A discussion on auto safety issues and technological developments, in hopes of providing consumers and enthusiasts with a better understanding of modern vehicles, safety systems, and current issues in the auto industry.
The podcast There Auto Be A Law is created by Center for Auto Safety. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
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Deep breaths... Hummer EV, what the election means for NHTSA, regulations and everything related to safety. Are LED headlights too brights? Zoox and Tesla have a spat. It's a new world.
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This week we debunk Elon Musk’s grandiose claims about Tesla's Robo Taxi, highlighting regulatory and safety hurdles, and the inflated value of Tesla’s stock driven by speculative products. Regulators can't seem to keep up with the new safety needs of autonomous vehicles and Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2X) but Gatik AI is making an effort by adopting UL4600. The EU states the obvious - the CyberTruck is for people that don't care about people and recall roundup.
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Big thank you to Janette Fennell from Kids and Cars Safety for sending us some cool swag.
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Hello listener. Here are some highlights from this weeks episode:
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Waymo goes full PR campaign and gets some "journalists" to write that Waymo is safer than a human... without explaining that Waymo's data is like comparing apples to astronauts. Basically, Waymo is better than the worst human drivers on small subset of roads, at slow speeds in limited conditions. Maybe.
IIHS releases a study showing that partial automation is, at best, partially beneficial, DC doesn't enforcement traffic camera tickets, Fred explains 4 wheel drive. a Tesla semi catches on fire and Fisker tries to get out of paying for a recall.
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We start off this week with California's proposed Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) bill, which aims to warn drivers exceeding speed limits by 10 mph. Next is NHTSA's new safety standards for pedestrian protection and other auto safety innovations. Then, we critique unrealistic claims about autonomous vehicles and highlight a recent investigation into Jeep vehicles catching fire.
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Finally, a congressional bill aimed at setting federal standards for hood height and visibility to protect pedestrians. Another failure of partial automation systems like Ford's Blue Cruise and Tesla's Autopilot. Anthony let's loose on the NY Times, Amazon is using bad tech to monitor it's drivers and the recalls galore.
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This week we are joined by Mike Nelson, chair and founder of QuantivRisk, a risk management and technology company. The discussion focuses on QuantivRisk's innovative approach to analyzing vehicle data and video to objectively assess automotive accidents. This episode covers the challenges of defining and litigating safety in the context of ADAS and autonomous vehicles, particularly the complexity involved in evaluating AI decisions during accidents.
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Welcome to the chaos of self-driving Waymo vehicles in San Francisco, Elon Musk's questionable promises on robo taxis, and the potential dangers of autonomous vehicles on highways. We question the AV industry's adherence to ethical practices and discuss the severe consequences of failing lithium-ion batteries. Plus recalls. And get your Takata airbag replaced.
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Hey Listeners,
How do we feel about bullet points? This week we cover topics like...
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We're off this week. This is repeat of an episode that a lot of people missed. It's a good one. Don't miss. Or any episodes.
The dangers of capacitive controls, seatback safety standards, the nonsense spewing from Elon Musk, the FCC toying with us over V2X and GM Cruise continues to gaslight General Motors. Plus we discuss the importance of robust software testing.
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Dr. Jonathan Gitlin, senior automotive writer for Ars Technica, joins us this week. Jonathan discusses his career shift, passion for cars, and his experiences test-driving numerous vehicles. This week we delve into the efficacy and ethics of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), Tesla's self-driving claims, and challenges within urban transportation infrastructures.
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This week we cover recent controversies surrounding Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology, revealing how manual interventions and YouTuber feedback fuel the myth of advanced AI automation and into the broader issues of automotive safety, discussing open-source software's pitfalls and the potential cybersecurity risks in modern vehicles. Other highlights include varied recalls from manufacturers like GM, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, and Lucid.
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This is a rerun. In this episode guests Dr. Jeff Wishart and Phil Koopman explain the history of autonomous vehicles, why safety is really really hard, that human drivers are not bad and that it is pure speculation if a self driving car will ever be safer than a human.
The Auto Industry is once again against safety and is fighting NHTSA on Automatic Emergency Braking rules. Specifically the Alliance for Automotive Innovation and John Bozzella, for claiming new AEB rules are 'impossible' to implement while also admitting that they are in use today. Michael takes apart ARK Investments for their ridiculous take on Telsa and we delve into recalls with another entry from a Tesla CyberTruck.
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Waymo issued a recall after a RoboTaxi crash into a telephone pole. We delve into the complexity of validating software updates for autonomous cars and how Waymo is gaslighting us. IISH has a survey showing driver support for anti-speeding technologies. Fred shares safety tips for proper seating in vehicles, emphasizing the importance of seatbelt use and correct seating positions. Plus self driving cars in China and recalls.
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This weeks we start with rising trends in high-speed police chases resulting in crashes and deaths, emphasizing the need for stricter regulations on when such pursuits should occur. We critique European vs. U.S. safety standards and explore advanced technology such as 'license plate trackers' and police tools for remotely stopping cars. Gaslight section covers criticisms of companies like GM Cruise and Waymo. Plus recalls.
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Mississippian Michael Brooks faces the fact that more car crashes happen in the South. But the data is a bit suspect as Massachusetts seems not to live up to it's reputation. Also Japanese automakers Toyota, Mazda, and Honda mishandling vehicle safety tests. This week Fred examines Tesla’s ambitious yet problematic GigaCasting manufacturing process and its implications on vehicle safety and repair costs. The hosts conclude with several nominations for 'Gaslight of the Week' and discuss the rising concerns over automated driving technology and vehicle manufacturing shortcuts that impact safety. +1 if you could tell that the last sentence was written by AI.
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California is proposing a bill to alert drivers to their speeding. Anthony suggests automatic tickets. Elon doesn't understand data or is flat out lying about the safety of Autopilot. Remote controlled trains remind us of GM Cruise. Miles per Gallon is not as helpful a measure as gallons per 100 miles and we discuss why AV companies don't follow the Department of Transportation's Technology Readiness Levels... which they helped write.
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Artificial Intelligence is the pet rock of today... if the pet rock could hallucinate a term paper. Or in the case of auto safety cause stockholders to hallucinate a future where Tesla creates a robotaxi. This week Tesla is sued for fraud (clutches pearls) and a Waymo drives drunk through Phoenix. Congress goes after auto makers for handing over all of your data without a subpoena and using slave labor. In a new feature focused on gaslighting we talk about the nonsense from Jeff Farah, shill for the AV industry. Plus some recalls.
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Waymo keeps running into things and now NHTSA is investigating. Fred proposes a graduated licensing process for autonomous vehicles. 60 minutes Australia compiles a list of Elon Musk stating how self driving is ready next year but that next year never comes... maybe he's just a salesman? Tesla's automation software has been involved in 467 crashes, 13 of them fatal... and that is just in a 15 month period. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.
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That scrappy Tesla is still in the news for safety issues. NHTSA has requested more data about their Autopilot recall from December. With over 20 crashes since then there are some questions that need to be answered. And the DOJ and SEC are investigating them about their self driving claims. Drunk driving has been increasing but enforcement has declined. We discuss solutions that are available today but that manufacturers and Congress don't want to act on. Aurora is ready to put there self driving semi's on the road and this inspires Fred to come up with a new business idea. Michael suggests that the EPA regulate the fire retardants in cars so that we don't get exposed to horrible chemicals. Plus Recall Roundup.
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NHTSA has finally released a rule for Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB). We've been asking for one since 2015 so... 3 cheers for NHTSA? But the rules don't go into effect until 2029. Ugh. On the plus side IIHS updated their AEB tests and car makers have a lot of work to do. We dive deep into AEB. And will 2024 be the year of the Tesla lawsuits? Maybe they shouldn't sell things with aspirational names like Autopilot when they keep crashing and killing people? Ford Blue Cruise is under investigation, Waymo says the bad driving of it's robotaxi was on purpose and we cover the latest recalls.
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The autonomous vehicle industry has their own PR team that is trying to compete with our Consumer Autonomous Vehicle Bill of Rights. It's a bunch of hogwash that they regurgitate every few years. A few Senators that can see through this have written a nice letter to NHTSA telling them to regulate AV's, British Columbia bans AV's and another Tesla driver makes the fatal mistake that his car is an AV and not lipstick on a pig. Fred gets into the dangers of AI through the story of mushrooms. Plus recall roundup that starts with a... Tesla.
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Could your road go on a diet? Maybe it should as it could make it safer. Did you spend too much money on a stainless tank and are now suffering from unintended acceleration? Contact Tesla and ask if you've been Cyber Trucked. Turbo roundabouts, bad Tesla software updates, daylight savings time and car crashes an update on the Consumer Autonomous Vehicle Bill of Rights and lots of recalls.
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Tesla settles an Autopilot case before the trial starts which makes sense since Elon said they never fight true claims. Another Telsa case involving a 2 year that managed to start the car and crash into his mom has begun and Elon says that his robotaxi's will be announced real soon. Our expert opinion is that Tesla won't produce a robo-taxi within the next 5 years. Don't get high and drive because it's dangerous and the sobriety checks are so poor that you might wind up in jail for a really long time even if you're sober. Fred covers reaction time and we cover some recalls. Enjoy.
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This week Dr. Emily Thomas from Consumer Reports joins us to discuss backseat safety. Did you know that there is technology to remind you not to leave your kids in the car? And it's not standardized or required, Dr. Thomas walks us through the tech, the safety of car seats and how Consumer Reports conducts testing for these items. It's a good one.
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Oh the joys of dash cams... remember just because you're the one filming doesn't mean that you're not int he wrong. Should you get one? Listen and find out. GM stops selling your data, Elon forces everyone to experience FSD, the solar eclipse might lead to more crashes, and New Jersey is trying to exempt all of their drivers from automated traffic enforcement.
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Apparently, if one were so inclined you could replace or reprogram your digital odometer fairly easily because security is not something that is built into car software. How was that for a sentence? 3 adverbs at once. Ouch. Know what else hurts? Drowsy driving. It's under-reported and dangerous. Autonomous driving modes also seem to be dangerous as we see in our Blue Cruise discussion. Maybe we should all stay awake and engaged instead of napping and hoping the car will drive itself to the Piggly Wiggly. Plus we dig into the CAN Bus (that's the lack of security around the software in your car.)
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Know the difference between laminated glass and tempered glass? Did you know that a laminated glass breaking tool for sale online will not actually break laminated glass? I answered no to both of these questions so it's a good thing I listened to this episode. Plus some cars are tracking your ever move and then selling the data to your insurance company... without your knowledge or consent. IIHS adds a new test for partial automated driving features and everyone - almost everyone - fails, Tesla is on trial and blames its customers. And Fred breaks down 0 to 60 in one second nonsense claims.
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Touch screen or physical buttons that go click? This is the new Pepsi challenge. Where are you? Odds are if you are here than you like the buttons. So do we. This week we start off with a story about how the Europeans are going to ding manufacturers for hiding features behind a touch screen. Telsa decided to go even further and remove turn signal stalks, the Biden administration talks about cyber security for your car, Waymo takes to LA and a thief tries to take a Waymo, it's "recall week" at NHTSA, Fred explains flying cars and we cover some recalls.
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This week Anthony deals with rental cars, the Washington Post investigates Tesla, Fred explains hybrids, Michael provides more detail about Ford airbag non fixes and more.
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Our guests stuck around for another episode. In this one Phil explains why "driving modes" make much more sense than SAE Levels and I have to agree. Levels are meaningless since every OEM seems to make them mean whatever they want. William explains more about liability and how the laws are not keeping up because there has not been a pressing issue from the public. Actually, the way he says is much better but you're going to have to listen to find out.
This is the first of a two-part episode with Philip Koopman, Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University and William H. Widen, Professor at University of Miami School of Law.
The the two have been providing testimony to state legislatures about the safety of autonomous vehicles and authoring a bunch of articles. In this episode they walk us through the liability aspects of self driving cars and explain who the driver is.
Related Links
In this episode guests Dr. Jeff Wishart and Phil Koopman explain the history of autonomous vehicles, why safety is really really hard, that human drivers are not bad and that it is pure speculation if a self driving car will ever be safer than a human.
No idea and we don't directly address that question. Instead we discuss how you'll never know what goes on inside the "mind" of the AI. Plus GM Cruise releases a report that says they failed because they think they are better than regulations and regulators, distracted driving is on the rise. elderly drivers consider signing advanced directives for their kids to take away their license and Telsa keeps calling cruise control "full self driving".
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Over a quarter or all motor vehicle deaths are due to excessive speed. Why are we in such a rush and where are we going? No idea. This week we dig into Intelligent Speed Assist and ponder the question if it's the consumer preventing solutions or the auto makers? If regulators got involved then we could save over 10,000 lives per year.
Plus San Francisco sues the CPUC over self driving cars, taller cars are deadlier cars, Fred explains why we don't need cars that can go over 100mph and we cover a few recalls.
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You try to come up with clever titles each week. Sometime they work and sometime they are a, "smorgasbord of safety".
We discuss some extra CES goodies, thermal cameras, AEB, driving simulators for teens and rats. Fred discusses a recent Microsoft paper(pr?) on using AI to find better battery chemistry.
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The Consumer Electronics Show delights us with the absurd, the dangerous and the potentially good. IIHS shows damage from crash tests at higher speeds and school buses might go the EV route. Plus Fred explains simulations.
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Hey Listeners,
This week we join the fray and pile on Tesla. The Washington Post, Consumer Reports and even Tech Crunch point out how Tesla's autopilot and full self driving is pricey garbage. Plus Fred does a deep dive into his New Years Resolution for the automotive industry.
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It's the end of the year. Drive safe and is Waymo safer than a human? Probably not but thanks for sharing the data. Tesla has another recall and continues to blame it's customers when their car breaks. The Blazer EV might be a lemon, Fred dives further into the ARC airbag problem and we discuss some recalls.
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Tesla dominates the auto safety world this week and on this podcast that is a bad thing. First Tesla recalls almost every car they've ever produced. Then their lawyers cause the Tesla flock to cry by admitting that AutoPilot and Full Self Driving are nothing more than corporate puffery (at $12,000 that's gotta hurt) and finally an insurance study shows that Tesla drivers are more likely to get into a crash than drivers of any other vehicles. I wonder what Earth will have to say about all of this?
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This week we are joined by Dr. Jeffrey Wishart. He's got over 20 years experience in the advanced transportation space and is author of the book, "Fundamentals of Connected and Automated Vehicles". If you want to learn more about things like V2X, level 2, 3 and 4 autonomous driving systems this is the episode for you.
Plus in listener mail Michael dispels the myth that we are funded by big auto or that we were never picked last in gym.
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Takata is back in the news for another round of defects. Anthony learns that seatbelts are regulated and tend not to fail but airbags are not regulated and hence why we keep hearing about defects. Senator Markey asks car companies to explain why they are collecting so much data and what they are doing with it. California is making diagnostic ports on EVs standardized which is good but they are still falling down when it comes to self driving trucks which is bad. And Fred explains desiccants.
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Cars keep getting heavier and heavier and the laws of physics stay the same. This week the CyberTruck is finally, maybe, let loose on the world. This is another ginormous vehicle that weighs too much and it doesn't care. Anthony learns, again, that most cars are never crash tested, used car dealers can sell cars with known recalls, GM Cruise gets one more nail in it's coffin and Fred reads us stories of turkeys stuffed with candy. It's fun one.
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Fred is off this week but Michael and I push on. Did you know that driving on Thanksgiving is more dangerous than driving on the mad shopping day of Black Friday?
The NTSB suggests that NHTSA make ISA a thing. Gotta love those acronyms. Basically one safety regulator is asking a different safety regulator to put in a system to alert drivers that they are going to fast. Speaking of NHTSA for 50 years they've not delivered on a seat back safety standard that would prevent passengers in the back seat from getting crushed by the front seats.
We bid adieu to tech-bro Kyle Vogt formerly of GM Cruise as he got to resign instead of being fired. We'll miss his hubris.
Listeners let us know if you've ever had to speed in an emergency.
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This week Michael and Anthony claim to be visited by the deep state (or just happen to be around helicopters) and Fred has his voice replaced by an AI (head cold). Could it be GM? Nah, they are too busy putting a lawyer in charge of their GM Cruise division. Anyone got the over/under on whether their CEO Kyle will make it to the end of year? Lucky for him American corporations tend let people fail upwards.
Did you know that anti-lock brakes are not required on motorcycles? And that lots of people don't want the ability for their car to be remotely disabled. What if they are drunk? Would it be good or bad to prevent a car from starting if their driver were impaired?
The Tesla whistleblower is dealing with retaliation for telling Elon that his factory is unsafe, Fred nerds out on road lane width, we discuss the dumbness of the Ram Charger EV and a couple of recalls.
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GM Cruise is on a death watch. They no longer have non-driverless cars, they've recalled all of their cars so that they don't drag humans caught underneath them and they stopped production of their contender for worlds ugliest car, the Cruise Origin. To date this has only cost GM a few billion dollars. How much more will they burn?
Another Cybertruck is spotted in the wild, more reports of Tesla's ADAS systems being more hazard than help, Mercedes issues a recall for 8 cars and listener mail has Fred do some math on the cost of ownership of an EV vs an ICE vs a Hybrid car.
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Time to pour some out for the poor folks at GM Cruise as they take time to reflect on how they can better earn the public's trust. We suggest not dragging people under your car and lying about it to regulators. On the plus side lying to NHTSA will hopefully make NHTSA a little more proactive in their investigations into this company. Might make the GM Cruise investors a little more proactive too. Toyota has been slow to move into the EV market and now they are having an, "I told you so" moment as EV's are not selling as well as expected. At the same time Toyota is putting a fake clutch and shifter into their EV because one good idea deserves to be followed up by one dumb idea? We dig into how safety inspections need to be updated for ADAS and self driving vehicles. And how exactly is a self driving car with no pedals or steering wheel going to get itself to an inspection station? Plus recall roundup.
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To celebrate Fred and Anthony's birthday the California DMV has banned GM Cruise self driving cars. The moral of the story? Don't listen to tech bro nonsense AND don't lie to the DMV. Turns out the GM Cruise that ran over a woman dragged her too but GM Cruise forgot to mention that part.The DOJ is getting all up in Tesla's business. Turns out lying to consumers about their EV range is not a good thing. A "super fog" causes a 168 car pile up, Colorado adds a vehicle weight fee, Fred invents a new number 5 and recall roundup.
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GM Cruise is the gift that keeps on giving to this podcast. Cruise and their CEO Kyle have repeatedly claimed that their cars are so much safer than humans. How much safer you ask? Well their new software will recognize a firehose. My 3 year old nephew can do the same thing but the DMV won't let him drive a car. Also in this episode Michael gives Anthony some driving advice, NHTSA investigates Cruise for being as good as a bad human driver when it comes to pedestrians, Hawaii cuts down on catalytic convertor theft, Fred explains what a minimal risk condition is and hopefully the autonomous vehicle industry can establish a standard for one and we discuss some recalls of Fords and Tesla's.This weeks links:
This week we dig deeper into the ARC automotive airbag situation. Fred breaks down the math from the ARC spokesperson, Michael discusses the lack of any safety standards for airbags and Anthony says with a pair of pliers he can disable his airbag. We dig into the history of "right on red", Connecticut installs drunk driver detectors in cars, Waymo expands, rats on the bonnet and if you donate you might get to cram into a mini-car with Michael. Thanks for listening.This weeks links:
Why not have a five foot comfort alligator? GM funds Kyle's $2 billion a year comfort corporation. Speaking of Kyle this week one of his Cruise vehicle ran over a lady and parked on her leg but he still thinks any criticisms of his company are sensationalistic and if we keep doing it he's going to take his ball and go home. The Teamsters are asking NHTSA to send him to his room without dessert and not allow his Cruise robots to be exempted from federal safety guidelines, Hyundai/Kia's are still being stolen, some good news on traffic fatalities and some bad news on pedestrian fatalities, plus Fred tries to clear up confusion around GPS.
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What's it called when you're talking about how the Tik Tok generation is stealing Hyundai/Kia's and at the same someone parks a stolen Hyundai right outside your window? I don't know either but it happened. Plus we cover rules around police chases, right to repair, more tech-bro nonsense from Kyle, how does mapping software work and some recalls.
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If you've bought a car in the last few years odds are that it's made with slave labor. How's that for a show opener? Gulp. Plus Elon Musk blames his customers and not his crummy cars, Michael digs into some bills presented to a guy named Gavin, Fred digs into the morality, programmed and not, of self driving cars and we discuss one recall.
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The House had a hearing on Self Driving Semi's and 3 out of 4 panelists thought it was a really swell idea and could you please write laws that make it best for our bottom lines? GM Cruise tries Nashville and claims that NHTSA has approved it's ugly car without controls, Mozilla finds out that your car is getting every bit of your intimate details, a school bus safety bill final moves ahead, Fred takes on listener mail around EV's and emissions and recalls.
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Do you like to pretend that your car can drive itself? Well... you might be a Tesla owner or the CEO of GM Cruise. Either way please let us know where you might be so we can avoid you.
NHTSA applies a special order to Telsa, AV's are trained on pictures of white men, ARC doesn't want to recall their air bag inflators, Cruise blocks an ambulance, recalls and the Tao of Fred.
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Listeners,
We really don't like to pick on the Elon. It's boring BUT he makes it really easy. This week we explain that the Cyber Truck will never have... well anything he claims, GM Cruise expands their Fire Truck smashers to Raleigh, IIHS tests backseat safety and makes simple suggests to make motorcycles safer (wear a dang helmet), Fred goes back into Radar and Lidar and some recalls (what's with the rear view cameras?)
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Kyle from Cruise keeps telling everyone that humans are terrible drivers and that his computer cars will save humanity. In the past week his robot taxis have stopped working because they weren't in cell phone range, crashed into a fire truck and drove into wet cement. Can someone look up Kyle's DMV record? If these are driving better than him he must be the worst driver.That and more plus Fred explains tire pressure.
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Did you know that those 5 star safety crash tests do not apply to women drivers? NHTSA bases these crash tests on an "average" male and ignores women that have a different skeletal structure and physiology. But don't worry NHTSA is still researching the issue... of whether women drive? No idea why they are wasting time on this as better crash test dummy technology exists that could make cars safer for everyone.
This week Beth Brooke from VERITY Now (https://www.veritynow.org) joins us to explain more about the issue and how NHTSA could solve the problem today.Plus Recall Roundup and Fred discusses the metallurgy for stainless steel in terms of the Cybertruck.
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Ever tried to get a service appointment for your Tesla? Learn how Tesla has an entire department dedicated to making sure you don't get one. Why's that? Turns out their customer are getting upset about Tesla claiming a much larger battery range they on offer. Waymo kills off it's trucking division, California wants privacy laws around your the data your car collects, NHTSA proposed better fuel economy and Fred explains power steering particularly around Tesla's that don't steer. Plus Recall Roundup.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/07/waymo-kills-off-autonomous-trucking-program/
https://jalopnik.com/new-fuel-economy-rules-from-the-feds-are-targeting-gas-1850693364
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/29/health/ebikes-safety-teens.html
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/08/steering-failures-are-teslas-new-federal-safety-worry/
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V501-4339.PDF
The wheels on corporate lobbying go round and round, round and round. 'Congress holds a hearing on how removing safety legislation on autonomous vehicles is the only way to ensure that our children won't become Communists. Or something like that. Plus Fred explains what those black things your car sits on are.
Full EV's or hybrids? That's the question we start of this week with. NHTSA and Congress are starting to, maybe, kinda, sorta work on outdated legislation and rules around self driving cars, Kyle from GM Cruise releases an ad that would have him be failed by Fred's 8th grade teacher and a couple of recalls.
Californian's! July 13th is the day to make your voice heard on autonomous vehicles. Your state wants them everywhere but the local people don't want 'em. And AV's don't understand traffic cones. New cars are really expensive to repair, Toyota claims it is far ahead in solid state batteries, Telsa still Tesla'ing and Tau of Fred delves into cyber security and your car.
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This episode is all of the AV Bill of Rights edited into one episode. https://www.autosafety.org/av-bill-of-rights/Minimum Requirements for Autonomous Vehicle SafetyThe Autonomous Vehicle Consumer Bill of Rights uniquely provides high level design requirements necessary to assure that the AV design will provide adequate security, privacy, and operational safety consumers deserve and demand.
What's torque? Listen and you can find out. And it's not safe to be a pedestrian, San Francisco is maybe pushing back against robo-taxis, NHTSA proposes that heavy trucks should use AEB and Recall Roundup.
This weeks links:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/06/22/tesla-crashes-self-driving-musk/
https://www.ahwatukee.com/opinion/article_563f5f4c-10fa-11ee-aa9a-a7e24cde7586.html
https://www.thedrive.com/news/vw-ceo-admits-frustrating-golf-id-4-interiors-did-a-lot-of-damage
https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/heavy-vehicles-automatic-emergency-braking-proposed-rule
https://www.carscoops.com/2023/06/nhtsa-investigating-whether-ford-botched-runaway-explorer-recall/
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2022/RCLRPT-22V255-2498.PDF
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V199-9172.PDF
Hey Listeners,Thank you for listening. Without you we'd be talking to ourselves. This week we touch on the I-95 fire, Toyota wasting engineering time on stalling EV's, GM Cruise still blocking emergency responders, the dumbness of the Telsa Cybertruck, the NHTSA OIG report, Fred discusses congestion pricing and Recall Roundup.
Related Links
https://www.eenews.net/articles/needed-car-experts-to-fend-off-grid-disaster/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/tesla-gm-ford-biden-administration-ev-charging-5914f547
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/06/leaked-tesla-report-shows-cybertruck-had-basic-design-flaws/
https://www.propublica.org/article/underride-crashes-nhtsa-dot-iihs-safety-cars-trucks
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V413-6565.PDF
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V405-8182.PDF
https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/consumer-alert-important-ford-and-lincoln-fire-risk-recall
For our 50th episode we take a deep dive into Automatic Emergency Braking and NHTSA's proposed rule to make it required for all cars. We like that idea. Can they propose a rule for no angry drivers?Plus, Fred channels Mr. Bean and discusses more about the environmental details of electric cars and how we get power. In Recall Roundup we learn that Tesla's need steering wheels. Who knew?
Links
https://electrek.co/2023/06/05/gm-ceo-tesla-lead-electric-cars-no-profitable-30-40k-evs/
https://news.yahoo.com/18-wheel-robot-trucks-freeways-120029304.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/06/06/sorry-mr-bean-evs-are-better-choice/
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V378-7777.PDF
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V385-2725.PDF
Is height-ism a thing? Fred thinks it. Tesla opens their superchargers to Ford, NHTSA tells them to stop with the videogames, a whistleblower explains the lies around Tesla Full Self Driving (still not a thing), Fred explains synthetic oil, quizzes the non-scientists and shares his Woodstock 1969 experience. Put on your seatbelts cause this is a fun one.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/23/23733547/uber-waymo-robotaxi-phoenix-delivery-autonomous-ridehail
https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/25/23737972/tesla-whistleblower-leak-fsd-complaints-self-driving
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2021/INCLA-PE21023-7890.PDF
https://jalopnik.com/youre-probably-sitting-in-your-car-wrong-1850477524
https://hackaday.com/2022/05/02/big-chemistry-synthetic-oil/
https://www.selectsynthetics.com/part-3--motor-oil-additives.html
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V352-5968.PDF
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V358-6790.PDF
NHTSA updates their new car assessment program to take pedestrians into account. Fred explains why simulations are not enough to make Autonomous Vehicles road worthy. Nearly half of all vehicle passengers killed on U.S. roads in 2021 were not wearing a seat belt. An update on the Hyundai/Kia/TikTok car theft problem. GM thinks a massive EV Escalade is a good idea. French Canadians are charging extra if your weighs too much (see: GM EV Escalade). AM radio is still a thing... that gives Fred nightmares. Plus Recall Roundup.Mentioned Links:
https://www.hbsslaw.com/cases/hyundai-kia-usb-car-theft-defect
https://www.businessinsider.com/doctor-tesla-cliff-crash-says-he-was-checking-tire-pressure-2023-5
https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/22/23732604/electric-cadillac-escalade-iq-ev-gm
https://www.autosafety.org/self-driving-car-doesnt-understand-the-police/
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V339-5773.PDF
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V342-5988.PDF
Hi,This week we try out some new transcription software. Part of what it does is summarize an episode. How's this take away:Donate to help patent Fred's therapy for his traumatic brain injury caused by a bumper car.If this is the future, we've got nothing to worry about.
But you should still donate: https://www.autosafety.org/support-us/
Topics covered:
ARC Airbag recall. https://www.wsj.com/articles/airbag-recall-demand-death-injuries-arc-automotive-b769362d?st=doze1ftk9dnzoxq&reflink=article_imessage_share
Tesla's Full Self Driving can see a pedestrian and ignores the traffic sign giving that pedestrian the right of way. https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/05/teslas-full-self-driving-sees-pedestrian-chooses-not-to-slow-down/
Tesla fixes the brake software in 1.1 million cars. Elon still claims that Tesla's are the safest cars on the road and that he is the tallest person that has ever lived. https://www.wsj.com/articles/tesla-to-fix-brake-software-in-more-than-1-1-million-cars-in-china-727ed384?st=z9ln894fxmgctxu&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Consumer Autonomous Vehicle Bill of Rights #13. https://www.autosafety.org/av-bill-of-rights/
Plus the recall roundup.
Your car is a computer on wheels that the auto manufacturers won't let you repair. Apple co-founder says Tesla is an example of AI that is trying to kill you. Waymo doesn't understand road flares, Cruise blames their safety driver, something called a Fred light plus Recall Roundup and the Consumer Autonomous Vehicle Bill of Rights # 12.
Mentioned links:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/05/03/right-to-repair-movement/
https://electrek.co/2023/05/03/tesla-ai-trying-to-kill-you-steve-wozniak/
https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/cruise-involved-in-legal-dustup-after-2019-crash/
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V306-8525.PDF
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V309-8362.PDF
https://www.autosafety.org/self-driving-car-doesnt-understand-the-police/
We are joined by special guests Chi-Hao Chang - Associate Research Scientist at Dow and John McKeen – Technical Director, Dow Mobility Science. They walk us through the depths of EV batteries, thermal runaway, EV battery fires and most importantly Fred has people to geek out with. Channel your inner science-self and download this one now.
This week we have special guest Marcy Edwards of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). She talks us through child safety issues, back seat safety issues and answers Anthony's ridiculous question about crash testing his own car.
Also we have an update about Fred and the tank story. Stay tuned for that to be revealed in a couple of weeks.
This week we discuss the EPA mandate for electric vehicles and how the safety issue of vehicle weight is ignored. And since most people now drive trucks cars are getting even heavier.Also, we visit the world of Autonomous Vehicles and check in with Auroa, mildly praise and mildly shame Kyle from Cruise, Fred covers the need for safety inspections of software with AV's. recall roundup and bust the myths around seat belts.
https://www.autosafety.org/av-bill-of-rights/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/04/07/trucks-outnumber-cars/
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/07/climate/electric-cars-biden-climate.html
https://www.thetrucker.com/trucking-news/equipment-tech/aurora-officials-say-their-driverless-rigs-are-ready-for-use
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/autos/2023/04/03/aurora-to-run-driverless-trucks-from-dallas-to-houston-by-the-end-of-2024/
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/04/tesla-workers-shared-images-from-car-cameras-including-scenes-of-intimacy/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/other/4-seat-belt-myths-vs-the-truth-according-to-the-nhtsa/ar-AA19CXCD
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V241-7631.PDF
https://static.nhtsa.gov/complaints/11515119/11515119-0003.pdf
https://getcruise.com/news/blog/2023/why-we-do-av-recalls/
GM Cruise is getting the old hit and run treatment. Who do you talk to after hitting a car driving without any occupants?How much range do we need in EV batteries?
Lighter cars are safer but more range equals heavier, more dangerous, batteries.
Want a round steering wheel from Tesla? Good luck. GM says no to CarPlay and Android integration, Zoom and Tik Tock in your car, Recall Roundup and the Tao of Fred on the AV Consumer Bill of Rights.
Mentioned Links
https://electrek.co/2023/04/04/mercedes-electric-g-wagon-will-feature-range-boosting-ev-battery/
https://jalopnik.com/tesla-sells-out-of-steering-wheels-as-owners-rush-to-re-1850261283
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V110-3395.PDF
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V180-1275.PDF
Amazing guest this week - Joanna L. Johnson. She runs us through the issues with Hyundai/Kia oil leaks - the drain plug falls out. Sorry, I gave away the ending. Joanna explains what every car owner should do - save all of your service records and maybe get a prescription for Beta blockers. OK the last part is my idea. Related links below.
Also, this is a message for Kyle at Cruise, your car crashed again.
https://static.nhtsa.gov/complaints/11481745/11481745-0004.pdf
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2022/INOA-DP22003-2694.PDF
https://twitter.com/Anoop_Khatra/status/1639460487166586881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Learn the name Kyle Vogt. He's the CEO of GM's autonomous vehicle company, GM Cruise. The nonsense he spouts makes Elon Musk seem almost reasonable. This week we meet his, detached from reality, views on automated vehicles. Plus more Hyundai/Kia theft news, backseat safety, EV battery repair-ability and more.
This weeks links:
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23718358/ag-letter-to-hyundai-and-kia.pdf
https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/rear-passenger-protection-falls-short-in-most-midsize-suvs
https://fortune.com/2023/03/16/gm-cruise-kyle-vogt-driverless-cars-autonomous-vehicles/
https://www.autosafety.org/av-bill-of-rights/
https://www.wired.com/story/cars-that-watch-their-drivers-could-re-teach-the-world-to-drive/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/03/19/elon-musk-tesla-driving/
Crash test dummies, airless tires, how to date your tires, Tesla crashes, Tesla "theft" and more. Plus the Tao of Fred and Recall Roundup.
Mentioned links:
https://carbuzz.com/news/goodyear-shows-off-new-airless-tires
https://abc7chicago.com/how-to-tell-old-tires-are-near-me-discontinued-goodyear/12909005/
https://insideevs.com/news/656915/man-unknowingly-unlocks-and-drives-off-in-someone-else-tesla/
https://apnews.com/article/tesla-firetruck-autopilot-investigation-c6d64b941f546f7ae70fb8355d765cb3
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HIR2303.pdf
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V149-6708.PDF
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23E016-1051.PDF
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V136-6383.PDF
NHTSA is taking advice from Anthony and investigating Zoox. GM complains about boogeyman burdensome regulations for their AVs and their marketing department creates a silly name for a good start at improving on ADAS features. Americans are "fearful" and concerned about Automated Vehicles. USPS cuts costs by neglecting safety. Waymo releases a transparency report that is unparalleled in the industry. Plus the Tao of Fred and Recall Roundup.
Mentioned Links:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2023/INOA-AQ23001-2603.PDF
https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/02/ford-forms-automated-driving-subsidiary/
https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/3/23624328/ford-self-repossessing-car-patent-connected-car-nightmare
https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/7/23627656/gm-ultra-cruise-sensor-radar-lidar-hands-free
https://newsroom.aaa.com/2023/03/aaa-fear-of-self-driving-cars-on-the-rise/
https://saferoads.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Advocates-Caravan-AV-Poll-Report-.pdf
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trucks-mail-violate-safety-rules-deadly-crashes-8b9a4c92
Telsa's Full Self Driving gets recalled. Hyundai/Kia fix their TikTok problem. Mercedes says regulations are good. Plus recall roundup and Fred delves into the 3rd bullet point of the AV Bill of rights.
Mentioned links:
https://slate.com/technology/2023/02/tesla-recall-full-self-driving-nhtsa-musk-regulation.html
https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/crash-avoidance-features-improve-safety-but-complicate-repairs
https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/hyundai-kia-campaign-prevent-vehicle-theft
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V094-8676.PDF
https://jalopnik.com/federal-regulators-are-looking-into-zooxs-self-certifie-1850127485
https://www.npr.org/2023/02/20/1158367204/tesla-driver-killed-california-firetruck-nhtsa
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/silicon-valley-startup-charts-a-path-to-cheaper-ev-batteries-1.1886827
Special Guest Janette Fennell discusses how her experience being kidnapped and locked into the trunk of her car led to her starting a non-profit that led to the Federal requirement for a trunk release cable. We also discuss the need for better systems to protect children from frontovers, backovers and being accidentally left inside cars.
Check out Janette's organization at: kidsandcars.org
Gene Weingarten Pulitzer Prize winning article:
Self certified autonomous vehicles? American are obsessed with pickup trucks... to use at the Piggly Wiggly? We release the Automated Vehicle Bill of Rights.. draft 1.
Links we mentioned:
https://www.autosafety.org/support-us/
https://www.autosafety.org/av-bill-of-rights/
https://www.axios.com/ford-pickup-trucks-history
https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2023/02/13/highway-road-sign-messages-jokes/
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/15/business/missy-cummings-tesla-autopilot.html
https://jalopnik.com/elon-musk-says-upgrading-autopilot-hardware-on-older-te-1850041340
https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/toyota-siennas-seat-belt-reminders-stand-out-among-minivans
https://www.theverge.com/23591501/gmc-hummer-ev-review-photos-specs-price
We are joined by Hadley, MA police Chief Michael Mason to discuss AV's (autonomous vehicles) and other auto safety related issues. It's a good one.
EV Hummers, Goodyear tire investigation, Kia/Hyundai's can't get insured, cities pushing back against AV's, recall roundup and the Tao of Fred.
This week we are joined by Deb Prince. She is the chairperson of the UL 4600 group and program at Underwriters Laboratories.
As astute listeners will remember UL 4600 is the Standard for Safety for the Evaluation of Autonomous Products such as automated cars. Those Waymo and GM Cruise things that keep us entertained. If you want to be well informed like Fred you <a href="https://www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=UL4600_2_S_20220315">can get a copy here of UL 4600 online</a>.
Want to learn more about deer strikes? Read the Washington Post article, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/01/20/deer-car-collisions/">Fear the deer: Crash data illuminates America’s deadliest animal</a>.
A 17 year old special guests tells us why he wants a motorcycle, Fred explains physics to him and explains airbags to us. Plus Tesla is full of self driving.
This week we are joined by Mike Wagner and Ben Lewis from Edge Case Research.
They are working on making AV's safer and providing insurance to AV companies.
A Tesla survives a 250 cliff drop but still lies about full self driving, Anthony invents the car bidet, Fred explains exactly what that new car smell is and Michael has audio problems. Plus recall roundup
For the end of the year Michael Brooks runs down his list of new year resolutions... for others. In the new year we hope NHTSA becomes stronger, Tesla gets a new CEO, AV companies stop with the BS and Lucid learns to make a car.
Child labor at Hyundai, more Waymo and Cruise teenage years, Tesla forces arbitration on it's customers, Fred explains Santa, synthetic gasoline and the Recall Roundup.
Lexus and Hyundai are into fake shift, IIHS updates their crash test for EV's and back seat safety, Michael and Fred suggest that infrastructure can make us safer, people get high in order to drive drunk, another Takata death and recall roundup.
Beth Osyk expert in autonomous vehicles join us this week... to disappoint Anthony and let him know self driving cars are not coming soon. Plus recall roundup.
Donate
Full Self Driving is not a thing. Don't believe that it is. If you've paid for such a thing please please please keep remain an active and engaged driver. You could save your own life as well as those of others around you.
Takata airbags are still in millions of vehicles. Go to our Vehicle Safety Check and see if your car has a recall.
Plus Fred explains "dinosaur chips" and Roundup Recall.
We're off this week because of the holiday. Be safe traveling on the roads and enjoy this episode where delve into black boxes in cars.
If you can, please support us.
Grown man volunteers to beta test "self driving car", supercruise expands, driver monitoring explained, AEB works, recall roundup covers more rear view camera issues, car lights too bright, another bus accident where seat-belts are not required and when it comes to full self driving who's at fault, the person or the car?
autosafety.org/donate
Immobilizers! Not required but a really good idea.
Why can't it be a camera instead of a mirror?
The car obesity race... more weight equals bigger crashes.
Good use case for autonomous vehicles and self driving semi's.
Fred explains voltage, current and power by having Anthony stand underneath Niagara Falls.
Tesla gets investigated by the DOJ. Does NHTSA consider autopilot a defect? For our .001% listeners there is an important recall of your Lamborghini SUV. Fred updates on sarin in EV fires and explains SAE. Plus listener mail.
Potential regulation for big hoods and grills, speed limiting technology, Florida Man and salt bridges update, too many people ignore school bus stop signs, the Tao of Fred and listener mail.
Be sure to tell your friends and support us.
California approves digital license plates, automated driving deaths increase, what's going on with Automatic Emergency Braking and Sensor Fusion (not a prog rock band). Plus we'd really love it if NHTSA started some regulations around AEB, automated driving and well, any auto tech from the last 20 years.
Help us continue and become a supporter.
Regulations encourage manufacturers to build bigger cars, Michael coins his own acronym, iPhones get car sick on roller coasters, the media blows the Rivian recall out of proportion, Fred explores the energy and cost efficiency of EV's vs. ICE and Florida man makes wild claim about EV's and hurricanes.
Visit autosafety.org/donate
Is AI, artificial intelligence, the future of a safe automobiles or a bunch of marketing mumbo jumbo. Plus leaks dominate this weeks Recall Roundup.
Michael's life of getting caught speeding as a 15 year old led him to become Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety
Autonomadness - a new segment about the madness of self driving cars. This week GM Cruise can't cruise. Self driving vehicles and their existential crisis's.
Recall Roundup discusses a software update that disables your speedometer and more.
In the Tao of Fred, Fred channels his inner Rogers and Hammerstein to educate us about OEDR.
Are you a pedestrian or a cyclist? Don't want to get hit by a car? Download an app. Plus listener mail on adaptive cruise control.
AV expert and Carnegie Mellon professor Phil Koopman joins us to discuss his new book, "How Safe Is Safe Enough?: Measuring and Predicting Autonomous Vehicle Safety" Plus the Tao of Fred enlightens us, and puts Anthony to sleep, explaining Minimal Risk Condition.
Why sell cars that can go 130mph? Because you never know when you'll need to race away from a forest fire while being chased by a wolf.
NHTSA releases their cybersecurity report which has no teeth and lacks flavor. Plus recall round and Fred's felonies.
Anthony auditions for Andy Rooney's old job, Michael explains how airbags need to be folded correctly and Fred explains how ADS is not ADAS. Plus level 4 cars don't exist but GM Cruise and Waymo are maybe, sort of, kind of level 4 and motorcycles are not crash tested.
Fred makes some assumptions about how Anthony acquired a drivers license, we follow up on V2X in NY, self driving vehicles should be required to take a road test, recall roundup and more.
Did the pandemic make drivers more reckless? Getting the finger because 70mph is too slow, Do you like the thrill of imminent death? Try full self driving. These topics and more along with listener mail.
The dangers and benefits of over the air software updates, regression testing, Tesla's crashing into emergency vehicles and listener mail.
Fred explains how the nanny state and the viscosity of brake fluid are conspiring against us. Then we have an intelligent discussion about event data recorders (aka black boxes) in our cars. Tell us your thoughts on black boxes in cars.
Rats and rodents are eating the electrical wires in cars. Is it the soy based insulation? The spray from that sweet nectar anti-freeze? Or are rats always gonna rat?
Additionally, we discuss the dangers of SUV frontover blind zones. It's a horrible design flaw that leads to injury and death that can be easily fixed.
Automatic Emergency Braking, another system without any standards but it's a good thing, phantom braking, never drive on the George Washington Bridge and Michael is the worst salesperson.
Do you suffer from pretensioner? Anthony learns about more "explosive" things in cars, Michael explains the absurdity of geographic recalls, Fred helps NHSTA and simultaneously creates the best band names.
This week we take on:
Big Phone and how it's affecting vehicle safety;
Car makers turning features into subscriptions;
Cars being unregulated computers;
Level 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of self driving cars explained. European auto standards, Anthony complains about headlights and Michael reviews the podcast as being OK.
This week we break down the alphabet soup of auto safety and discuss the gender ratios of crash test dummies.
Welcome to the first episode of the Center for Auto Safety podcast. This week Anthony asks whether electric vehicles catch on fire more than ICE vehicles, Fred tells us that manufacturers can use anything in airbag propellants and Michael lets us know that there are little regulations around batteries. Gulp.
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.