Autoblog

LA Design Challenge entrants take CHiPs to 2025

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 10:44:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, LA Auto Show, Design/Style

This year's theme for the LA Design Challenge was announced back in September and focuses on creating a "Highway Patrol Vehicle 2025," and with the Jon and Ponch long into retirement, we get our first glimpse of what a CHiPs of the future might look like. BMW, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Subaru have all accepted the challenge, and each has released an entrant for the annual design competition with the winner being announced on November 29 during the LA Auto Show.

Entrants range from unmanned drones to vehicles that we could actually picture on the roads in the near future. In this latter category is the Mercedes-Benz Ener-G-Force, which is designed around a future G-Class SUV, but even though all of these are just design studies, Mercedes-Benz has already taken its drawing to the next level by building a proposed civilian version of the concept that will be on display next week at the auto show.

As fans of cheesy '80s TV shows, Honda's Tokyo design team won us over with the Traffic Crawler, a hydrogen-powered three-wheeled motorcycle (that even wears the "7 Mary 3" call sign belonging to Officer Jon Baker from CHiPs), but you can check out all six of the entrants for yourself below, and then let us know which is your favorite in the poll.

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Continue reading LA Design Challenge entrants take CHiPs to 2025

LA Design Challenge entrants take CHiPs to 2025 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Nov 2012 10:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Highway patrol car of the future picked as this year's LA Auto Show Design Challenge theme

George Kennedy — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Technology, Design/Style

For the last nine years, the Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge has been part of the LA Auto Show, pitting design studios from around the world against each other in a forward-thinking competition.

In the past, there have been a variety of challenge themes, including last year's "movie cars" challenge. This year the competition is turning to the likes of the California Highway Patrol, attempting to portend what law enforcement vehicles may hold for us in 2025. While previous competitions have set the future date as far as 2050, this date is a more tangible one, meaning that each entrant may be more closely rooted in the realities of cities throughout the world in the next decade and beyond.

According to Chuck Pelly, director of Design Los Angeles, "Adding the element of law enforcement to this year's competition creates another layer of importance that makes a challenge equal to the level of our participants."

Thus far, Bentley, BMW, General Motors, Hyundai, Honda, and Subaru have put their design studios to the task and accepted the challenge. The winner will be announced at an event during the LA Auto Show on November 29. See below for the complete press release.

Continue reading Highway patrol car of the future picked as this year's LA Auto Show Design Challenge theme

Highway patrol car of the future picked as this year's LA Auto Show Design Challenge theme originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ponch Approved? California chooses Ford Explorer Police Interceptor as next patrol car

Jeff Sabatini — Tue, 29 May 2012 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, SUV, Government/Legal, Ford, Police/Emergency

How many cops does it take to choose a new police car? In California, the answer is four. But this is also a trick question, because the California Highway Patrol didn't choose a car to replace its aging Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors - it chose an SUV. That's right, Cali 5-0 will be rolling in the Ford Explorer starting this fall.

According to Motor Trend, due to the CHP's requirement that each of its cruisers be able to carry four officers plus all their equipment, none of the three police sedans currently on the market were even eligible for consideration. Only the Ford Police Interceptor Utility, as the Explorer-based pursuit vehicle is known, and the Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle are able to carry the roughly 1,700-pound payload that CHP requires. According to the report, the Explorer out-performed the Tahoe in testing by the L.A. County Sheriff's Office and the Michigan State Police, however Ford won the CHP bid by virtue of having the lower price.

Motor Trend says the contract is good for some 1,800 Explorers over the next two years, although the the CHP may also be buying some sedans to use for "executive vehicles." As CHP is one of the major players in the police vehicle market, its decision to adopt the Explorer carries considerable weight with other agencies - meaning that Ford has to be happy with how things are shaking out in the post-Crown Vic world.

Ponch Approved? California chooses Ford Explorer Police Interceptor as next patrol car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 May 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CHiPs veteran Erik Estrada warns Californians to avoid Carmageddon

Noah Joseph — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Videos, Police/Emergency

Erik Estrada Carmageddon PSA - Click above to watch the videos after the jump

Residents of the metropolitan Los Angeles area have been bracing for what's been dubbed Carmageddon. No, not the video game from the late '90s, but the scheduled closure of Interstate 405 over the course of this weekend.

The temporary shutdown of the hugely busy 10-mile stretch of highway is being effected so that it can be widened to ease traffic congestion, including the demolition and reconstruction of the Mulholland Bridge and the addition of a carpool lane.

Such a big move obviously needs to be brought to public attention, and to that end, Caltrans - the California Department of Transportation - brought in no less suitable a celebrity than Erik Estrada, best known for his role as California Highway Patrol officer Frank Poncharello on the TV show CHiPs. Estrada reportedly did the Public Service Announcements for free in English and Spanish, both of which you can view after the jump (we snuck in a video of the CHiPs intro sequence for you nostalgic types, too).

Continue reading CHiPs veteran Erik Estrada warns Californians to avoid Carmageddon

CHiPs veteran Erik Estrada warns Californians to avoid Carmageddon originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: San Francisco's 1989 Earthquake from the CHP's point of view

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos

CHP responds to the '89 San Francisco Earthquake - Click above to watch video after the jump

On October 17, 1989 at approximately 5:04 pm Pacific Standard Time, the San Andreas Fault shifted and a massive earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area. Called the Loma Prieta Earthquake, it was the largest seismic event for this fault-line since 1906. Sixty-three people lost their lives and nearly 4,000 were injured. The physical damage caused by the quake was estimated to cost around $11 billion, but of course the mental and emotional toll could never be tallied.

Shortly after the earthquake struck, the California Highway Patrol sprung into action. The efforts of the CHP, as well as the devastation caused by the quake, were captured in a 22 minute, 58 second video that is part of the public record. It's an intriguing look back at an extremely difficult moment in California's history that will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it firsthand. Click past the jump to view the clip.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: San Francisco's 1989 Earthquake from the CHP's point of view

Video: San Francisco's 1989 Earthquake from the CHP's point of view originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Biker lowsides on Mulholland, gives CHP an excuse

Zach Bowman — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Safety, Videos, Motorcycle, Humor

How not to ride your Kawasaki - Click above to view the video after the jump

We all know the crap-your-pants sensation that comes along with seeing one of the boys in blue when you're doing something you shouldn't. It's usually accompanied by a phobia-like aversion of the throttle and an over familiarity with the brakes at the same time. If you're tearing it up on four wheels, inducing plenty of stopping power mid-turn will just make you look a fool. But, as our intrepid hero found out, grabbing a handful of brake on your favorite Kawasaki ZX-6R will have you kneeling at the asphalt altar in a hurry. Despite this guy's impressive slide, he's no Tanner Foust. This CHP officer hasn't had it this easy since training. See what we mean after the jump.

[Source: Hell for Leather via Asphalt & Rubber]

Continue reading Video: Biker lowsides on Mulholland, gives CHP an excuse

Video: Biker lowsides on Mulholland, gives CHP an excuse originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CHP report seemingly sides with Sikes on case of the Runaway Prius

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:23:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Hatchback, Toyota

In reality, the California Highway Patrol isn't taking sides with anyone regarding the recent speeding Prius of Jim Sikes. But the CHP doesn't see any reason to doubt Sikes' version of events that led to his hybrid reaching speeds of around 90 miles per hour, apparently unable to bring the barreling vehicle to a stop. Also of note is the fact that a Border Patrol agent had also responded and was leading the Prius with its emergency lights on when the CHP officer arrived.

The officer that responded to the scene states that he "could see the driver sat up off his seat indicating that he was possibly applying the brake pedal with his body weight... His back was arched and both hands were pulling at the steering wheel." A short time later, the officer positioned his patrol car in front of Sikes' Prius when he "noticed that the Prius' speed had dropped dramatically" before coming to a complete stop on the highway. According to Sikes, this happened after he applied both the standard and parking brakes.

Paramedics arrived on the scene and found that "Sikes' blood pressure and pulse rate were very high." Another interesting tidbit is the the officer encouraged Sikes to speak with the media, despite the fact that the driver indicated he preferred not to. Later at the station, the officer took a statement from Sikes, who described his Prius as 'feeling funny' under braking, saying that the "whole car was shaking and vibrating" when the brakes were applied.

Sikes also claims to have manually pulled up on the gas pedal three separate times with no effect, and he was afraid that shutting the car off would cause the steering to lock up. The officer reports seeing the car's brake lights on and off intermittently, smelling the scent of worn brakes and seeing that the pads were worn completely down after the event.

CHP spokesman Brian Pennings has said that it is the CHP's position that no evidence has emerged to doubt Sikes' version of events. See the CHP officer's complete report in our image gallery below. For a slightly different view, click here and here to see what Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found after inspecting Sikes' Prius.

Gallery: CHP report of James Sikes' speeding Prius

[Source: California Highway Patrol, USA Today]

CHP report seemingly sides with Sikes on case of the Runaway Prius originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: San Diego 'runaway Prius' has media buzzing

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Videos, Hatchback, Toyota

Runaway Prius in San Diego - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Both the second- and third-generation Prius are part of Toyota's massive recall - the former for floormat problems, the latter for braking issues - but a new incident from California has the automaker looking into more potential issues with the second-generation car.

As CNN tells it, Jim Sikes was driving his Prius on Interstate 8 in San Diego County when he pushed the gas pedal to pass a slow-moving car, but then, as Sikes says, "[the pedal] did something kind of funny ... it jumped and it just stuck there." Sikes called 911 for assistance, but a California Highway Patrol officer caught up to the car, and the officer used a loudspeaker to give Sikes instructions on how to safely stop the vehicle with the emergency brake. "As it was going, I was trying the brakes... it wasn't stopping," Sikes recounts. The highway patrol officer said that Sikes had reached speeds of over 90 miles per hour.

Neither Sikes or any other drivers were hurt during this alleged unintended acceleration incident. In a statement issued Monday night, Toyota says that it has dispatched a field technical specialist to investigate the case. Click through the jump to watch the CNN video and you can read more about it in Los Angeles Times link below. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

[Sources: CNN, Los Angeles Times]

Continue reading Video: San Diego 'runaway Prius' has media buzzing

Video: San Diego 'runaway Prius' has media buzzing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Toyota execs deny cover-up after feds rebuke automaker over runaway car investigation

Chris Shunk — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Toyota

Remember Toyota's massive 3.8 million unit unintended acceleration recall that was attributed to pesky floor mats? It appears defective floor mats doesn't tell the whole story, as the Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared in a statement that "this (unintended acceleration) matter is not closed," adding "removal of the floor mats is simply an interim measure, not a remedy of the underlying defect in the vehicles."

Up to 2,000 Toyota customers claim to have experienced a sudden surge of acceleration, and some reportedly told ABC News that they didn't even have the recalled floor mats in their vehicles. Even more disturbing are the results of an ABC News investigation that reportedly found "hundreds" of accidents and up to 16 deaths as a result of unintended acceleration.

Four of those deaths occurred in August when an off-duty California Highway Patrol Officer, traveling with his wife, daughter and brother in-law, were killed after their Lexus accelerated uncontrollably. The driver's brother in-law called 911 and said that the brakes didn't work before the vehicle reached an intersection, struck another car, went into a ditch and caught fire. Some Toyota owners feel there is an electronic glitch in the system that controls the throttle and the ABC report shows that there is some anecdotal evidence which illustrates that incidents rose after the system was put into place in 2002, but so far, NHTSA has found no evidence to support those claims after six investigations.

ABC News caught up with Toyota Vice President Yukitoshi Funo (pictured second from left) and asked him if Toyota was covering anything up. Funo replied "It is not part of the Toyota culture and Toyota way to cover up anything," adding that the Japanese automaker is working with NHTSA to come up with an agreement on how to proceed going forward.

If you own a Toyota or Lexus and you are concerned about this issue, it appears that there is little that will be done in the short term other than tie down or remove the floor mats. If you do experience the acceleration issue, Consumer Reports suggests shifting your vehicle into neutral, pressing the brake and holding it down in an effort to bring your vehicle to a stop. This post and video from CR demonstrates how to effectively resolve the situation, and the risks of pumping the brakes. Turning off your vehicle could be a bad idea, as turning off the engine will also result in the loss of power steering and power brakes.

[Source: ABC News | Image: Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP/Getty]

REPORT: Toyota execs deny cover-up after feds rebuke automaker over runaway car investigation originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear draws fire for 'glorifying' 210 MPH ticket. Only it's a fake. [w/VIDEO]

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Bugatti

Top Gear talks Bugatti speeding ticket - click above to watch video after the jump

ESPN sports columnist Bill Simmons proposed a 72-hour reportage moratorium for the web - that way, news could be vetted before was broadcast to the entire universe. Had that been in effect, the story of Orange County resident Philip Robert Odegard might not have ended up on Top Gear and then upsetting Scottish authorities.

Odegard posted an image of a speeding ticket on his Flickr page. The ticket claimed he was busted doing 210 mph in a Bugatti Veyron in a "65 mph max" zone. Odegard's epic tale made it into the latest episode of Top Gear, where the hosts excitedly talked about the speeding ticket in their news section. Scottish Councillor Mike Raeburn then lambasted Top Gear for refusing "to see the effect this continual reinforcement of the 'speed is good' message has on viewers, particularly younger ones." The head of the Scottish Campaign Against Irresponsible Drivers also had harsh words for Top Gear.

The issue here, however, isn't speeding - it's speciousness. Odegard wasn't busted in a Veyron doing 210. According to some digging done by the O.C. Register, Odegard wasn't busted by the California Highway Patrol at that speeds in any car, let alone a Bugatti. He was clipped in a 2004 Infiniti doing 100. Which is a tale that probably wouldn't have ended up on Top Gear. Somewhere, at the bottom of this, though, it's still all Jeremy Clarkson's fault. You can watch the footage in question after the jump (talk of the ticket comes at around 4:15).

[Sources: Scotsman; O.C. Register; YouTube]

Continue reading Top Gear draws fire for 'glorifying' 210 MPH ticket. Only it's a fake. [w/VIDEO]

Top Gear draws fire for 'glorifying' 210 MPH ticket. Only it's a fake. [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motor4Toys reaches 10,000 toy goal

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Some of you may recall the Motor4Toys automotive toy drive we told you about a couple of weeks ago. Dustin Troyan and the Motor4Toys Foundation put out a call to all of the car clubs and enthusiasts in Southern California to collect toys and money for the needy. And the response was overwhelming. Now in its 3rd year, the event continues to grow and this year exceeded its goal. More than 10,000 toys have been donated so far! This very special event collects toys for the California Highway Patrol Chips For Kids Program. There are many needed causes this time of year and several notable fundraiser events, but this one is special.

Big clickable gallery after the jump.

Continue reading Motor4Toys reaches 10,000 toy goal

Motor4Toys reaches 10,000 toy goal originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Dec 2006 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Schwarzenegger signs ban on mobile phone use while driving

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:34:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal

Yesterday, in a ceremony in Oakland, California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill that would make driving while operating a mobile phone illegal on California roadways. The Golden State is now the fifth state to enact such a restriction and in doing so, ended a four-year long struggle, spearheaded by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto. Simitian maintains that mobile phone usage while driving is the number one cause of crashes in California, while opponents of the law believe that distracted drivers, in general, are to blame.

The law will take effect January 1, 2008, imposing a $20 fine for the first offense and a $50 penalty for subsequent infractions, with no adverse affects on the driver's insurance. Motorists using hands-free devices will be exempt from the law.

[Source: San Jose Mercury News]

Schwarzenegger signs ban on mobile phone use while driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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