Issues

Uber’s self-driving cars had a major flaw: They weren’t programmed to stop for jaywalkers

November 7, 2019

“Even the most junior human driver knows to expect that people sometimes walk outside of crosswalks,” said Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization. “When we have public road testing that has programming that essentially chooses to ignore the realities of how people interact with public infrastructure,…

Mercedes-Benz Slow to Fix Recalled Takata Airbags

November 6, 2019

“Mercedes unfortunately, is on the bottom end of success in replacing these defective airbags. That’s a pretty low figure for any of the manufacturers but particularly for a luxury manufacturer like Mercedes,” said Jason Levine, Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety. “By comparison Honda recalled 17 million airbags and they have repaired over…

Toyota and Subaru Face Class-Action Lawsuit Over FR-S, BRZ Valve Spring Recall Fiasco

November 5, 2019

Back in March, The Drive broke the story about dozens of 2013 Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ owners who reported experiencing catastrophic engine failure shortly after a valve spring recall repair largely due to the fact that—full disclosure—I was one of those owners. Now, Toyota and Subaru are facing a class-action lawsuit that claims the…

Federal regulators look into possible defect in Tesla batteries

November 4, 2019

To watch the story on Good Morning America, click here.

The Car Book Blog: Understanding Crash Ratings

November 1, 2019

Customers want to know why $760M settlement doesn't include Kia Souls

October 30, 2019

“We were surely disappointed to see that it wasn’t included in the settlement,” said Jason Levine, who runs The Center for Auto Safety in Washington, D.C. “Our hope would be, whether in this settlement or some other legal remedy, those who own souls will be made whole, financially, speaking.” WAXHAW, N.C. – For more than a year,…

Tesla’s futuristic door handles blamed for death in fiery wreck

October 28, 2019

“While they often get high scores on crash tests, Tesla’s focus on style over safety and features that push up stock prices rather than protecting occupants and others on the road continues to raise serious concerns,” Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said in an e-mail to Automotive News. “Tesla should have learned…

Keep Your Eyes On The Road And Don’t Trust Auto Braking Just Yet

October 24, 2019

“People [were] saying they were turning it off… The technology can help and does save you and prevents crashes, but only if it’s on and only if it’s working,” said Jason Levine of the Center for Auto Safety. “We want to see this move towards a recall very quickly.” The technology is designed to stop…

Crash test ratings outdated

October 22, 2019

“It’s the equivalent of Halloween; everybody gets candy. The idea is supposed to be separating between things that are safe and things that are really safe.” To view the story on ABC Action News’ Youtube Site, click here.

Post Office Fiddles While Its Mail Trucks Burn

October 21, 2019

Jason Levine, who heads the Center for Auto Safety, told Trucks.com that the Postal Service should take action – and quickly. “This is not a place to be pennywise and pound foolish,” Levine said. His organization would file a petition seeking an investigation with the NHTSA if the LLV were a passenger car. But so…