Issues
Ford recall: 2020 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator could crash due to crucial missing part
“We are glad to hear no one was killed or seriously injured, but it certainly raises questions about the quality control process when brand new, high-end, vehicles are being released from the factory where ‘park’ doesn’t work or the driver cannot even see what gear the vehicle is in,” said Jason Levine, executive director of…
Senators Want to Sneak Safety Exemptions for Self-Driving Cars Into Law
“Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a consumer advocacy group, says the coalition doesn’t oppose self-driving cars but wants to ensure safety protections are in place before laws legalize sales to the public. ‘The promise is that these are going to be safer,’ he said. ‘There’s no requirement that these be…
Driverless-car makers want Congress to free them from state safety standards
“Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said that since the wide-scale adoption of autonomous vehicles is still a long way off, ‘the rush to get a bill passed seems like a very in-the-Beltway development…The reality is, we’re much closer to autonomous vehicles than we were 20, 30 years ago…But right around…
Driverless car bill a disaster waiting to happen
Despite almost daily reports of crashes or non-responsive technology on public roadsinvolving driverless cars, Congress is trying to hitch a new law to Santa’s sleigh in the form of the year-end-keep-the-government-open spending bill, just ahead of a new majority come January. Today, all motor vehicle operators, particularly commercial drivers, are required to pass a license examination demonstrating a…
AV START threatens public safety and driverless car potential
In the final days of this session, the U.S. Senate may vote on legislation that would essentially turn our public streets into proving grounds for driverless cars that are not ready for prime time. The AV START Act (S. 1885) would allow for widespread sale of these nascent systems under the guise of safety, but wouldn’t require…
Safety Would Take a Back Seat if Senate Passes Bill on Driverless Cars, Critics Say
“The industry would be “in complete control when it comes to consumer safety in autonomous vehicles,” complained Michael Brooks, chief counsel for the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, in a recent conference call with reporters. “As history has proven time and time over, automakers are incapable of prioritizing safety over profits,” Brooks said, “and the…
GM, Lyft, Waymo want to be allowed to remove driver controls on autonomous cars
The Center for Auto Safety, a Washington-based consumer advocacy organization, said it remains “skeptical” about companies testing vehicles without manual controls, citing “there is no demonstrable evidence” that the vehicles “can safely operate on (and off) America’s roads.” General Motors and Alphabet’s Waymo are among the companies encouraging federal safety regulators to swiftly, yet safely, update laws to better accommodate…
Safety groups want FTC, state probes of Tesla’s Autopilot system–and its marketing efforts
“We feel Tesla violates the laws on deceptive practices, both at the federal and state level,” said Jason Levine, the head of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Auto Safety, one of two groups that have called for an investigation of both the Autopilot system and Tesla’s promotion of the technology. Two consumer safety groups are…
Consumer groups, 'Sully' Sullenberger raise concerns about Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features
Two consumer advocacy groups on Thursday refiled a request with the Federal Trade Commission for it to investigate Tesla’s representation of its Autopilot driver aid system, calling it “misleading” and “deceptive.” The Center for Auto Safety and Consumer Watchdog submitted a letter to the FTC last year on the same topic, but a spokesperson for…