Car Safety

Just two years after Toyota paid fines totaling $48.8 million, including a then-record single fine of $16.4 million, the automaker has been hit with a new $17.4 million fine over a delayed pedal entrapment recall on 2010 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h models. As CNN Money explains, the NHTSA contacted...

As part of a routine test of a new refrigerant being used in the Mercedes-Benz B Class, engineers simulated a pinhole leak in a coolant line. When the refrigerant (now mixed with A/C compressor oil) sprayed on a hot engine, the results were dramatic. The vaporized mixture reportedly ignited on...

The 2012 Range Rover Evoque, along with the LR2, are being recalled for faulty brake calipers.

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz S Class due out next year will be the first car in history to offer customers a fully autonomous system, whereby the car will be able to drive itself--in certain situations--without any driver involvement. This is made possible due to an extensive array of sensors on the new...

Lamborghini has issued a recall on certain versions of its flagship Aventador LP 700-4 model due to a fault in the affected cars’ headlights. The recall only affects those Aventador models built from July 15, 2011, through April 20, 2012. Considering the exclusiveness of the model, as well as...

Honda has issued a recall of more than 800,000 vehicles due to a potential issue that may see the vehicles start to roll away after being parked. The recall covers three models, the Honda Odyssey and Pilot from the 2003 to 2004 model years, as well as the Acura MDX from the 2003 to 2006 model...

Mercedes-Benz has issued a wide-ranging recall on some of its most popular models due to a faulty fuel filter flange, which the automaker says may crack and cause fuel to leak. The specific models are the 2011-2012 C300, GLK350, E350, S400 Hybrid, S550, S63 AMG, CL550 and CL63 AMG, but only those...

The White House Office of Management has approved a request from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to mandate event data recorders, commonly referred to as “black boxes,” in 100-percent of new vehicles sold. In the very near future, then, the car you drive may...

With the unintended acceleration debacle now in its rearview mirror, automaker Toyota is employing technology to ensure that this won’t happen on future models. Intelligent Clearance Sonar and Drive-Start Control will (hopefully) eliminate accidents caused by pedal confusion or improper gear...

The job of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is to make passenger travel safer, whether that travel occurs by car, bus, train, or airplane. Recent advances in vehicle safety have produced safer cars, but in this case safer also translates to more expensive. Consider the 2013 Infiniti...

General Motors has announced the recall of 2013 Cadillac XTS models built between October 12, 2011 and August 30, 2012. On the 12,626 cars affected by this recall, the rear seat head restraints may not fully lock in the upright position after being folded. As a result, the rear seat head rests...

Car 2 Car and Car 2 Object communications are the next big steps forward in vehicle safety, and both are necessary milestones on the road to fully autonomous cars. Automakers such as Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Ford, General Motors and Nissan have been active in research for years, and now Toyota...

Most major automakers, on both sides of the Atlantic, are teaming up with governments and other industry groups to help develop a new generation of Car-2-Car and Car-2-Object communications technology in order to not only improve safety but also reduce emissions and make driving more enjoyable. One...

During the devastating Hurricane Sandy that hit the Northeast last week, several cars parked in Port Newark, New Jersey succumbed to severe fire damage. Among the cars were 16 brand new Fisker Karma extended-range electric cars, images of which hit the Web on October 31st, a day after the fire...

A total of 16 Fisker Karma extended-range electric cars, each costing more than a $100k, have gone up in flames after reportedly being partially submerged by flash floods caused by Hurricane Sandy. The brand new cars were parked in Port Newark, New Jersey, and are believed to have caught fire last...

BMW has issued a recall on certain versions of its 7-Series flagship sedan due to what the company says is a software problem that can cause a door to open unexpectedly. The recall affects 2005 to 2007 7-Series sedans built from August 23, 2004, through September 3, 2007. In total there are some...

Like it or not, a future filled with semi-autonomous (and eventually, fully-autonomous) automobiles is coming. For all the complaining from enthusiasts (ourselves included), there’s no denying that self-driving cars will improve safety for today’s attention-impaired drivers, as well as...

Earlier this month Volvo signed a Memorandum of Understanding with fellow members of the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium being run in Europe, helping pave the way for the implementation of Car-2-Car and Car-2-Object communication technology in its cars. By enabling vehicles to communicate with...

Maserati has issued a recall on certain versions of its GranTurismo flagship and Quattroporte luxury sedan due to a potential fault with the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) fitted to the cars. The recall affects all 2012 GranTurismo coupes and GranTurismo Convertibles, including the...

A few weeks ago Nissan revealed a special Leaf prototype, which was able to park itself, sans driver, thanks to Nissan’s own autonomous driving system. It turns out this was just a teaser for more comprehensive autonomous driving technology from the Japanese automaker, which it plans to start...