In a petition to the NHTSA, the Center for Auto Safety said that General Motors would use "unsuspecting motorists or pedestrians as guinea pigs" if the automaker is allowed to test self-driving cars without steering wheels or pedals on public roads. The nonprofit advocacy group claimed Monday in a...Read More»
The NHTSA has opened an investigation into the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size trucks to determine if a previous recall left out thousands of pickups. Automotive News (subscription required) reported on Tuesday that the probe aims to uncover more details about power steering loss in...Read More»
![Brake and accelerator pedals of 2013 Tesla Model S [photo: David Noland]](https://images.hgmsites.net/sml/brake-and-accelerator-pedals-of-2013-tesla-model-s-both-pedals-pressed-photo-david-noland_100461467_s.jpg "NHTSA backtracks, won't mandate brake override systems")
The NHTSA on Monday said that it doesn't plan to follow through with a promise it made seven years ago to make brake override systems mandatory on new cars, a move applauded by automakers that have already installed the feature. The Trump administration's decision to scrap the mandate proposed...Read More»
The NHTSA has opened an investigation into the Mazda CX-9 crossover SUV after two reports of airbags deploying unexpectedly while the vehicles were moving. According to documents posted to the government organization's website Monday, CX-9 owners complained that both the left and right side-curtain...Read More»
The NHTSA has opened an investigation into 2017 and 2018 model year Nissan Rogue crossovers after 87 consumer complaints of erratic automatic emergency braking events. Consumer Reports reported on the investigation on Friday, which will look at 675,000 vehicles total. The complaints largely alleged...Read More»
The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta compact sedan earned a five-star crash-test rating from the federal government, the automaker said Thursday. Though it didn't ace the NHTSA's barrage of crash tests, the 2019 Jetta earned four stars for frontal crash protection and five stars for side-impact protection...Read More»
The 2019 Audi Q8 earned top marks NHTSA's slew of crash tests last week. The high marks follow a similarly impressive performance in the insurance-funded IIHS crash tests for the crossover SUV. The NHTSA awarded the crossover SUV five stars after assessing frontal and side impacts and four stars in...Read More»
The NHTSA on Monday launched an investigation into a fire risk that covers about 3 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles. The decision to open the investigation came after the U.S. government reviewed 3,000 reports of fires that left about 100 people injured. Reuters first reported on the new NHTSA...Read More»
Safety officials are asking for the public's help to rewrite the rules for self-driving cars, which were written decades ago. General Motors last year petitioned the NHTSA to allow self-driving Chevrolet Bolt EVs on the road that lacked steering wheels and pedals. The federal agency languished for...Read More»
As the U.S. government shutdown continues to drag on, the NHTSA said Tuesday that it will not investigate car defects until federal funding is restored. The Detroit Free Press reported Tuesday the agency does not invoke a backup plan without annual appropriations from a government budget. Employees...Read More»
The NHTSA opened a probe into 2.7 million General Motors trucks and SUVs over braking ability that may deteriorate over time. The government agency said it has received 111 complaints that surround the matter and nine of them include crashes drivers attribute to the potential defect. Two of the...Read More»
The NHTSA has opened a new investigation into the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain's wiper blades. The government agency will probe both vehicles after a previous recall in 2016 addressed wiper failure, Reuters reported Tuesday. If the NHTSA finds new evidence of wiper failure, GM will be forced...Read More»
With many new cars, trucks, and SUVs failing to meet more stringent headlight safety standards from the federal government and the IIHS, the NHTSA announced Thursday it plans to change regulations to help headlight development. The agency said in its report that it plans to allow development of...Read More»
The U.S. Department of Transportation released an 80-page update of NHTSA guidance dubbed “Automated Vehicles 3.0” on Thursday in an effort to make self-driving car development easier. Currently, NHTSA regulations require automakers to meet nearly 75 different safety standards, all of...Read More»
Tesla’s Model 3 electric car, the company’s newest and arguably most important model, achieved a perfect 5-star crash test rating from the federal government’s NHTSA. The compact electric vehicle received top marks in front driver and passenger protection, front and rear side...Read More»
Despite requests from the White House to voluntarily outline a strategy and provide data on self-driving car efforts on public roads, few automakers and tech companies have complied. As The Detroit News reported Monday, only General Motors, Ford, and Google-owned Waymo have submitted reports. The...Read More»
Some owners of 2019 Subaru Ascent crossover SUVs may get a second chance at the new car smell. The automaker said in government filings last week that it will recall 293 examples of its new three-row crossover to inspect them for spot welds that may have not been applied at the factory. If Subaru...Read More»
A top auto safety official at the NHTSA has claimed that it’s too early to regulate self-driving vehicles, such as the ones being tested by Uber, Waymo, and more. According to Automotive News, NHTSA deputy administrator Heidi King said in an interview on Thursday: “At this point the...Read More»
A version of the pint-size 2018 Ford EcoSport crossover SUV earned four stars overall in the federal government's barrage of crash tests, including an unusual three-star rating for its resistance to rollover. The NHTSA said Thursday that the front-wheel-drive 2018 EcoSport scored three out of five...Read More»
