NHTSA News

GM’s Robotaxi Service to Expand into Phoenix, Austin

General Motors’ self-driving car company on Monday announced plans to expand a robotaxi service that recently launched in California into new markets in Arizona and Texas before the end of this year. Cruise, a San Francisco startup that General Motors …

Safety Chief Objects to Use of Driver Error Statistic She Says Is Misleading

With traffic fatalities spiking higher, the nation’s top safety investigator says a widely cited government statistic that 94% of serious crashes are solely due to driver error is misleading and that the Transportation Department should stop using it. Jennifer Homendy, …

Safety Agency Recommends 50,000 Chevy Bolt Owners Park Outside to Prevent Fires

U.S. auto safety regulators on Wednesday urged about 50,000 owners of General Motors electric Chevrolet Bolt vehicles that were recalled last year to park outside and away from homes and other structures after charging because of fire risks. Earlier on …

States Urge Federal Standards for Child Car Seat Side-Impact

The attorneys general of 17 states and the District of Columbia on Tuesday urged the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to adopt long-delayed side-impact standards for child car seats. Congress first asked the agency to set the standards …

U.S. Makes Little Progress on 4-Year Long Air Bag Inflator Probe

Nearly four years ago, the U.S. government’s highway safety agency began investigating air bag inflators made by ARC Automotive of Tennessee when two people were hit by flying shrapnel after crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that 8 …

Study Questions Safety Claims About Tesla Autopilot’s Steering Feature

An analysis of government data disputes a finding by safety regulators and promoted by Tesla Inc. that crash rates of its older vehicles declined after they were equipped with an automatic steering capability. The study, released Friday by Quality Control …

Steering Failure Risk Prompts Fiat Chrysler Recall of More Than 660,000 Trucks

Fiat Chrysler is recalling over 660,000 heavy-duty trucks worldwide because a loose nut can cause a loss of steering control. The recall covers Ram 3500 pickups from 2013 through 2017, as well as 2500 pickups and 3500 Chassis cabs from …

Certain Hyundai, Kia Models Rank High for Fire Insurance Claims

Owners of five Hyundai and Kia cars and SUVs file fire insurance claims at a rate far higher than the average for comparable vehicles, according to an insurance industry study. The Highway Loss Data Institute, which analyzes data from insurers …

Virginia Senate Panel Kills Stricter Seatbelt Law

Virginia will continue to have one of the weakest seatbelt laws in the country after a Senate committee killed a bill to require rear-seat passengers in a motor vehicle to wear safety belts and to make violating the state’s seatbelt …

Increased Fire Risk Leads to Hyundai, Kia Recall

Despite a government shutdown, Hyundai and Kia are moving ahead with a recall of about 168,000 vehicles to fix a fuel pipe problem that can cause engine fires. The problem stems from improper repairs during previous recalls for engine failures. …