NHTSA News

U.S. Regulator Says Self-Driving Cars Don’t Need Rules Yet

It’s premature to regulate the self-driving vehicles being tested by companies such as General Motors Co. and Waymo LLC, the U.S. government’s top auto safety official said. “At this point the technology is so nascent I don’t think it is …

Feds to Probe Fires Associated With Hyundai-Kia Engine Failures

Federal safety investigators have expanded probes into Hyundai and Kia engine failures to include complaints about fires in the automakers’ vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in a letter to Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida that it has …

Tesla Autopilot ‘Nag Reduction Device’ Targeted by U.S. Agency

The Autopilot Buddy is marketed as a “nag reduction device” that can fool Tesla Inc.’s semi-autonomous driving system to circumvent a warning when a driver’s hands aren’t on the steering wheel, but U.S. regulators have another term for the product: …

Tesla in Autopilot Mode Sped up Before Utah Crash

A Tesla that crashed while in Autopilot mode in Utah this month accelerated in the seconds before it smashed into a stopped firetruck, according to a police report obtained by The Associated Press. Two people were injured. Data from the …

Show Teens the Money: Financial Incentive May Work to Combat Texting While Driving

Teens who admit to texting while driving may be convinced to reduce risky cellphone use behind the wheel when presented with financial incentives such as auto insurance apps that monitor driving behavior, according to a new survey conducted by researchers …

Goodyear Tires Implicated in 95 Deaths, Injuries

The U.S. government’s road safety agency says it has received allegations that defective Goodyear motor home tires caused crashes that killed or injured 95 people during the past two decades. The allegations were revealed in an information-seeking letter dated Tuesday …

Tesla’s Lack of Black Boxes Makes U.S. Crash Probes Difficult

When a Tesla Inc. Model X slammed into a concrete highway barrier in California last month, the vehicle’s computers contained a wealth of information about the moments leading to the fatal accident. The problem for U.S. accident investigators is that …

Lawmakers Frustrated With Pace of Airbag Repairs

Members of a Senate panel voiced frustration Tuesday with the pace of repairs for vehicles with defective Takata airbag inflators and urged regulators to complete work on a federal rule that would require automakers to use email and other forms …

Helmet Use Linked With Lower Risk of Cervical Spine Injuries in Motorcycle Crashes

Despite claims that helmets do not protect the cervical spine during a motorcycle crash and may even increase the risk of injury, researchers from the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics in Madison found that, during an accident, helmet use …

U.S. Auto Recalls Slow in 2017 From Takata-Boosted Pace

The number of U.S. vehicles recalled for safety or technical defects plummeted in 2017 after several years of record levels amid major auto safety crises. Manufacturers recalled about 30.7 million vehicles last year, down 42 percent from a record of …