There Auto Be A Law
Podcast Archive
Our podcast discusses auto safety issues and technological developments, in hopes of providing consumers and enthusiasts with a better understanding of modern vehicles, safety systems, and current issues in the industry.
Missy Cummings: Insights into Self-Driving Tech and Safety
This week we are joined by Missy Cummings, Director of George Mason University’s Autonomy and Robotics Center. Missy walks us through the safety concerns with self driving cars based on your research, talks about the definition of ‘safe enough’, how laughable remote operations are and lack of functional safety testing. This episode underscores the urgent…
Cruise runs out of juice and car jackers need to check the backseat
GM finally listened to us and/or did some basic math and realized that GM Cruise was a dumpster fire that needed to be extinguished. Imagine what they could have done with the $10 Billion they squandered. A recent AAA survey covers risky driver behaviors and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s findings that vehicle height…
Partially Automated Failings and Remote Controlled Robo-Taxi’s
This episode delves into the effectiveness of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in keeping drivers engaged, the risks posed by partial automation, and the need for regulatory oversight. We highlight issues with Tesla’s approach to autonomous driving, including its reliance on remote operators. Recalls for vehicles from Pagani, GM, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche are discussed,…
Top Ten Lists: Tesla Turkeys and NHSTA’s last stand?
Happy Thanksgiving listeners! This week we share our top ten things we are thankful for in car safety. Highlights include the Tesla Cybertruck and full self-driving technology, NHTSA’s recent improvements and penalties, and shout-outs to people and organizations contributing to automotive safety such as the anonymous engineers that make cars safer. Links: https://philkoopman.substack.com/p/debunking-tesla-safest-car-on-the?r=1tnaed&triedRedirect=true https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/nhtsa-releases-2024-early-estimates-decrease-traffic-fatalities https://www.torquenews.com/17995/five-ways-prevent-your-tesla-killing-you…
Elon’s Escape Room: Can You Get Out of a Flaming Tesla?
Topics: Kudos to NHTSA for NCAP improvements; Frowns to Ford for recalls; New DOT secretary; Will Washington rubber stamp all of Elon’s dreams? Tesla drivers are dangerous; Tesla’s will trap you in a fire; Renewable natural gas explained; Recall roundup; Links: https://apnews.com/article/automobile-safety-nhtsa-crash-pedestrian-2fc22f755c51bfe9bb668f90e8ee8956 https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2024/11/16/nhtsa-pedestrian-safety-rule-vehicle-design-head-protection/76094618007/ https://apnews.com/article/trump-duffy-cabinet-transportation-secretary-c465bbc516b5f898233f86bee31a7a45 https://www.freep.com/story/news/investigations/2024/11/14/nhtsa-ford-vehicle-recall-rules-penalty/76293055007/ https://jalopnik.com/teslas-are-the-most-fatal-cars-on-the-road-study-finds-1851700691 https://philkoopman.substack.com/p/people-are-still-being-burned-alive https://www.catf.us/resource/flaring-accountability/ https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/self-driving-cars/ https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Missy-Cummings/publication/385936888_Identifying_Research_Gaps_through_Self-Driving_Car_Data_Analysis/links/673c687ab903016a31c41bfb/Identifying-Research-Gaps-through-Self-Driving-Car-Data-Analysis.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V843-7446.PDF https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V839-5482.PDF https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V852-6661.PDF
The Chronicles of Auto-Infamy: Drowsy, Distracted, and a Dash of Rust
Topics: Rivian and Volkswagen join forces; NHTSA kinda sorta asks Tesla to clear up it’s communications around cars that drive themselves; What will Elon’s department of efficiency mean for auto safety? Fred deep dives into duty of care with a focus on hazard mitigation; Recalls and rusting cybertrucks; and more Links: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/business/volkswagen-rivian-electric-vehicles.html https://www.autosafety.org/us-agency-says-teslas-public-statements-imply-that-its-vehicles-can-drive-themselves-they-cant/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/11/13/department-of-government-efficiency-musk-ramaswamy/ https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gm-bicyclist-alert-technology-standard-110315432.html…
Auto Safety in an Unregulated World and Headlights Too Bright
Deep breaths… Hummer EV, what the election means for NHTSA, regulations and everything related to safety. Are LED headlights too brights? Zoox and Tesla have a spat. It’s a new world. This weeks links: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/11/driving-the-biggest-least-efficient-electric-car-the-hummer-ev-suv/ https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/2/24285399/amazon-zoox-robotaxi-nhtsa-fmvss-comply https://electrek.co/2024/10/31/elon-musk-snaps-at-zoox-co-founder-over-critical-tesla-fsd-comments/ https://electrek.co/2024/11/04/tesla-updated-its-summon-feature-now-this-owner-cant-get-to-his-car/ https://www.theguardian.com/global/2024/oct/31/headlights-too-bright https://jalopnik.com/fuel-doors-should-always-be-on-the-passenger-side-do-n-1851689173 https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V798-1656.PDF https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V794-3598.PDF https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V812-2619.PDF https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V814-5848.PDF https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V802-9220.PDF
Future Tech Debates: Safety, Automation, and Planned Obsolescence
This week: we start by examining the hype around robo-taxis and their impact on public transportation improvements in automatic emergency braking technology, citing a recent study by AAA, yet highlighting its limitations at higher speeds. Automotive data privacy and consumers’ right to control data collected by vehicles, emphasizing the need for regulation. the challenge of…
From Helmets to Hydrogen, From Tesla to Waymo PR machinations
Topics this week: the decline in all-rider helmet laws the historical impact of the 1964 ‘chicken tax’ on the dominance of SUVs, the ongoing issues with Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ and Summon features. the challenges faced by first responders with electric vehicles the intricacies of autonomous vehicle perception technology recalls Links: https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/lax-helmet-laws-have-killed-more-than-20-000-motorcyclists-study-shows https://www.nsc.org/road/resources/road-to-zero/massive-hazards-new-rtz-report-on-light-trucks https://apnews.com/article/tesla-full-self-driving-investigation-pedestrian-killed-f2121166d60d85bd173a734c91049e73 https://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/no-one-in-the-car-self-driving-app-raises-questions-after-maryland-crash/3746690/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/tesla-crash-after-police-pursuit-highlights-challenges-electric-cars-pose-for-1st-responders-1.7335290…