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»
A faulty control unit that could prevent airbags from deploying in the event of a wreck has prompted Kia to recall 508,000 2010 through 2013 model year vehicles, the automaker said last week. Kia said in a government filing that the airbag control unit, which tells the airbag and the seat belt...Read More»
The federal agency that oversees new car safety and emissions standards may go even longer without an official leader. On Tuesday, a Senate committee pushed back a vote on the Trump administration's new NHTSA administrator nominee over concerns about how she plans to handle an ongoing airbag recall...Read More»
Keyless ignition systems that use start buttons to let drivers to leave key fobs in their pockets provide a lot of convenience, but a new report sheds light on a failed government effort to prevent users from accidentally leaving their cars on. The New York Times reported Sunday that at least 20...Read More»
The White House said Friday President Donald Trump intends to nominate Heidi King, an auto safety official, to head up the NHTSA. King’s nomination comes at a contentious time for the agency that oversees fuel-efficiency and car-safety rules. Since September, King has served as deputy...Read More»
The left hand doesn't always follow the right hand. The trade association that represents most major automakers won its battle to get the EPA to announce it wants to ease emission limits for 2022 through 2025 cars, even as the lobbying group simultaneously works to promote electric cars that don't...Read More»
Hybrid and electric cars will sneak across parking lots for a few more years. The NHTSA on Monday set a long-delayed deadline for automakers to add sounds to otherwise nearly silent hybrid and electric cars: September 2020. The NHTSA says that automakers will need to fit "alert sounds" to vehicles...Read More»
BMW has told its dealers to hold all sales of its 2018 i3 electric car due to a compliance issue detected by the NHTSA. The German automaker will also recall about 30,000 examples of the BMW i3. The government agency found during routine testing that the i3 does not provide adequate protection in...Read More»
The infamous Takata recall still looms over the industry and the latest report from John Buretta, the independent monitor overseeing the recalls for the Justice department, shows that a majority of impacted vehicles haven't been repaired. Already the largest recall in automotive history, as of...Read More»
Following a year of self-driving cars legally testing on public roads, California is ready to take things a step further by relaxing the rules surrounding testing. Soon, companies will be able to test their autonomous car prototypes on public roads without a driver, even as backup. That’s...Read More»
