There Auto Be A Law

The hosts dive into NHTSA's probing questions about Tesla's robo-taxi, highlighting the regulatory oversight needed for autonomous driving. They tackle Waymo's recalls and assess the challenges posed by New York's congestion pricing. A humorous take on steering wheel safety positions transitions into serious concerns about hot car deaths and the adequacy of current safety measures. Finally, they examine recent automotive recalls and the implications of communication lapses in the industry.

Jeff Wishart, a Fellow at Science Foundation Arizona and VP of Innovation Mobility at the Arizona Commerce Authority, shares his expertise on automated vehicles. He dives into the significance of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) in assessing self-driving technology, emphasizing safety protocols and the challenges of regulatory standards. The conversation also touches on data transparency, software updates, and recent recalls in the autonomous vehicle sector, providing a fascinating glimpse into the future of automotive technology.

NHTSA updates the standing general order for ADAS interventions and amazingly this helps Tesla. Jeff Bezo's starts an electric truck company, electronic door handles still need a manual override, Fred repeats himself in the Tao and we've got recalls.Support the show!This weeks links:https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-unveils-new-automated-vehicle-frameworkhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/trump-updates-biden-s-robo-car-crash-reporting-rule-to-benefit-tesla/ar-AA1DyXJjhttps://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/04/amazon-backed-startup-wants-to-sell-a-bare-bones-ev-truck-for-20000/https://www.thestar.com/life/autos/technology-in-cars-is-being-used-to-make-choices-for-drivers-and-this-can-be/article_f835de30-f450-11ef-ad43-434b0d197953.htmlhttps://gothamist.com/news/feds-accidentally-publish-secret-plan-to-kill-nyc-congestion-pricinghttps://electrek.co/2025/04/28/ny-lawmakers-shut-down-teslas-stores/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25C006-4677.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V274-1598.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V259-8551.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V270-9214.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V273-8477.PDF

People don't want to buy Tesla's anymore and their earnings show it but fanboi's keep buying the stock cause they keep believing the same lies Elon has been spouting since at least 2016. When is a car company a cult? In more Tesla news a former engineer exposes Elon for not working that hard, regulators don't give into his bullying and the lawsuits keep coming. Canada needs to work on their own safety regulations, congestion pricing in New York City is a resounding success unless... you don't live in New York City or travel to New York City then it's bad cause... no idea. The Tao gets redundant and recalls.Support us.This weeks links:https://driving.ca/column/lorraine/us-gutting-regulatory-bodies-canada-has-to-step-uphttps://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/japan-mulls-reviewing-car-safety-rules-to-strike-deal-with-trump/ar-AA1Dfag1https://transalt.org/reports-list/yn29thckywv9n0qpsv4jb1ab07nryphttps://www.jalopnik.com/1836595/nyc-congestion-relief-pricing-results-100-days/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/04/17/hubris-maximus-excerpt-elon-musks-fury-over-tesla-death-investigation-foreshadowed-his-war-washington/https://electrek.co/2025/04/20/tesla-whistleblower-says-musk-wanted-to-deport-her-team-for-raising-brake-issue/https://futurism.com/cybertruck-disaster-productionhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V233-5862.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V239-8877.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V236-6954.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V246-9985.PDF

Trump's auto tariffs will make new cars cost more, old cars more expensive to repair and maintain and increase your insurance rates. A new lawsuit alleges that Telsa might be tampering with it's odometers. Public transit is safer in all metrics than driving. Fred explains why objects may be closer and we've got recalls.Support the show!This weeks links:https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/tariffs-buying-cars-ownership-expensive-a2a0b614https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-public-transit-really-safer-than-driving/https://calmatters.org/investigation/2025/04/key-takeaways-california-deadly-drivers/https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/04/car-safety-experts-at-nhtsa-which-regulates-tesla-axed-by-doge/https://electrek.co/2025/04/14/tesla-tsla-replace-computer-4-million-cars-or-compensate-their-owners/https://www.thestreet.com/automotive/tesla-accused-of-using-sneaky-tactic-to-dodge-car-repairshttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V201-4645.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V220-2748.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V221-8446.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V227-6955.PDF

It's NHTSA's distracted driving month. On the plus side fatalities are down but not by much. Intelligent Speed Assist, driver monitoring and better driving tech can help save lives today but instead billions are spent on robo-taxis.Tesla dealers are backlogged because people don't want to buy them, Waymo can't navigate a drive-thru, one con man pardons another con man and Ford tops this weeks recalls.Donate to support the show.This weeks links:https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/distracted-drivinghttps://newsroom.aaa.com/2025/04/do-smartphone-apps-hold-the-key-to-safer-drivers/https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsbirmingham/major-car-maker-reducing-speed-limit-of-popular-motor-to-68mph/ar-AA1CraSphttps://www.familiesforsafestreets.org/news/virginia-becomes-first-state-to-adopt-isa-tech-to-stop-super-speedershttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/nyregion/nyc-drivers-brooklyn-car-crash.htmlhttps://thehill.com/business/5221471-who-is-trevor-milton-nikola-pardon/https://futurism.com/teslas-kill-motorcyclists-self-drivinghttps://www.jalopnik.com/1829010/tesla-unsold-cybertrucks-inventory/https://electrek.co/2025/04/08/tesla-already-has-new-model-y-inventory-available-today-in-the-us-demand-is-terrible/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V197-2752.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V198-1837.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V202-6052.PDF

Happy Liberation Day! Now cars will be more expensive, older cars will with older safety tech will stay on the road longer possibly making everyone a little less safe.Tesla might be attempting to game the Canadian EV rebate system (or they sold two cars every minute one weekend), Auroa wants to set its driver-less 18 wheeler's free, Waymo is today's gaslight winner and Fred jumps into Gaussian Splatter - it might be a Jackson Pollack competitor. Plus recalls.Support the show!This weeks links:https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/world/canada/tesla-canada-sales-musk.htmlhttps://boingboing.net/2025/03/28/elon-musk-threatens-to-use-government-power-to-go-after-people-who-lie-about-tesla.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/28/business/trump-auto-tariffs-companies.htmlhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-fully-american-made-car/ar-AA1C1GRZhttps://www.govtech.com/transportation/prep-underway-for-full-driverless-trucks-on-texas-highwayshttps://www.yahoo.com/news/chinas-xiaomi-says-actively-cooperating-052114932.htmlhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/female-crash-dummies-to-be-used-in-car-safety-tests-under-katie-britt-bill-it-is-past-time/ar-AA1BpvzHhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25E021-3111.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V179-8053.PDFhttps://www.silive.com/news/2025/03/nissan-begins-long-delayed-fix-on-3-year-old-suv-recall.htmlhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V193-3458.PDF

This week we are joined from Canada by George Iny from the Automobile Protection Association. George let's us ask all of our Canadian focused questions and we compare and contrast the difference between auto safety standards. And have you heard of public auto insurance? Why can't we have that in the US? Lastly, the Cybertruck is still garbage.This week links:https://www.apa.ca/en/https://electrek.co/2025/03/25/tesla-banned-canada-ev-rebate-program-gov-freezes-suspicous-43-million-rebates/https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/statistics-data/canadian-motor-vehicle-traffic-collision-statistics-2022https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V170-9407.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V173-2157.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V174-5494.PDFhttps://www.autosafety.org/support-us/

Tesla protests, criticism of Tesla's autopilot and Full Self Driving and Cybertrucks that are coming apart. Waymo is racking up the parking tickets and still doesn't have a viable business model. GM puts another 9,000 pound sociopath on the road and cannabis doesn't not make you a good driver. That and more in this weeks episode.This weeks links:https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/19/deeply-concerned-crash-victims-families-ask-dot-not-to-water-down-tesla-oversight-00236890https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2025/03/18/automakers-trump-administration-self-driving-cars/82518790007/https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/zoox-amazon-self-driving-taxi-san-francisco-e9d9219dhttps://electrek.co/2025/03/13/tesla-cybertruck-deliveries-are-on-hold-as-trims-are-flying-off-the-bulletproof-truck/https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/03/the-2025-cadillac-escalade-iq-first-drive-460-miles-on-a-single-charge/https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=IQJL3htsDyQ&t=1049shttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10676-024-09775-5https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Bullshithttps://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/03/13/waymo-robotaxis-parking-tickets/https://newsroom.aaa.com/2025/03/high-stakes-how-cannabis-consumers-view-driving-while-under-the-influence/https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/cars/autos-technology-gear-shifter-design-tesla-44d79694https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V148-9249.PDFhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V155-1814.PDF

Ever race down a city street or do donuts on a salt flat? Me neither but car commercials make it look like we should be doing this. Consumers are not liking some new car tech, like electronic door handles, but like built-in vacuums (this is a thing?). These topics and more.This weeks links:https://powertripfilm.com/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/11/trump-musk-tesla-white-house/https://www.carscoops.com/2025/03/autonomous-mercedes-will-showcase-turquoise-lights-when-drive-pilot-is-used-in-germany/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-ants-may-save-you-from-future-traffic-jams/https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/drivers-high-tech-cars-preferences-28ab9584https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/03/11/zoox-autonomous-nhtsa-safety/https://www.jalopnik.com/1805957/cybertruck-owner-writes-congressman-telsa-hate/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V100-3499.PDFhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/ford-once-again-recalling-vehicles-to-fix-issues-caused-by-past-recalls/ar-AA1AD0GK