Car Safety

  • Tesla Model S after IIHS small-overlap frontal crash test, late 2016   [frame from IIHS video]

    The Tesla Model S has consistently ranked at the top of independent crash tests since its debut earlier this decade, leading to its reputation as one of the safest cars in production. However, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety only gave the electric sedan an “Acceptable” rating in 2016 for its small overlap front crash test. The tough test simulates an offset frontal collision at 40 mph, a scenario the IIHS says is responsible for roughly 25 percent of deaths and injuries in frontal collisions. In the 2016 test, the IIHS said the Model S ran into problems when the seat...

  • This is how a sinkhole forms
    Here's how those sinkholes that sometimes swallow cars actually form

    A sinkhole is a devastating, geological assassin. It arrives seemingly out of nowhere and can cause serious destruction to roadways, homes and cars. But how does such a dangerous situation manifest right below our feet and tires? It's mostly related to water. This video provides a great visual...

  • Takata logo (photo by Flickr user jo.schz)
    Troubled airbag manufacturer Takata files for bankruptcy

    Troubled Japanese parts supplier Takata has filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan and the United States. Takata’s debts have spiraled to an estimated $9 billion due to the massive recall program for defective airbags supplied to almost two dozen automakers and used in an estimated 100...

  • 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
    Mercedes-Benz details suite of active safety features coming to 2018 S-Class

    The 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class ushers in refreshed looks, new powertrains, and a repackaged interior, but the changes go further than skin deep. Specifically, Mercedes is ratcheting up the active safety features with the S-Class' mid-cycle refresh. The nervous system of the entire driver assistance...

  • Red Bull Racing Aeroscreen cockpit protection
    F1 organizers now favor Shield over Halo for cockpit protection

    Formula One organizers late last week came out with the statement that a new Shield was the preferred cockpit protection solution to be introduced next year, as opposed to the previously preferred Halo solution which has been in development for the past several years and already tested by a number...

  • Cadillac vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications
    Cadillac announces V2V communications, just as CIA hacking allegations emerge

    Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications, along with vehicle vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications, is seen as a key stepping stone towards the safe deployment of fully self-driving cars. But while regulators slowly climb onboard with the establishment of rules and common standards for car...

  • Lamborghini Veneno Roadster

    The Lamborghini Aventador is one hot machine. In fact, the car in some circumstances can get a bit too hot—as in fiery—so it's been hit with a recall. It seems there’s the risk of fuel leaking if the tank is filled. Should this leaked fuel come into contact with an ignition source, such as the exhaust system, a fire could result. There are 1,453 examples of the Aventador in the United States, and they’ll need to head on in to the local dealership for a free fix. Cars outside the U.S. are also affected, bringing the total up to around 5,900 cars. Potential buyers of the...

  • Volvo Launches Latest Autonomous Cars Pilot In Sweden
    Auto companies look for federal exemptions for self-driving tests

    A tangled web of state laws could make it more difficult to test self-driving cars soon, representatives from automotive companies told a congressional committee Tuesday. Spokespeople from automakers such as General Motors, Toyota, and Volvo, and representatives from ride-sharing company Lyft and a...

  • 2017 Dodge Charger Pursuit
    2017 Dodge Charger Pursuit protects officers by watching their backs

    When you're not being followed by one, a cop car is a pretty interesting and fun machine. It's built to be durable and agile, and it usually packs a number of toys that us civilians don't get a chance to put in our cars. Dodge builds a police-spec Charger and the 2017 model is getting a standard...

  • Ford Drive Skills for Life
    Teen drivers can learn how to get it right by getting it wrong

    Teen drivers are 1.6 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than adults and last year more teen drivers were involved in crashes than the year prior—the first year-over-year increase in a decade. For the reasons outlined above, which were included in a Governors Highway Safety...

  • 2017 Ford Mustang GT during Euro NCAP crash test
    Ford Mustang scores 2-star rating in Euro NCAP crash test

    Ford Motor Company's [NYSE:F] sixth-generation Mustang has scored just two out of a possible five stars in the latest crash test run by Euro NCAP, the first time since 2008 such a low score has been handed out to a major automaker by Europe’s main safety body. Euro NCAP also issues scores...

  • Tire Rack Tire Test - Winter/Snow vs. All-Season vs. Summer Tires on Ice
    Here's why winter tires beat all-seasons in the cold

    You've heard it probably 300 times just this year alone. You've been hearing it for the past few years as well. When the weather turns frightfully cold, you need to have winter tires on your car. You'll protest and decry that all-seasons get the job done, or that it doesn't matter because you have...

  • Department of Transportation vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) program

    Following its September presentation of guidelines for the safe testing and deployment of self-driving cars, the Department of Transportation proposed a ruling on Tuesday that would advance the deployment of connected vehicle technologies. The DOT proposed requiring all new cars and light trucks to be equipped with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology, specifically dedicated short-range communication systems so that cars can be in constant communication with those nearby, sharing data on vehicle position and speed, proximity and whether any other obstacles in the immediate area...

  • Stolen Tesla Model S recovered using phone app. Image courtesy of CBS8.
    Thieves could use 'mystery device' to steal cars with push-button start

    Car thieves want your wheels, and they will find a way to take them away from you. Automakers attempt to combat them in a number of ways but the car thieves are crafty and they evolve alongside the vehicles. It seems there's a new means for the baddies to pinch your ride if it's one that's equipped...

  • Mercedes-Benz HD matrix LED headlights
    Mercedes-Benz unveils ultra-precise ‘high-def’ headlights

    Mercedes-Benz has developed a new type of headlight with such precise control of the light beam that it can project complex symbols, including words, onto the road ahead to help inform the driver of his or her surroundings. Mercedes calls the technology HD (High-Definition) headlights and plans to...

  • Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion concept, 2015 Consumer Electronics Show
    Mercedes denies claims its self-driving cars will prioritize own occupants over other road users

    Self-driving cars have the potential to bring substantial societal benefits, the primary one being improved safety. The thinking is that by replacing the human with a computer, the number of accidents could be dramatically reduced. This is based on results of studies that show the majority of...

  • Tesla Autopilot
    Former Tesla autonomous partner says automaker ‘pushing the envelope’ on safety

    Israeli firm Mobileye has criticized Tesla [NSDQ:TSLA] over the semi-autonomous Autopilot system, stating the automaker was “pushing the envelope in terms of safety.” Mobileye developed the camera-based sensor technology used by Autopilot but ended its partnership with Tesla in July...

  • ‘Graham’ - Sculpture that represents a human evolved to survive car crashes
    If humans evolved to survive car crashes

    No, you’re not looking at a prop from the 1980s sci-fi classic The Thing. This is Graham, a sculpture that’s meant to represent a human being evolved to survive car crashes. It was created by a team of artists and researchers as part of a safety campaign run by the Transport Accident...

  • 2016 Red Bull Racing Formula One car equipped with Halo cockpit protection

    Organizers of Formula One are looking to introduce some form of cockpit protection, perhaps as early as next season. Two leading proposals are the Halo, originally devised by Mercedes AMG, and the Aeroscreen, devised by Red Bull Racing. While Red Bull has demonstrated the proficiency of its Aeroscreen system, concerns from the FIA that a driver’s helmet might come into contact with the support structure, plus a lack of funds to further refine the design, means the team might have to abandon the idea. Red Bull has thus started testing the Halo system, though the team isn’t entirely...

  • 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder
    Porsche recalls 918 Spyder supercar over itsy bitsy seat belt screw

    Porsche is alerting owners of its 918 Spyder that it wants to take a look at the seat belt mounting system in their supercars to ensure that the correct screw is in the correct location. The problem, the automaker says, isn't that the vehicles were assembled incorrectly in Zuffenhausen, Germany...

  • 2016 Mazda CX-3
    IIHS blasts small SUVs over subpar headlights

    The independent, insurance industry-sponsored institute that evaluates new cars for their crashworthiness has less-than-positive things to say about the headlights in more than 20 small SUVs and crossovers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that not a single vehicle it tested earned...

  • 2016 Ferrari Formula One car equipped with Halo cockpit protection
    Ferrari tests updated Halo cockpit protection system at British Grand Prix

    Ferrari [NYSE:RACE] rolled out an updated version of the proposed Formula One cockpit protection system known as the Halo for testing purposes during this past weekend’s 2016 British Grand Prix. The system was tested by Sebastian Vettel during one of the practice sessions. Compared to the...

  • Tesla Autopilot Test
    Fatal crash in Florida is first reported Tesla Autopilot death

    An Ohio man is dead after the Tesla Model S he was riding in crashed into a semi-truck on May 7, Florida Highway Patrol officials confirmed. According to witnesses and authorities, the man may have been watching a movie before the crash. In a statement posted on its website, Tesla confirmed the man...

  • 2017 Volvo S90 R-Design
    4 features in the 2017 Volvo S90/V90 that could make you a safer driver

    Volvo’s all-new 2017 S90 sedan and upcoming 2018 V90 wagon, like the XC90 crossover introduced this past year, are packed with safety technology. If you’re familiar with Volvo’s reputation, that’s probably no surprise. Volvo has been at the forefront in occupant safety for...

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