NHTSA Probes Tesla Fatal Auto-Pilot Crashes That Killed Motorcyclists
August 5, 2022 - Two crashes involving Teslas apparently running on Autopilot are drawing scrutiny from federal regulators and point to a potential new hazard on U.S. freeways: The partially automated vehicles may not stop for motorcycles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent investigation teams to two crashes last month in which Teslas collided with motorcycles on freeways in the darkness. Both were fatal.
The agency suspects that Tesla's partially automated driver-assist system was in use in each. The agency says that once it gathers more information, it may include the crashes in a broader probe of Teslas striking emergency vehicles parked along freeways. NHTSA also is investigating over 750 complaints that Teslas can brake for no reason.
UFODRIVE, the First Electric Vehicle Rental Company, Lands in San Francisco
August 10, 2022 -UFODRIVE, the first electric and highest-rated car rental experience on the market, has landed in San Francisco, following rapid growth in 20 cities across Europe including London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Dublin.
Bay area residents and visitors can now book and drive the latest Teslas in minutes from the UFODRIVE app. All inclusive, keyless and contactless, UFODRIVE is transforming the way people rent and unlocking the potential of EVs.
"In only a few years, we've helped customers drive 15 million fully electric miles. Behind the scenes, we try to solve every anxiety and make the enhanced electric driving experience a reality for our customers," said Aidan McClean, CEO and co-founder of UFODRIVE. "We wanted to make rental less painful and pioneer the shift to electric, but our customer ratings consistently tell us it's radically better."
The Most Frequently Stolen Vehicles of 2021
Thanks to data collected by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), we can see how the lack of supply has affected the world of automotive thieving.
Ranking at the top of the list were Chevrolet full-size pickup trucks, with 48,206 trucks stolen last year. Ford came in number two, a major change from two years of being on top, with 47,999 full-size trucks stolen in 2021.
Other predictable models were included in the list, including the Toyota Camry and Corolla as well as the Nissan Altima and Honda CR-V. There is a new addition to the list, an SUV that was stolen at high rates in 2021: Jeep's Cherokee and Grand Cherokee models. The rugged SUV was stolen 13,210 times across the nation.
Complete Ban on Cellphone Holding Improves Crash Rates in Some States
By Dave Bean, Associate Editor
A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that rear-end crash rates in Washington and Oregon dropped significantly when laws went into place banning any holding of cellphones by drivers, even when vehicles are stopped.
California, however, did not experience this same downturn.
In 2017, all three Western states expanded laws that more specifically spelled out the dos and don’ts of cellphone usage by drivers. So why didn’t California’s rear-end crash rate improve?
While Washington and Oregon explicitly placed a total ban on holding cellphones while behind-the-wheel, California’s law was more ambiguous, leaving open the possibility of drivers using their phones while stopped at a light or idling in traffic.
Senate Improves EV Tax Credit in Largest Climate Bill Ever
The Senate has voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act.
The main portion of the bill is the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit, which is renewed starting in January 2023 and will last a decade – until the end of 2032.
The new credit makes quite a few changes, the largest of which is to remove that cap at the start of 2023. Now, all manufacturers have access to unlimited credits as long as they fulfill the other requirements of the bill.
Also, the credit can be applied upfront at the point of sale if purchased from a dealer, rather than needing to file for it on your taxes in the following April – a welcome change.
New requirements include that the cars must be assembled in North America and that materials and “critical minerals” in the battery must come from the US or a country with a free trade agreement with the US.
