Category Archives: General
USDOT Under Secretary Calls for Better Testing of Driverless Cars
Self-driving cars can be driven on California and Arizona roads without a human driver in the vehicle ready to take over, and an autonomous vehicle ride-hailing service pilot program is underway in Phoenix. Most states have some form of laws in place regulating self-driving cars on their roads, and driverless cars have already logged millions of miles in testing and are already considered far safer than human-driven machines, despite the fact more improvements in the technology are yet to be made.
When Did Cars Turn into App Delivery Systems on Wheels?
A recent ad for the latest Google Chromebook laptop computer asks the question, don’t you wish your computer was more like your phone? It seems we’ve come full circle, because computers used to be like computers and phones used to be like, well, phones. And it was the phones that wanted to be more like computers. But smartphones do so much more than place calls now that it’s really kind of funny that we still call them phones…
Do You Want Better Gas Mileage with Fewer Greenhouse Gas Emissions, or Less Car Accidents on the Road? Do You Really Have to Choose?
An article recently reported by the Associated Press sheds light on a draft of proposed regulations that would roll back gas mileage requirements for new vehicles in the coming decade. The reasons proffered by administration officials for the possible changes are interesting, to say the least…
Takata Recall: Fifty Million Airbags and Counting
Did you know that you are driving in the midst of the “largest and most complex vehicle recall in U.S. history”? As of January 2018, 50 million airbags in 37 million vehicles across 19 different automakers are included in the Takata airbag recalls. These recalls aren’t over yet, either. By December 2019, the number of recalled air bags…
As Summer Heats Up, Be Extremely Careful about Leaving Your Kids in Your Car
You may see a sign as you enter the supermarket asking if you remembered to bring your reusable shopping bags, but you are less likely to see a sign asking if you remembered to get the baby out of the backseat. It may seem unthinkable if it has never happened to you, but people do leave their kids in hot cars for longer than is safe. Tragically, dozens of children die every year from heat stroke…
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay- Less Taps, Less Distractions, Less Crashes?
Communication, navigation, music and infotainment. We use our phones all the time and everywhere, even in the car, or should that be especially in the car? Laws banning texting and driving or handheld phone use don’t seem to be decreasing our overall usage, so maybe it’s up to the auto manufacturers and smartphone makers to make device usage safer…
Buying Auto Parts on the Gray Market
Were these auto parts purchased legally? Well, it’s a gray area. In a previous post, we talked about the pros and cons of buying OEM versus aftermarket auto parts. Now we’re here to tell you that even if you thought you were buying OEM, you may not be. Well, not exactly. Brand name parts are being sold outside of regular channels in what is not quite the black market, but is at least a gray market…
New Automotive Laws for 2018
All across the country, lawmakers are busy addressing the most important issues of the day. Here’s a look at some of the laws in the making across the country that could impact cars and their drivers in a variety of ways, from driverless cars and seat belts for those cars that still have drivers, to license plates and direct-to-consumer car sales. Let’s start with…
Crashworthiness from Top to Bottom
Cars are being made safer than ever. A lot of the effort nowadays goes into crash avoidance with the help of the latest technologies. But not all crashes can be avoided, which is where crashworthiness comes in. Crashworthiness judges how well a vehicle holds up- and protects its occupants – in the event of a crash. Organizations such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety…
OEM or Aftermarket?
When it comes time to make a repair or perform car maintenance that includes replacing an old, worn-out or defective part, you have the choice of choosing a part that was manufactured by or sourced by the car’s Original Equipment Manufacturer (an OEM part) or by some other company (an aftermarket part). A lot of factors may go into whether you use OEM or aftermarket for a replacement part…
