Issues
Driver-assist NHTSA crash data called limited, useful
“I think what this data does, in a way, is it requires manufacturers who may have been hesitant to report these types of incidents, or who are not doing as great of a job reporting things to NHTSA in general … to get that data into the system,” said Michael Brooks, acting executive director at…
Report: Nearly 400 crashes by ‘self-driving’ cars in the US
“The real story here is that this data will be updated monthly, and the public now has a way to monitor the safety of these vehicles,” said Michael Brooks, Acting Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety. “This is a dataset the NHTSA can draw from in the future for enforcement actions or crafting…
Federal safety agency expands its investigation of Tesla’s Autopilot system.
“This isn’t your typical defect case,” said Michael Brooks, acting executive director at the Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group. “They are actively looking for a problem that can be fixed, and they’re looking at driver behavior, and the problem may not be a component in the vehicle.” By Neal E. Boudette…
Tesla Autopilot Scrutiny Grows as US Upgrades, Expands Probe
“NHTSA appears to be increasingly closer to taking firm action against Tesla, which will hopefully be strong enough to permanently dissuade the company from continuing to mislead the public about the capabilities of its vehicles,” Michael Brooks, acting executive director and chief counsel of the Center for Auto Safety, said. By Keith Laing June 9,…
Goodyear Recalls Tires That Federal Government Says Had High Failure Rate
Michael Brooks, the acting executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, said that the recall was an important first step toward holding Goodyear accountable. “This was essentially a successful cover-up until now,” Mr. Brooks said, adding that the government and legal system had long failed to protect the American…
Goodyear to recall RV tires 19 years after last one was made
Michael Brooks, acting executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, said the Goodyear case is one that exposes every flaw in the system designed to keep unsafe tires and vehicles off the roads. By Tom Krisher June 7, 2022 Nineteen years after the last one was made, Goodyear has agreed to recall more…
Tesla Faces Increase in Complaints Over ‘Phantom Braking’
“That is a huge number of complaints in a short time, and indicates that NHTSA’s probe should be stepping up,” said Michael Brooks, acting executive director and chief counsel of the Center for Auto Safety. “We have hundreds of owners per month reporting false activation of their emergency braking systems, and untold numbers of others…
Millions of airbags eject shrapnel, SF lawsuit claims
“The people who own these vehicles are literally sitting there for years, possibly in fear for their lives, with an an explosive device sitting right in their face,” said Michael Brooks, Acting Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety. By Bay City News May 26, 2022 (BCN) – A 95-page nationwide class action complaint…
2 Investigates: Kia models left off recall list also prone to dangerous engine fires
The Center for Auto Safety was the first to petition NHTSA about Kia fire safety dangers. Its acting executive director Michael Brooks says Jordan had no way to know of a potential risk when he picked up his rental car. “There’s literally no way for that person to know, when they walk in there and…
CAS Comments on NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)
RE: New Car Assessment Program, [Docket No. NHTSA-2021-0002] June 8, 2022 Thank you the opportunity the comment on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), New Car Assessment Program [Docket No. NHTSA-2021-0002] request for comments (RFC).1 The Center for Auto Safety (CAS), founded in 1970, is an independent, member supported, non-profit consumer advocacy organization dedicated to…