicleshttps://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a63183166/bench-seat-comeback/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2022/RCLRPT-22V420-1957.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V918-4585.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V925-5571.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V920-3537.PDF

GM finally listened to us and/or did some basic math and realized that GM Cruise was a dumpster fire that needed to be extinguished. Imagine what they could have done with the $10 Billion they squandered.A recent AAA survey covers risky driver behaviors and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's findings that vehicle height increases pedestrian injury severity. Consumer Reports' reliability and owner satisfaction surveys show that Rivians are unreliable but make their owners happy. And troubling statistics from Kids in Car Safety about cars stolen with children inside.Join the Fight for Safer Cars!Linkshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/12/10/gm-cruise-scraps-robotaxi/https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/vehicle-height-compounds-dangers-of-speed-for-pedestrianshttps://newsroom.aaa.com/2024/12/the-deadly-trio-on-u-s-roads-speeding-distractions-and-aggression/https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/who-makes-the-most-reliable-cars-a7824554938/https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/most-and-least-liked-car-brands-a1291429338/https://www.msn.com/en-za/technology/tech-companies/family-blames-elon-musk-for-son-s-death-while-driving-tesla-in-autopilot-mode/ar-AA1vuKNHhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/general/nearly-a-dozen-cars-stolen-with-kids-left-inside-over-thanksgiving-car-safety-group-warns/ar-AA1vlNw0https://jalopnik.com/missouri-has-the-most-dangerous-traffic-laws-in-the-u-s-1851715759https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V896-3848.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V900-4741.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V898-1694.PDF

This episode delves into the effectiveness of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in keeping drivers engaged, the risks posed by partial automation, and the need for regulatory oversight. We highlight issues with Tesla's approach to autonomous driving, including its reliance on remote operators. Recalls for vehicles from Pagani, GM, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche are discussed, emphasizing ongoing problems like water intrusion and rearview camera failures. The episode closes with listener mail addressing seatbelt comfort for short women and a general call for improved vehicle safety features.Links:https://www.autosafety.org/support-us/https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/partial-automation-that-allows-some-manual-steering-may-help-keep-drivers-engagedhttps://www.npr.org/2024/12/02/nx-s1-5165290/crash-prevention-technology-aeb-debatehttps://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/nhtsa-opens-inquiry-into-fiery-piedmont-cybertruck-crash-that-killed-3/ar-AA1v0Pw3https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/26/tesla-appears-to-be-building-a-teleoperations-team-for-its-robotaxi-service/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/12/nightmare-zipcar-outage-is-a-warning-against-complete-app-dependency/https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48526-4https://techxplore.com/news/2024-12-autonomous-vehicle-safety-prefixer-sensor.htmlhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V891-4776.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V894-9506.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V879-3883.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V874-2474.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V889-9718.PDF

Happy Thanksgiving listeners!This week we share our top ten things we are thankful for in car safety. Highlights include the Tesla Cybertruck and full self-driving technology, NHTSA's recent improvements and penalties, and shout-outs to people and organizations contributing to automotive safety such as the anonymous engineers that make cars safer.Links:https://philkoopman.substack.com/p/debunking-tesla-safest-car-on-the?r=1tnaed&triedRedirect=truehttps://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/nhtsa-releases-2024-early-estimates-decrease-traffic-fatalitieshttps://www.torquenews.com/17995/five-ways-prevent-your-tesla-killing-youhttps://www.aol.com/finance/gen-z-might-safest-generation-174820842.htmlhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCAK-24V868-3172.pdfhttps://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-27349.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V872-9710.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V877-1247.PDF

Topics:Kudos to NHTSA for NCAP improvements;Frowns to Ford for recalls;New DOT secretary;Will Washington rubber stamp all of Elon's dreams?Tesla drivers are dangerous;Tesla's will trap you in a fire;Renewable natural gas explained;Recall roundup;Links:https://apnews.com/article/automobile-safety-nhtsa-crash-pedestrian-2fc22f755c51bfe9bb668f90e8ee8956https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2024/11/16/nhtsa-pedestrian-safety-rule-vehicle-design-head-protection/76094618007/https://apnews.com/article/trump-duffy-cabinet-transportation-secretary-c465bbc516b5f898233f86bee31a7a45https://www.freep.com/story/news/investigations/2024/11/14/nhtsa-ford-vehicle-recall-rules-penalty/76293055007/https://jalopnik.com/teslas-are-the-most-fatal-cars-on-the-road-study-finds-1851700691https://philkoopman.substack.com/p/people-are-still-being-burned-alivehttps://www.catf.us/resource/flaring-accountability/https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/self-driving-cars/https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Missy-Cummings/publication/385936888_Identifying_Research_Gaps_through_Self-Driving_Car_Data_Analysis/links/673c687ab903016a31c41bfb/Identifying-Research-Gaps-through-Self-Driving-Car-Data-Analysis.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V843-7446.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V839-5482.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V852-6661.PDF

Topics:Rivian and Volkswagen join forces;NHTSA kinda sorta asks Tesla to clear up it's communications around cars that drive themselves;What will Elon's department of efficiency mean for auto safety?Fred deep dives into duty of care with a focus on hazard mitigation;Recalls and rusting cybertrucks;and moreLinks:https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/business/volkswagen-rivian-electric-vehicles.htmlhttps://www.autosafety.org/us-agency-says-teslas-public-statements-imply-that-its-vehicles-can-drive-themselves-they-cant/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/11/13/department-of-government-efficiency-musk-ramaswamy/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gm-bicyclist-alert-technology-standard-110315432.htmlhttps://insideevs.com/news/740529/hyundai-touchscreen-physical-buttons/https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/california-agency-boosts-reporting-requirements-for-autonomous-vehicle-incidents/ar-AA1tHGEohttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V797-1282.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V838-2270.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V832-7628.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V829-2369.PDFMake a donation today.