There Auto Be A Law
Podcast Archive
Our podcast discusses auto safety issues and technological developments, in hopes of providing consumers and enthusiasts with a better understanding of modern vehicles, safety systems, and current issues in the industry.
Rear occupant safety with Marcy Edwards from IIHS
This week we have special guest Marcy Edwards of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). She talks us through child safety issues, back seat safety issues and answers Anthony’s ridiculous question about crash testing his own car. https://www.iihs.org/ https://www.youtube.com/@iihs-hldi Also we have an update about Fred and the tank story. Stay tuned for that…
The Double Whammy
This week we discuss the EPA mandate for electric vehicles and how the safety issue of vehicle weight is ignored. And since most people now drive trucks cars are getting even heavier. Also, we visit the world of Autonomous Vehicles and check in with Auroa, mildly praise and mildly shame Kyle from Cruise, Fred covers…
Weight vs range and greedy, lazy auto companies
GM Cruise is getting the old hit and run treatment. Who do you talk to after hitting a car driving without any occupants? How much range do we need in EV batteries? Lighter cars are safer but more range equals heavier, more dangerous, batteries. Want a round steering wheel from Tesla? Good luck. GM says…
Never crack the paint
Amazing guest this week – Joanna L. Johnson. She runs us through the issues with Hyundai/Kia oil leaks – the drain plug falls out. Sorry, I gave away the ending. Joanna explains what every car owner should do – save all of your service records and maybe get a prescription for Beta blockers. OK the…
Your anti-BS station
Learn the name Kyle Vogt. He’s the CEO of GM’s autonomous vehicle company, GM Cruise. The nonsense he spouts makes Elon Musk seem almost reasonable. This week we meet his, detached from reality, views on automated vehicles. Plus more Hyundai/Kia theft news, backseat safety, EV battery repair-ability and more. This weeks links: https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23718358/ag-letter-to-hyundai-and-kia.pdf https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/scratched-ev-battery-your-insurer-may-have-junk-whole-car-2023-03-20/ https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/rear-passenger-protection-falls-short-in-most-midsize-suvs…
Name this Podcast… and dummies
Crash test dummies, airless tires, how to date your tires, Tesla crashes, Tesla “theft” and more. Plus the Tao of Fred and Recall Roundup. Mentioned links: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105595 https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/03/we-need-better-crash-test-dummies-says-government-accountability-office/ https://usa.streetsblog.org/2023/03/14/study-cognitive-screenings-for-aging-drivers-cut-some-crashes-but-they-have-a-disturbing-downside/ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/drive/mobility/article-are-airless-tires-going-to-hit-the-market-any-time-soon/ https://carbuzz.com/news/goodyear-shows-off-new-airless-tires https://abc7chicago.com/how-to-tell-old-tires-are-near-me-discontinued-goodyear/12909005/ https://insideevs.com/news/656915/man-unknowingly-unlocks-and-drives-off-in-someone-else-tesla/ https://apnews.com/article/tesla-firetruck-autopilot-investigation-c6d64b941f546f7ae70fb8355d765cb3 https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HIR2303.pdf https://usa.streetsblog.org/2023/03/13/stop-the-spin-how-to-spot-nine-types-of-auto-industry-disinformation/ https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V149-6708.PDF https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23E016-1051.PDF https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V136-6383.PDF
Loose steering wheels
NHTSA is taking advice from Anthony and investigating Zoox. GM complains about boogeyman burdensome regulations for their AVs and their marketing department creates a silly name for a good start at improving on ADAS features. Americans are “fearful” and concerned about Automated Vehicles. USPS cuts costs by neglecting safety. Waymo releases a transparency report that…
Proving Grounds
Telsa’s Full Self Driving gets recalled. Hyundai/Kia fix their TikTok problem. Mercedes says regulations are good. Plus recall roundup and Fred delves into the 3rd bullet point of the AV Bill of rights. Mentioned links: https://slate.com/technology/2023/02/tesla-recall-full-self-driving-nhtsa-musk-regulation.html https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/crash-avoidance-features-improve-safety-but-complicate-repairs https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/hyundai-kia-campaign-prevent-vehicle-theft https://www.autonomousvehicleinternational.com/features/feature-mercedes-benz-shares-its-approach-to-proving-ground-testing-for-automated-vehicles.html https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V094-8676.PDF https://jalopnik.com/federal-regulators-are-looking-into-zooxs-self-certifie-1850127485 https://www.npr.org/2023/02/20/1158367204/tesla-driver-killed-california-firetruck-nhtsa https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/silicon-valley-startup-charts-a-path-to-cheaper-ev-batteries-1.1886827 https://www.autosafety.org/av-bill-of-rights/
Special Guest Janette Fennell
Special Guest Janette Fennell discusses how her experience being kidnapped and locked into the trunk of her car led to her starting a non-profit that led to the Federal requirement for a trunk release cable. We also discuss the need for better systems to protect children from frontovers, backovers and being accidentally left inside cars.…