National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Newest Crash-Test Dummies Look a Bit Different

New federal rule in US will finally require female models

(Newser) - For the first time, US auto manufacturers will be mandated to test vehicle safety with the help of female crash-test dummies, a move aimed at closing the long-standing gap in injury rates between men and women in car accidents. On Thursday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy debuted the new THOR-05F dummy,...

Tesla Probed After Parents Say Door Handles Trapped Kids

NHTSA investigation looks at electronic handles said to malfunction, leaving kids stuck in back

(Newser) - Federal auto safety regulators opened an investigation on Tuesday into possible defects in Tesla doors that have reportedly left parents with children trapped in the back seat and forced to break windows to get them out. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the preliminary investigation is focused on 2021...

Crash Test Dummies Have a Problematic Limitation

Most models are based on male body

(Newser) - Maine's Maria Weston Kuhn had one big question about the head-on car crash that forced her to have emergency surgery while vacationing in Ireland in 2019: Why were she and her mother seriously hurt, while her father and brother, who were in the front, emerged unscathed? When Kuhn returned...

New DOT Rules Change 'a Win for Tesla, a Loss for Waymo'

Tweak could allow certain automakers—namely, Tesla—to report fewer crashes with self-driving cars

(Newser) - Rule changes announced by the Trump administration this week could allow automakers to report fewer crashes involving self-driving cars, with Tesla potentially emerging as the main beneficiary. The Transportation Department announced Thursday it will no longer require automakers to report certain kinds of nonfatal crashes—but the exception will apply...

Rear Passengers Better Get Ready to Buckle Up

New NHTSA rule will require that an alarm sound in new vehicles for anyone unbelted in the back seat

(Newser) - Starting in September of 2027, all new passenger vehicles in the US will have to sound a warning if rear-seat passengers don't buckle up. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that it finalized the rule, which also requires enhanced warnings when front seat belts aren't fastened....

Trump Transition Team's Latest Ask Would Boost Tesla

Staffers want incoming WH administration to nix reporting rule on car crashes

(Newser) - Tesla stock jumped to an all-time high of $424.77 on Wednesday, beating its November 2021 record of $409.97, reports CNBC . Per Bloomberg , Tesla owner Elon Musk has Donald Trump to thank for that "assist," with a 69% stock surge for the EV manufacturer since the president-elect...

Latest Death Tied to Takata Airbag Inflators Is US' 28th

Alabama fatality took place in 2004 Honda Civic that got into a high-speed crash

(Newser) - Another death has been linked to dangerous Takata airbag inflators by US regulators, the 28th in the United States. The driver was killed in 2018 in Alabama in a Honda vehicle, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said, without further details, per the AP . The agency says the death underscores...

Ford, Mazda: Stop Driving Old Cars With Takata Inflators

Warning affects 475K older vehicles in the US

(Newser) - Ford and Mazda are warning the owners of more than 475,000 older vehicles in the US not to drive them because they have dangerous Takata airbag inflators that haven't been replaced. The warning issued Tuesday covers more than 374,000 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles from the 2004...

NHTSA Seeks Info on Fatal, Fiery Cybertruck Crash

Victim couldn't immediately be identified due to burns

(Newser) - Federal safety authorities say they are seeking information on a crash and fire involving a Tesla Cybertruck that killed a driver of the futuristic new pickup in Texas, per the AP . The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday it is gathering information from Tesla. The agency did not send...

'Crisis in Roadway Deaths' Leads to Big Move by Feds

Automatic emergency braking will soon have to come standard on all new US passenger vehicles

(Newser) - In the not-too-distant future, automatic emergency braking will have to come standard on all new passenger vehicles in the US, a requirement the government says will save hundreds of lives and prevent thousands of injuries each year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration unveiled the new regulation on Monday, calling...

With 3 Dead, US Investigates Ford's Partially Automated Cars

Blue Cruise systems were involved in 2 separate crashes, and NHTSA is looking into it

(Newser) - Two fatal crashes involving Ford's Blue Cruise partially automated driving system are now subjects of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation of the crashes, both involving Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles on freeways in nighttime lighting conditions, the agency said Monday. The agency's initial investigation of the crashes,...

After Tesla Autopilot Updates, Crashes Continue

NHTSA to look at the effectiveness of software update meant to keep drivers' eyes on the road

(Newser) - The driver of a Tesla that struck and killed a motorcyclist near Seattle claims he was using the vehicle's Autopilot system, which experts say lacks adequate safety measures , even after a recent recall. The 56-year-old driver of the 2022 Tesla Model S told authorities he looked at his cellphone...

Ford Recalling 1.9M Explorers
Ford Recalling 1.9M Explorers
Jan 24, 2024 11:32 AM CST

Ford Recalling 1.9M Explorers

2011-2019 SUVs have trim piece that can fly off

(Newser) - Ford is recalling nearly 1.9 million Explorer SUVs in the US because a trim piece can fly off and create a hazard for other drivers. As the AP reports, the recall covers Explorers from the 2011 through 2019 model years. Documents posted Wednesday by the US National Highway Traffic...

Toyota, Honda Announce Big Recalls
Honda, Toyota
Announce
Major Recalls
Dec 21, 2023 11:10 AM CST

Honda, Toyota Announce Major Recalls

Recalls affect around 3.5M vehicles in US

(Newser) - Toyota and Honda have announced major recalls affecting a total of around 3.5 million vehicles in the US. Toyota said Wednesday it's recalling 1 million vehicles over a defect that could cause airbags not to deploy, increasing the risk of injury. The recall covers a range of Toyota...

NHTSA Takes Step Toward Mandatory Anti-DUI Tech

Law requires 'reasonable, practical' technology in new cars

(Newser) - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is moving toward getting drunk drivers off the road for good. The federal regulator said Tuesday that it is working on implementing a rule requiring new cars to have technology that prevents drunk or impaired driving, NPR reports. The NHTSA said it has issued...

Don't Put This on Your Steering Wheel, Regulators Warn
Don't Put This on Your Steering
Wheel, Regulators Warn
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Nov 11, 2023 4:45 PM CST

Don't Put This on Your Steering Wheel, Regulators Warn

Decorative aftermarket decals can dislodge in crash, cause serious injury

(Newser) - US regulators are warning drivers to steer clear of aftermarket decals used to embellish a car's logo on the center of its steering wheel. Such metal or plastic emblems—which are typically adorned with rhinestones or other decorations and attached to the steering wheel with an adhesive back—can...

Another Massive Recall for Hyundai and Kia

3.4M vehicles recalled over fire risk; owners warned to park outside, away from structures

(Newser) - Hyundai and Kia are recalling nearly 3.4 million vehicles in the US and again telling owners to park them outside due to the risk of engine compartment fires. As the AP reports, the recalls cover multiple car and SUV models from the 2010 through 2019 model years, including Hyundai'...

Traffic Deaths Are Down, but It's Still a 'National Crisis'

Preliminary numbers show a 0.3% decrease

(Newser) - The number of people killed on US roadways decreased slightly last year, but government officials said the 42,795 people who died is still a national crisis, reports the AP . Estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that the number of fatalities dropped 0.3% from the 42,...

New Tesla Complaints: Steering Wheels Came Off While Driving

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration probe is underway on Model Y Long Range SUV

(Newser) - US auto safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla's Model Y SUV after getting two complaints that the steering wheels can come off while being driven. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the probe covers an estimated 120,000 vehicles from the 2023 model year. The agency...

Tesla Reluctantly Recalls 363K 'Full Self-Driving' Cars

Musk argues government agency's assessment on Twitter

(Newser) - US safety regulators have pressured Tesla into recalling nearly 363,000 vehicles with its "Full Self-Driving" system because it misbehaves around intersections and doesn't always follow speed limits. The recall, part of a larger investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into Tesla's automated driving systems,...

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