Autoblog

Report: NHTSA doesn't have any software or electrical engineers on staff to investigate Toyota

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Technology

"NHTSA officials told investigators that the agency doesn't employ any electrical engineers or software engineers."

So says The Washington Post, in a revelation that's at least shocking if nothing else. Consider your car for a moment. How many electrical connections and silicon bits are there making the whole kit-n'-kaboodle operate? Plenty, right? In fact, The Car Connection estimates that the average "modern luxury car has something close to 100 million lines of software code in it, running on 70 to 100 microprocessors." Though the quote about the government safety agency came out in the government hearings on Toyota safety, that figures to be worrisome news to all motorists, as modern vehicles from all manufacturers are more or less rolling computers, and their very movement is governed by computers that NHTSA apparently cannot begin to analyze - at least internally.

Hopefully, the report regarding the lack of electrical and software engineers at NHTSA was either misunderstood or incorrect. We have a feeling that's likely the case - in fact, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in his testimony on Capitol Hill today that the agency does at least have access to such engineers.

UPDATE: During today's remarks, LaHood said there was some confusion in his comments yesterday about a lack of electrical engineers. He has yet to divulge how many engineers NHTSA employs and there's still some question about software engineers. Updates to follow as we learn more.

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[Sources: The Washington Post, The Car Connection | Image: Alex Wong/Getty Images]

Report: NHTSA doesn't have any software or electrical engineers on staff to investigate Toyota originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo looks to locusts to prevent accidents

Chris Tutor — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Volvo

If you think your morning commute looks (and feels) like a bunch of insects randomly swarming toward a multitude of random destinations, you'd be mostly right. But only mostly. Research by the Insect Vision Laboratory shows that like your fellow rush-hour drivers, swarming African locusts are busy calculating the position, direction and speed of the other travelers around them. Unlike all those other drivers, African locusts never run into each other. We'd be willing to argue that's definitive proof most drivers are dumber than common insects.

Volvo, however, sees more than just the obvious. Instead, they see a possible way to keep all those clueless drivers safe by studying just how those locusts are able to avoid collisions.

But there's a lot of work to do before the automaker can put nature to work on the streets. The researchers theorize that the bugs can easily miss hitting each other because they're somehow able to send information straight from their sensory organs to their wings, completely bypassing their simplistic brains. That ability to instantly translate data into action keeps the locusts crash free. The problem is that currently automotive technology can't match the locusts' data-processing talents. So for at least the immediate future, have a little sympathy for those other guys out there. They actually are less intelligent than the bugs stuck in your grille.

[Source: Wired]

Volvo looks to locusts to prevent accidents originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Consumer Reports debuts crash-in theater

Chris Tutor — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Videos

Oh how we all love a good car crash, but finding good, slow-motion automotive carnage on the Web hasn't been all that easy to find. Until now. Consumer Reports has put hours of crash-test video from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety online, free for anyone to see.

We've already lost hours of productivity to CR's new Crash-In Theater and we're sure you will too. We highly recommend watching the frontal offset test of the 2000 Dodge Neon. It's just amazing how bent out of shape the door frame gets and surprising how much air the rear tires achieve. Oh, and the narrator says the steering wheel actually snapped off from the steering column. That can't be good.

While we found the videos highly entertaining, used- and new-car shoppers will surely find the videos and accompanying analysis beneficial. For those shopping for a used Pontiac Transport, you really, really should watch that video. For those squeamish about seeing a crash-test dummy pretty much destroyed, you really, really shouldn't.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Consumer Reports debuts crash-in theater originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forbes names the 20 Most Dangerous Vehicles for sale today

Chris Tutor — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Safety

Tiger, you should be ashamed pushing that beastly Buick Rendezvous on an unsuspecting public. Not only was it little more than a warmed-over minivan trying to look hip, Forbes says it's possibly the most dangerous new vehicle for sale today. Luckily for all the uninformed car shoppers out there, the Rendezvous and several others, like the Ford Ranger, on the list won't be on sale much longer.

Forbes took many factors into consideration when deciding what constituted a dangerous vehicle. Instead of using only crash test data or fatality statistics, the magazine also looked at safety equipment and Consumer Reports' accident avoidance ratings.

Lots of weight was given to standard safety equipment which is what damned vaunted nameplates like Toyota's Matrix, Chrysler's PT Cruiser and Ford's Focus. But at least those cars have optional side air bags, Suzuki's Reno and Forenza don't even offer them as optional equipment.

There were some surprises, though. Forbes praises the Honda S2000 for having admirable crash test results and superior handling that could help in crash avoidance, but puts it on the list anyway for not having standard side air bags.

Check out the story and entire list here.

[Source: Forbes]

Forbes names the 20 Most Dangerous Vehicles for sale today originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automakers, suppliers team to seek virtual crash testing

Chris Tutor — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 08:37:00 EST

Filed under: Safety

Nine major automakers and two automotive suppliers have formed a group to look into and develop virtual crash tests that they say will be more realistic than violently smashing cars into immovable barriers.

DaimlerChrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Peugeot-Citroen, Renault and Toyota joined suppliers TRW and Takata last year to form the Global Human Body Models Consortium LLC. The group is expected to announce its plans today at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit.

And just what are their plans? They have recruited 40 research and university groups worldwide to develop "virtual humans" that will simulate crash test dummies which, they say, will provide better accident prediction data. The group hopes to have the project wrapped up in 2011. The companies will split the budgeted $18 million cost, but are looking to Uncle Sam and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. for a funding boost.

GM spokesman Alan Adler told the Associated Press that the data acquired from simulated tests would still be confirmed using good old crash testing.

Ford has a leg up on the group, having already developed a virtual adult male it uses to develop interiors and some safety devices. TRW also does some simulated tests on their restraint systems, pictured above.

[Source: The Associated Press via Journal and Courier Online]

Automakers, suppliers team to seek virtual crash testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Apr 2007 08:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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