Issues
Family Says Car Recall Didn't Go Nearly Far Enough
This edition of NBC 5 Responds begins with home video many families might find terrifying. A noise outside the front window began a Naperville family’s journey into the world of car recalls, including one they say does not go nearly far enough. Lisa Parker reports. Click here to watch the full clip from NBC Chicago.
Mother watches son burn to death in Kia fire, calls for answers from car maker
The Center for Auto Safety petitioned federal regulators to launch a safety defect investigation after our story aired in May. The Washington, D.C. watchdog is now calling for an investigation into the Kia Soul fires. The Kia that Keith Nash died in is one of 29 reported fires in Kia Souls sold between 2010 and 2015. …
Faulty Takata airbag problem remains far from over
Jason Levine works with the Center for Auto Safety in Washington D.C. He says the recall is taking so long, many people have forgotten they’re driving with dangerous airbags. Worse yet, he says many people are buying used vehicles without thinking twice whether they’ve been fixed, when it should be a top priority. “Really push…
When AVs crash, limited data access can impede investigations
This opinion piece, written by Center for Auto Safety Executive Director Jason Levine, originally appeared in Axios. In these early stages of development, autonomous vehicles raise pressing questions whenever they crash, especially if the accident involves injury or death. But when the drivers may be either computers or humans, it becomes much harder to determine…
Man Says His Hyundai Caught Fire With Daughters Inside
Jason Tellefsen said he was driving his daughters home from school when he saw smoke coming from his car. “I had the girls in the backseat and all of a sudden the whole car just shut off,” he said. Tellefsen said he pulled over on the side of the road. That’s when he realized his…
A Safety-Minded Makeover for a Dangerous Brand
“It is certainly commendable that Uber would make it easier for its customers to more quickly dial 911 when they are in danger either because of an Uber driver’s behavior, or because of a crash,” Levine told me over email, “but this announcement appears to be addressing the symptom as opposed to the cause of…
Goodyear CEO Learned About Deadly RV Tire Failures As Early As 2008, Court Docs Suggest
Jason Levine, the Center for Auto Safety’s executive director, said the new documents “confirm our long-held belief that Goodyear has been hiding deadly incidents involving their tires from the public and the U.S. government for many years.” “Yet, our fight to bring full transparency regarding the dangers of the G159 tires, and the unconscionable actions…
Groups oppose bill to require car dealerships to notify buyers about recalls
Jason Levine of the Center for Auto Safety adds, “You shouldn’t be able to sell a car with a recall on it, whether it’s a used car, a new car or a rental car. Period. End of story.” EDISON – A network of consumer advocacy organizations is lining up to oppose a controversial consumer bill that…
Advantages of connected cars come with cybersecurity risks
This opinion piece written by the Center’s Executive Director, Jason Levine, originally appeared in Axios. The internet connectivity built into most new vehicles enables all sorts of conveniences — news, entertainment, weather and even over-the-air software updates from the manufacturer. The downside: Connected cars are incredibly easy to hack. The big picture: With 16 million…
Consumer Alert: Government’s handling of car recalls
“When the Office of the Inspector General – that’s the internal watchdog at the NHTSA – says that the NHTSA is doing a subpar job at overseeing its recalls, that’s something that should concern all of us,” says Jason Levine with the Center for Auto Safety. Levine’s group has been critical of the NHTSA’s handling…