Mazda recalling more than 260,000 vehicles over software problem that could cause stalling

Consumer Reports (7/10, Barry, 14.23M) says that Mazda is “recalling more than 260,000 cars and SUVs because a software problem could cause them to stall while driving.” The software “controls how the engine runs, and if a problem arises, the engine may not run as smoothly as it normally does, or it could stall while driving,” which “could lead the driver to lose control of the vehicle and may cause a crash, the NHTSA says.” The recall includes “the 2018 and 2019 CX-5 SUV, 2018 and 2019 Mazda 6 sedan, and 2019 Mazda 3 sedan and hatchback, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.”

        The story was reported similarly by USA Today (7/10), Cars (7/10, 1.24M), and the Car Connection (7/10, 116K).

Number of cyclist deaths on the rise nationwide

Business Insider (7/9, Wang, 3.67M) ranks the 20 most dangerous cities to ride a bike in based on a recently released DOT report, which “contains comprehensive data from 2017 on both a state and city level.” New York City features at the top of the list with the “percentage of total traffic fatalities who were cyclists” being 10.6 percent “despite over 1,400 miles of bike lanes and a Vision Zero transportation initiative.” So far in 2019, 15 cyclists “have been fatally struck by cars in New York City, a 50% increase over the entirety of last year” spurring Mayor Bill de Blasio “to declare that ‘we have an emergency on our hands.’” Another report from the US DOT containing “preliminary data from 2018 show that cyclist deaths are estimated to have increased by 10% last year, even though overall traffic fatalities are estimated to have fallen slightly.”

More than 80,000 Jeep Cherokee SUVs recalled over faulty transmission

Consumer Reports (7/8, 14.23M) reports that Jeep “is recalling 81,165 of its 2014 Cherokee SUVs because a software problem can lead the transmission to unexpectedly shift into Neutral, reducing power.” That “could lead to an accident, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.” The issue “affects only 2014 Cherokees with a 3.2-liter V6 engine.” Fiat Chrysler Automobiles “says it is not aware of any crashes or injuries related to this problem.”

        Car and Driver (7/8, 9.22M) reports over 1500 powertrain complaints had been “submitted by 2014 Jeep Cherokee owners to [the] NHTSA as of June 25.”

Analysis: Autonomous cars, vehicle electrification driving paradigm shift in auto industry

In a piece for Forbes (7/8, 9.71M), contributor Jack Nerad writes that autonomous driving and vehicle electrification will change the world, according to a report from McKinsey & Company that “identifies the far-reaching and widespread implications of the imminent changes in mobility for consumers all around the world.” In addition, “increased connectivity and a move to vehicle- and ride-sharing” are two other technologies which transform the car business. Nerad concludes that “from the products themselves to the companies that make them to the customers that buy them, the auto industry is in for the paradigm shift of all paradigm shifts.”

Toyota expands Prius recall to up to 20,000 vehicles

The Los Angeles Times (7/2, Vartabedian, 4.64M) reports that “as many as 20,000 Toyota Prius owners have had electric power system failures after the company recalled their vehicles in 2014 and attempted to remedy a safety defect by modifying software,” according to a Toyota executive testifying “in a high-stakes, two-month-long civil trial that had closing arguments Monday in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana.” The Times adds that the jury began deliberations on Tuesday in the case, which “was brought against Toyota by Roger Hogan, one of the largest Toyota dealers in Southern California, who alleges that after he began sounding alarms about the problem Toyota retaliated against his dealerships in San Juan Capistrano and Claremont.” To the Times, “The lengthy trial involves a highly unusual battle over safety allegations between an auto manufacturer and one of its top dealerships.”

Crash Avoidance Technologies are Saving Lives

A survey released recently by Consumer Reports found 57 percent of drivers say crash avoidance safety systems have helped them avoid a crash.

The survey, which tracked data on about 72,000 vehicles covering 2015-19 models, asked drivers about forward collision warning (FCW), automatic emergency braking (AEB), blind spot warning and other active safety and driver systems. https://www.consumerreports.org/automotive-technology/car-safety-systems-that-could-save-your-life/

A lot of people are very unaware of these systems or what they do. With as distracted as people have become these days in their driving, these systems have become important.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, has reported that automatic emergency braking systems with forward collision warning and crash imminent braking reduce rear-end crashes by half, and still by more than a quarter with forward collision warning alone. The IIHS reported Vehicles that have FCW and AEB have 50 percent fewer front-to-rear crashes compared with cars without the systems.

https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/10-automakers-equipped-most-of-their-2018-vehicles-with-automatic-emergency-braking

Even in the 2019 model year many vehicles are still not equipped with automatic emergency braking. In fact, no GM or FCA vehicle in 2019 comes equipped with automatic emergency braking as a standard safety feature. Toyota, on the other hand, leads the way with automatic emergency braking being standard on 90% of Toyota’s vehicle fleet.

Safety shouldn’t be optional. These systems should be standard on every new car, not just on luxury vehicles or more expensive trims, because even drivers and passengers who don’t know about these systems would benefit from having them.

Robot Driving Tractor Trailers Hit the Public Highways

Axios (6/26, Muller, 521K) reports that “at least a half dozen truck companies are working” on “automated freight delivery,” with “tests in various stages of development.” Starsky Robotics’ Florida “demonstration was believed to be the first unmanned, high-speed test of a heavy-duty commercial truck on a public highway.” Starsky “says it’s taking a more practical approach that combines highway automation with teleoperation, allowing remote drivers to navigate trucks between distribution centers and the highway.” During its Florida demonstration a Starsky truck “navigated a rest area near Orlando,” with “the remote driver sitting behind 3 computer screens in an office 2 hours away in Jacksonville,” For now, Starsky Robotics trucks will be “accompanied by chase vehicles in case something goes wrong and a human driver needs to jump into the cab to steer a stopped truck off the highway,” which shows “automated trucking is getting closer, but the instincts and knowledge of human drivers are still needed.”

        Forbes (6/26, Ohnsman, 9.71M) reports Starsky Robotics “began testing its automated and remotely operated semi-trucks with no human safety driver this month on a stretch of Florida highway.” The company “said it’s the first company to test an unmanned 18-wheeler on a stretch of U.S. highway–and doing so by combining an onboard self-driving system with a remote operator standing by to guide the vehicle when necessary.” CEO and Founder Stefan Seltz-Axmacher said, “This is literally the first time anyone has taken the person out of the vehicle on a public highway.”

Analysis: Tesla’s autopilot is just a driver-assistance system and will continue to be for some time.

In an article analyzing Tesla’s self-driving strategy, Ars Technica (3/7, Lee, 957K) Senior Tech Policy Reporter Timothy Lee writes that an “overhaul to Tesla’s Autopilot webpage might represent the clearest acknowledgment yet that the company has failed to deliver on Elon Musk’s ambitious vision for a self-driving future.” Lee states that the webpage’s “headline has changed from ‘Full Self-Driving Hardware on All Cars’ to ‘Future of Driving’,” a “sentence about Tesla’s ride-sharing network has been deleted,” and the “‘Full Self-Driving’ section now includes a disclaimer that ‘future use of these features without supervision is dependent on achieving reliability far in excess of human drivers as demonstrated by billions of miles of experience.’” Lee writes that, “in other words, despite Musk’s bluster over the years, Autopilot is still just a driver-assistance system” and “it will continue to be just a driver-assistance system for some time to come.”

Audi recalling 75,000 vehicles over fuel injection fire risk.

Citing an AP report, Fortune (3/5, Shoot, 3.84M) says Audi is “recalling 75,000 vehicles due to a fire risk.” Parts “of the vehicle fuel injection system could leak, according to the AP report, which is based on documents published by the federal government on Tuesday.” If the “leaking fuel comes in contact with an ignition source, it could catch fire.” According to Fortune, Audi is “recalling cars and SUVs, including A8 sedans (vehicles with model years 2015 to 2018), as well as A6, A7, and Q7 SUVs (model years 2016 to 2018)” in order “to prevent any potential damages and injuries.” In 2018, Audi “recalled nearly one million vehicles due to fire safety risks related to electric coolant pumps that had the potential to overheat.”

Continuing coverage: NHTSA investigating two recent deadly Tesla accidents.

In continuing coverage, CNBC (3/4, 4.47M) reports that US officials are probing a deadly crash involving a Tesla Model S that occurred last Sunday in Florida which “killed the driver and caused a massive fire, the second fatal Tesla crash in the state this week being probed, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Saturday.” On Friday, NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board expressed that “they were sending teams to investigate the other fatal crash Friday in Delray Beach, Florida of a 2018 Model 3 that crashed into a semi-trailer.” A spokesman for NHTSA on Saturday provided confirmation “the agency has an ‘ongoing investigation’ into the Sunday Tesla crash in Davie, Florida, and ‘will take additional actions if appropriate.’”

        Fox News (3/4, Gastelu, 21.12M) says that the police report regarding the accident that occurred on Friday expressed that “a tractor-trailer was crossing State Road 7 to make a left turn when the Model 3, driven by Jeremy Beren Banner, 50, slammed into the side of it, which tore off the car’s roof as the rest of the vehicle continued underneath the trailer,” according to Fox News. It isn’t known at this time as to whether “Banner was in control of the vehicle at the time of the collision or if it was operating in its Autopilot mode.” On Friday, Tesla produced a statement “saying it is ‘deeply saddened to hear about this incident,’ and that it is ‘reaching out to the authorities to offer our collaboration.’” According to Fox News, “Tesla CEO Elon Musk has not yet commented on the crash.”

        Additional coverage is provided by Bloomberg Law (3/4, Subscription Publication, 3K), TechSpot (3/4, 30K), Land Line Magazine (3/4, 607K), WPEC-TV West Palm Beach (FL) West Palm Beach, FL (3/4, Bentzel, 124K), and Property Casualty 360 (3/4). 

NHTSA, NTSB probing multiple crashes involving Tesla vehicles.

The AP (3/2, Krisher) reports that NHTSA is joining the NTSB in investigating “a fatal crash involving a Tesla electric car that drove beneath a semitrailer that was crossing a Florida roadway” in Delray Beach on Friday. According to the story, “both agencies likely will be looking into whether Tesla’s Autopilot semiautonomous driving system was in use on [the driver Jeremy] Banner’s Tesla Model 3 at the time” of the collision. Additionally, NHTSA is investigating another fatal crash that took place in Florida on Sunday, February 24, where a Tesla Model S was involved in a fatal crash and fire in Davie, Florida.

        Reuters (3/2, Shepardson) reports that “NHTSA, the auto safety regulator, can demand a recall if it believes a defect poses an unreasonable safety risk, while the NTSB makes safety recommendations.” The two safety agencies “are investigating a number of crashes since 2017 that focus on two primary issues: the role of Tesla’s driver assistance technology Autopilot in accidents and some significant battery fires in the electric vehicles after crashes, including cases of batteries reigniting.” Reuters (3/2, Shepardson, Nomiyama) also reports in another story.

        The Miami Herald (3/2, Vassolo, 728K) reports that “the Feb. 24 crash, which occured along Flamingo Road in Davie, involved a 2016 Tesla Model S” that “left the roadway for unknown reasons, and struck a tree, causing it to catch fire” so badly the car was utterly destroyed.

        HardOCP (3/2, Megalith) reports with additional coverage of the fatal crash in Davie, where “witnesses claim they couldn’t get the driver out because of the vehicle’s door handles not opening and air bags not deflating.”

        The South Florida Sun Sentinel (3/3, Chokey, Krisher, 501K) reports NHTSA “said Saturday that it will send a ‘field team’ to West Delray, where” Banner died on Friday. NTSB spokesman Terry Williams informed the Sun Sentinel on Sunday that it remains uncertain what investigators from the agency will need to examine. He said, “We’re still gathering all the facts. ... We’re going to be looking at all aspects.”

        Bloomberg (3/2, Chuwiruch, 4.73M) reported that NTSB, via its official Twitter page, said that it is dispatching three officials to assist with the investigation of the crash that occurred on Friday, in collaboration with the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office.

        Ars Technica (3/2, 957K) and Gizmodo (3/2, Keck, 3.49M) report with similar coverage.

        Safety experts worry over Tesla’s use of the terms “autopilot” and “self-driving.” CNN (3/2, McFarland, 84.16M) reports that Tesla is now marketing its vehicles with the add-on option of “full self-driving capability,” which is “drawing criticism from experts on self-driving technology” who “say CEO Elon Musk is playing fast and loose with definitions, overselling the technology and potentially creating safety issues.” For $5,000, Tesla will unlock Autopilot capabilities in a customer’s vehicle, with “‘automatic driving on city streets’ as an update later this year, according to Tesla’s website.” Although the fine print in Tesla’s offer makes it clear that Autopilot is not capable of driving a vehicle without the “active” assistance of a human driver, safety experts say Tesla needs to make it more evident that Autopilot is nothing more than a glorified advanced driver-assistance system. As Raj Rajkumar, who worked on the winning team of the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge, says, “Some agency needs to throw the book at Tesla” because their “use of this term [self-driving] is totally irresponsible.”

Schreiber Center for Pediatric Development—Endowment Challenge

We are all so fortunate to have a community treasure right here in Lancaster County in the Schreiber Center for Pediatric Development that serves more than 4,000 children a year. Schreiber provides outpatient and in-home pediatric therapy services, including occupational, physical and speech-language therapy, for children birth to age 21. They also offer high-quality early education preschool and child care services, recreation programs, summer camps and specialized classes for parents.

The Schreiber Center for Pediatric Development is a nonprofit organization that offers the finest in innovative therapy, education and recreation resources for children, teens and young adults. Schreiber provides everything needed for all of life's challenges, so that families and children can reach their dreams and vision. Schreiber has the sees and develops every child's unique capabilities and helps them achieve their fullest potential.

I recently had the opportunity to tour Schreiber’s facilities and meet some of the children who come to Schreiber.

After I left Schreiber, I sat in my car and found myself sobbing, not tears of sadness or even joy; rather, tears of inspiration.  How could anyone not be inspired by these smiling faces and joy for life, no matter what the circumstances are?

Schreiber depends on all of us for community support in order to provide these services.  Atlee Hall is pleased to support Schreiber and we have made our contribution to Schreiber’s endowment fund to help set the table for long term financial stability for this community institution and help Schreiber serve more children and families in our community.

We are challenging other law firms, businesses and individuals to step up and help get Schreiber’s endowment fund to $1,000,000.00 by June 30, 2019 to help sustain Schreiber’s vision of enriching lives, giving hope for all who need Schreiber’s services everyday so that these children can reach the full potential and dreams.

Atlee Hall has made this donation to jump start the endowment drive and has committed to making the next donation to get the Schreiber endowment to the $1,000,000.00 mark, however, we need your help in getting there too!

So as a community lets all help Schreiber help more children and families.

Step up to the challenge now!

For more information, please visit www.schreiberpediatric.org.

AP examines issues inhibiting autonomous vehicles.

An AP (2/4, Krisher, Writer) analysis regarding autonomous vehicles presents five “problems that researchers must overcome to start giving rides without humans behind the wheel.” One of these problems is approval on the part of consumers. According to the AP, a deadly crash involving an autonomous vehicle operated by Uber “rattled consumers who someday will be asked to ride in self-driving vehicles.” The AP says that surveys which were carried out following this incident “showed that drivers are reluctant to give up control to a computer.” A survey “by AAA found that 73 percent of American drivers would be too fearful to ride in a fully self-driving vehicle,” whereas that figure was “63 percent in late 2017.”

Fiat Chrysler recalls 180,000 Ram 1500 pickup trucks.

The AP (1/25, Kopan) reports that Fiat Chrysler issued a recall for “more than 182,000 pickup trucks worldwide to fix an electrical problem that can knock out the power steering.” The recall affects certain 2019 Ram 1500 pickups, mostly in the US and Canada, although “one-third are still on dealer lots.” FCA has not received any reports of injuries related to the problem.

        Automotive News (1/26, Szatkowski, 183K) reports the Ram 1500 “won North American Truck of the Year at the Detroit auto show this month,” and FCA’s December sales in the US were up “14 percent, driven in part by a 34 percent increase in Ram pickup sales.”

Hyundai, KIA issue recall over increased fire risk.

NBC Nightly News (1/16, story 8, 0:15, Holt, 8.03M) reported that “Hyundai and KIA are going ahead with a recall of nearly 170,000 vehicles due to fire risks, though the government agency that oversees recalls is mostly closed due to the shutdown.” The AP (1/16, Krisher, Press) reports that “the problem stems from improper repairs during previous recalls for engine failures.” Both manufacturers are “under investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has been trying to figure out whether initial recalls covered enough vehicles.” The AP notes that “NHTSA employees who do safety investigations and recall notifications are not at work” due to the government shutdown. KIA spokesman James Bell claims they will move ahead with the recall despite government delays, saying, “Making our customers comfortable is vastly more important than making sure we’re following additional government processes right now.”

        Reuters (1/16, Shepardson) reports that the recall is to replace “a high-pressure fuel pipe that may have been damaged or improperly installed as part of an engine replacement during the prior recall.” Six fires have been “linked to the new recall but no reports of injuries, while Hyundai said it had no reports of fires linked to the new recall.”

        The Detroit News (1/16, 521K), Cars (1/16, 1.21M), Consumer Reports (1/16, 14.13M), and Fortune (1/16, 3.95M) also report.

Americans more likely to die from opioid overdose than motor vehicle crash, report says.

NBC Nightly News (1/14, story 11, 1:50, Holt, 9.3M) reported, “Safety experts” are “grimly noting for the first time ever, the odds of dying from an overdose are higher than dying in a car crash.”

        The New York Times (1/14, Mazzei, 17.59M) reports that “for the first time, Americans are more likely to die of an opioid overdose than in a vehicle crash.” The most common causes of death, however, remain heart disease and cancer, according to a report from the National Safety Council.

        USA Today (1/14, Molina, 12.05M) reports researchers used data from the National Center for Health Statistics and “found the lifetime odds of dying by an accidental opioid overdose were one in 96, while the odds of dying by motor vehicle crash were one in 103.”

        CBS News (1/14, Welch, 4.24M) reports on its website that the risk of dying from an opioid overdose is greater than the risk “of dying from a fall, a gun assault, pedestrian accident, or drowning.”

        Also covering the story are the Huffington Post (1/14, Golgowski, 2.63M), The Hill (1/14, Anapol, 2.57M), Newsweek (1/14, Zhao, 2.02M), U.S. News & World Report (1/14, Newman, 2.45M), Vice (1/14, Ockerman, 1.48M), and HealthDay (1/14, Preidt, 21K).

Toyota adds 1.7 million cars to Takata airbag recall.

Business Insider (1/10, 5.01M) reports that Toyota Motor Company “said Wednesday it is recalling another 1.7 million vehicles worldwide for potentially faulty Takata airbag inflators as part of a multi-year industry recall campaign announced in 2016.” Toyota’s new recall “relates to vehicles from the 2010 through 2017 model years and includes 1.3 million vehicles in the United States.” Affected models include: “2010-2013 model year Corolla, 2010-2013 Matrix, 2010-2016 4Runner, and 2011-2014 Sienna.”

        Consumer Reports (1/10, 14.13M) reports that the latest announcement “covers passenger-side front airbag inflators,” and is part of “the effort by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and automakers to space out the replacement of Takata airbag inflators based on the risk to drivers and passengers.”

        MLive (MI) (1/10, 845K) reports the recall includes “the 2010 -2012 Lexus ES 350, 2010 through 2017 GX 460, 2010-2015 IS 250C and 350C, the 2010 through 2013 IS 250 and 350, and the 2010-2014 IS-F, and also the 2010-2015 Scion XB.” The NHTSA “announced in May 2016 that its ‘five-phase’ Takata recall will be based on the prioritization of risk, which will pull the age of the inflators, exposure to high humidity and varying high temperatures into its formula.”

        Newsweek (1/10, Godlewski, 2.02M), and Fast Company (1/10, 2.41M) also report.

Chances of dying from opioids now higher than vehicle crash, Safety Council says.

NPR (1/14, Stewart, 3.43M) reports the National Safety Council says in a new report based on 2017 data that “Americans now have a 1 in 96 chance of dying from an opioid overdose,” a greater risk that the “the probability of dying in a motor vehicle crash,” which “is 1 in 103.” In a statement, the council said the “crisis is worsening with an influx of illicit fentanyl,” which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in December is now responsible for most drug overdose deaths in the US.