Safety News

A Life And Death Question For Regulators: Is Tesla’s Autopilot Safe?

Robin Geoulla had doubts about the automated driving technology equipped on his Tesla Model S when he bought the electric car in 2017. “It was a little scary to, you know, rely on it and to just, you know, sit …

Boeing Board to Face Investors’ Suit Over 737 Max Crashes

Boeing Co.’s directors must face an investors’ lawsuit accusing them of failing to properly monitor safety issues and the development of 737 Max jetliners whose two fatal crashes have cost the company more than $20 billion. Delaware Chancery Judge Morgan …

PG&E will Spend at Least $15 Billion Burying Power Lines

SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — Pacific Gas & Electric plans to bury 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers) of its power lines in an effort to prevent its fraying grid from sparking wildfires when electrical equipment collides with millions of trees and …

After Horrific Fair Ride Accident, Ohio Beefs Up Inspections

Four years after a carnival ride’s corroded steel arm snapped and flung a high school student to his death at the Ohio State Fair, the state is tightening its oversight of amusement rides. Inspectors are conducting more mandatory checks for …

PG&E Seeks $3.6 Billion in Rate Hikes for Wildfire Safety

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pacific Gas & Electric asked regulators Wednesday to grant a $3.6 billion rate hike to help it pay for hardening its power systems to prevent deadly wildfires. The nation’s largest electric utility requested the hike beginning …

EDF Examines Gas Build-Up at Chinese Nuclear Plant

SINGAPORE/PARIS — French power group EDF has begun examination of a potential issue linked to a build-up of inert gases at its nuclear power station in China, though the company and its Chinese partner said the plant was operating safely. …

Tesla Drops Radar; Is Autopilot System Safe?

Tesla Inc has dropped radar sensors from its semi-autonomous driving system, Autopilot, raising concerns over the safety of the camera-only version, Tesla Vision. Tesla aims to make the driver-assist system fully self-driving, and many in that young industry are skeptical …

US Rail Industry Defends Safety Record Amid Staffing Cuts

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Even as railroads are operating longer and longer freight trains that sometimes stretch for miles, the companies have drastically reduced staffing levels, prompting unions to warn that moves meant to increase profits could endanger safety and …

Peloton Recalls Treadmills, Halts Sales, After a Child Dies

NEW YORK (AP) — Peloton is recalling about 125,000 of its treadmills less than a month after denying they were dangerous and saying it would not pull them from the market, even though they were linked to the death of …

Japan to Start Releasing Fukushima Water Into Sea in 2 Years

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government announced Tuesday it would start releasing treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean in two years. It’s a move that’s fiercely opposed by fishermen, residents and Japan’s neighbors. The …