Issues
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…
Drivers complain of ‘phantom braking’ on some newer model vehicles, NHTSA investigating
“AEB is all over the place. We’re seeing different results. Some don’t work great at high speeds and don’t work great with pedestrians especially at night,” remarked Michael Brooks, Acting Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety. By Cynthia Gould May 25, 2022 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBMA) — Complaints about vehicles suddenly slamming on brakes…
More people are dying on U.S. roads, even as cars get safer. Here’s why it’s a tough problem to solve.
“It looks like the major component of this rising fatalities is very behavioral, but that doesn’t mean we can’t stop it. We just have to be willing to,” Michael Brooks, Acting Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety said. By Michael Wayland May 22, 2022 New vehicles on sale in the U.S. today are…
Feds investigate Newport Beach Tesla crash that killed three
The Center for Auto Safety says the technology’s rollout may have been premature. By CBS Los Angeles May 23, 2022 Click here to view the full story from CBS News Los Angeles.
Nearly 43,000 people died on US roads last year, agency says
The Transportation Department is moving in the right direction to stem the increase in deaths, but it will take years for many of the steps to work, said Michael Brooks, acting executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety. NHTSA, for instance, has regulations pending to require electronic automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection…
CMS bus involved in crash may have been recalled
“That’s good that they got them repaired, but the scary part is 35% of the school buses out there with this issue haven’t been fixed,” said Michael Brooks with the Center for Auto Safety. By WSOCTV.com News Staff May 12, 2022 Channel 9 has been investigating and found records that indicate the school bus involved…
Why aren’t seat belts required on school buses?
“It’s mainly due to the fact that states haven’t enacted laws to require them, and also attempts at the federal level to require all states to have seat belts on school buses have not been successful,” said Michael Brooks, Acting Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety on why school buses usually do not…
‘All of a sudden it slammed on the brakes’ Hundreds of complaints filed over auto braking systems
Because automakers voluntarily decided to do this, Michael Brooks from the Center for Auto Safety says there are no standards or regulations to follow for these systems. Brooks says that could be contributing to the problem. “We’re hoping that NHTSA takes the lessons that it learns in these investigations of the vehicles that are on…