The latest NHTSA action focuses on “a very narrow segment of Tesla vehicles” and doesn’t adequately address issues faced by occupants inside, said Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a Washington-based advocacy group. He called on the agency to propose rules to ensure manual releases are in standardized, easy-to-find locations. By…

Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said one potential issue is that a driver might encounter a faulty gas pump that doesn’t automatically shut off but not realize it. “How do you know when it’s safe to drive off from a fuel pump if you’ve had one of these overpump incidents?”…

So, what can you do? Brooks says, don’t wait for letters in the mail. Register with the manufacturer and they will send you email or text alerts. Also, check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website for recalls. You can put in your license plate number, VIN, or year, make and model. By Amy Hudak August 25,…

“The design and construction of an autonomous vehicle, and driver competency is intertwined,” said Michael Brooks, executive director at the Center for Auto Safety. “You can’t really separate it into the traditional areas.” So when companies deploy a federally approved AV for a cross-country road trip, they don’t necessarily know whether they’re violating a patchwork…

“While NHTSA isn’t out there actively doing recalls, they’re influencing manufacturers behind the scenes and pushing them to take action,” says Michael Brooks, executive director for the Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit advocacy group. By Keith Barry August 7, 2025 The white and red envelope bears the name and logo of the brand of…

“Right now, there are no regulations at all around this technology — no requirements for driver monitoring or to prevent driver disengagement,” says Michael Brooks, executive director for the Center for Auto Safety. By Joann Muller August 6, 2025 A stunning court verdict against Tesla last week exposed significant legal risks for every carmaker deploying vehicles that…

Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said he hasn’t traditionally seen a fix for one part of a car lead to a defect in another. But the Volvo situation is a concern as vehicles become more defined by software and electronics that use multiple systems inside a car, he said. “A…

“We’ve never had a manufacturer have this many recalls at this point in the year,” said Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety in Washington, D.C. “From an outsider looking in, it looks like Ford has a quality disaster on its hands, if you’re not aware of the work NHTSA has done to…

“Here we are, two-and-a-half years after the initial recall was announced and they’re still having a parts availability problem,” said Michael Brooks, the executive director of the Center for Auto Safety. “That’s pretty clearly a mess up on the part of the manufacturer.” By Susan Campbell July 18, 2025 Keelyn Steffes and her little yellow…

Michael Brooks, executive director of the Washington-based Center for Auto Safety, which advocates for stringent regulations, noted that during Morrison’s earlier tenure at NHTSA, the agency rolled back safety standards and halted probes of carmakers utilizing autonomous vehicle technology that were initiated by the Obama administration. “We think it is reasonable to expect more of…