Pedestrians are in trouble. Between 2015 and 2016, the U.S. saw an 11 percent uptick in pedestrian deaths, and there's no sign that the trend is changing course. What's an automaker to do? If you're Ford, you design cars to do a better job of detecting pedestrians. If you're Waymo (which isn't...Read More»
Mobile phones are great, aren't they? Twenty years ago, who could have imagined the joys of getting stuck in a group text with a dozen family members, including three or four retirees who have nothing better to do than send out barrages of LOLs and misused emojis? Who dared to envision the...Read More»
Earlier this year, two reports revealed that the number of auto-related fatalities in America increased sharply in 2016. A new study from the Governors Highway Safety Association suggests that pedestrian deaths may be partly responsible for that uptick. The organization's projections show an 11...Read More»
Last week, Ford showed off its new, predictive pedestrian detection system, which is slated to debut on the 2017 Ford Fusion. But that's not the only safety technology that Ford's been working on. The automaker has unveiled a host of high-tech features that will soon appear on Ford vehicles...Read More»
If you own a mobile phone--especially a smartphone--you may have noticed some changes in yourself the past few years. Maybe you've begun communicating exclusively in emoji. Maybe you've become incapable of interacting with non-touchscreens. But one thing's nearly certain: that mini computer in your...Read More»
Over the past several years, we've spilled a fair amount of virtual ink on the subject of distracted driving and its effect on the nation's traffic fatality rate. What we haven't discussed very often is the subject of distracted walking, which many blame for an uptick in pedestrian fatalities. But...Read More»
Many folks are excited about the arrival of autonomous cars. They promise to reduce traffic accidents, save gas, ease congestion, and provide the elderly and disabled greater independence. But are there some things that self-driving vehicles simply can't do? Tasks that humans will always perform...Read More»
As anyone who's watched The Walking Dead can tell you, it's hard out there for a walker. There's construction to avoid, broken sidewalks to navigate, and the biggest obstacle of all, distracted drivers (most of whom don't have cars with pedestrian detection systems or pedestrian-friendly airbags)...Read More»
Most cities have an extensive network of sensors embedded in their streets -- usually at intersections. They're designed to regulate traffic lights: when sensors detect that traffic in a turning lane is particularly heavy, for example, the light will stay green longer. We've all seen this process...Read More»
Automotive fatalities have been on the decline in recent years, hovering near historic lows. However, some types of fatalities, like those of motorcyclists or those due to distracted driving have actually been on the rise. Thankfully, one of those types has begun to drop again. According to the...Read More»
On New Year's Eve in San Francisco, a six-year-old girl was killed and her family members were seriously injured when they were struck by a vehicle while crossing the street. According to TechCrunch, the driver of that vehicle, Syed Muzzafar, worked for Uber. Uber has caused a big stir the past few...Read More»
Last week, Prius owners sued Toyota over its pricey pre-collision safety system -- a system dubbed such a complete flop that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety won't even bother rating it. Coincidentally, Toyota also made two announcements last week intended to rebuild its reputation for...Read More»
Every few days, it seems as if another automaker announces a high-tech means to eliminate traffic accidents in the coming years. Recently we've seen two promising candidates. Last week, Nissan vowed to bring autonomous vehicles to showrooms by the year 2020. That's exciting, but autonomous cars...Read More»
No doubt about it: Volvo has had a rough couple of years. After being sold to Chinese automaker Geely in 2010, the brand has struggled to regain its footing. Whether that's due to the shift in administration, a slowdown in research and development, lackluster quality scores, or a general lack of...Read More»
New York City is a tough nut to crack. Over 8,000,000 people inhabit its five boroughs, which means that living there is expensive, doing business there is risky, and staying sane amid all the hubbub is nothing less than miraculous. New York is also dangerous -- physically dangerous. True, the...Read More»
In 2011, the U.S. reached another record-low auto fatality rate, but the drop in deaths hasn't been even across the board. In 2010, for example, pedestrian fatalities actually ticked up 1%, and in 2011, the rate jumped 3%. Perhaps more troubling -- especially if you're a guy -- is a new study...Read More»
Two upcoming Honda Motor Co. safety systems set their sights toward a ten-year 'zero collisions' goal that includes a new generation of accident avoidance as well as, eventually, vehicle-to-vehicle communication and road-to-vehicle communication. One of these interim steps is Honda's Autonomous...Read More»
When we think of traffic fatalities, we often think of drunk drivers or those not wearing seatbelts. But many people killed in such situations are pedestrians, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has just issued some sobering data that shows pedestrian deaths are on the rise...Read More»
Pedestrian-detection is nothing new -- automakers like Volvo and Mercedes-Benz have been developing such safety systems for years. So what makes General Motors' new pedestrian technology interesting? For starters, it works via your smartphone. GM's pedestrian-detection system is based on Wi-Fi...Read More»
