Autoblog

NHTSA looking for power to fast-track 'noncontroversial' auto laws

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 10:59:00 EST

When it comes to any new regulation that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration deems "not controversial and therefore unlikely to receive adverse comment," it would like the power to implement the regulation without the standard period of public comment. It seeks the change in order to be able to clear and finalize "routine" rules in a matter of days. If NHTSA is granted the power it seeks, people could still comment on such regulations and request changes, but the agency could ignore the feedback and the requests.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers has questioned the proposal, which would expedite the "direct final rule" process, citing the decrease in transparency it could entail and the ambiguous definition of "controversy" - what NHTSA thinks is a routine regulation, others could consider anything but.

The notice was posted on the NHTSA site on Tuesday, but NHTSA hasn't commented on the proposal, it's chief saying he would let it speak for itself.

NHTSA looking for power to fast-track 'noncontroversial' auto laws originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 Mar 2013 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA mulling adding small-overlap and angled crash tests

Jeffrey N. Ross — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:35:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

For the sake of safer cars, it sounds like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration could be moving to create stricter crash tests that are similar to (and potentially even more rigorous) than what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently instituted. In an interview with Automotive News, chief NHTSA administrator David Strickland said that the agency is looking into adding a new offset test as well as an angled impact test.

A small overlap test just recently became a part of the barrage of crash tests performed by IIHS where only 25-percent of the vehicle tested makes contact with a barrier, and Strickland said this is "very similar" to the test being considered by NHTSA. The government agency's current frontal crash tests, as shown above with the five-star-rated Buick Verano, consists of the car hitting a wall head-on, so it isn't clear how much overlap would be considered small for this new test. Another new scenario being investigated is called the oblique test, which involves the test subject hitting a barrier at a fixed angle rather than straight on. Neither test figures to be in use for at least the next couple years or so, but they would undoubtedly make it much harder for cars to receive a five-star crash rating.

NHTSA mulling adding small-overlap and angled crash tests originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Feds ironing out rules for autonomous cars

George Kennedy — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:33:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology

With the increasing development of autonomous vehicles, and even some states issuing licenses for self-driving cars, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration decided it was high time to lay out a set of rules for these advanced vehicles. According to a Detroit News report, NHTSA is embarking on a research project that could take two to three years, at the conclusion of which, the administration will write rules to govern driverless cars.

According to the report NHSTA administrator David Sctrickland says the technology could possibly save "thousands of lives." It was also reported that NHTSA has been in talks with a number of companies, including Google, regarding the implementation and development of this technology. Google has been testing its own fleet of driverless cars, logging over 300,000 miles on American roads. The tech company says autonomous vehicles could be made available to the public in the next ten years.

The technology has profound implications on the automotive industry and car culture. Strickland calls it a "game changer" and could make it possible for blind drivers or senior citizens who would otherwise have their licenses revoked, the ability to get around town. The savings from cutting down on congestion could result in as much as $100 billion in fuel savings.

But before that, NHTSA says it needs to determine the effectiveness and reliability of these driverless cars. In addition, new crash test standards may need to be developed for these autonomous vehicles. According to Strickland, "We don't want this technology to be commercially available and then there be a vacuum of no federal motor vehicle safer standards." To that end, NHTSA says there is a huge amount of work to be done before autonomous vehicles hit the roads.

Feds ironing out rules for autonomous cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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House Republicans urge White House to delay 2017-2025 fuel economy standards

George Kennedy — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal

Representatives from the Republican Party have asked President Obama to delay pushing through strict new automotive fuel economy regulations. The trio of top GOP legislators consists of auto dealer Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, Jim Jordan (also of PA) and House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa of California (pictured). The three legislators are calling for further review of the 2017-2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy targets. According to a report by The Detroit News, Issa says "Higher fuel efficiency standards is a goal I share - but not at the expense of consumer safety."

As the report notes, a deal was struck last summer that would actually lower fuel economy increases from 2017-2021 of 3.5 percent annually for light trucks and five percent every year for cars. Part of this pact stipulated a mid-term review to confirm that reaching these goals was even possible.

The National High Traffic Safety Administration, along with the Environmental Protection Agency decided not to meet a self-imposed Wednesday deadline for finalization of the new rules. NHTSA head David Strickland has said that the new regulations will be announced in "days, not weeks," while one House Republican has suggested that the White House may be having misgivings about pushing the legislation through now.

It is said that the new standards will cost the auto industry $157.3 billion, but could eventually result in $1.7 trillion in savings for consumers on fuel expenditures. Unfortunately, the new standards could also mean an additional $2,000 to the price of the average automobile by 2025. According to Representative Kelly, "the new CAFE standards will limit choice, compromise safety, and increase costs to millions of Americans..."

The issue may be out of their control, however, as Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood noted in a recent interview that the legislation is "... coming soon. We're working with the White House and the EPA to roll it out."

House Republicans urge White House to delay 2017-2025 fuel economy standards originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA head Strickland defends Toyota unintended acceleration probe

Zach Bowman — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 18:56:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Toyota

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Administrator David Strickland has released a letter defending the agency's handling of investigations into claims of unintended acceleration by Toyota owners. Republican Senator Charles Grassley has said questions remain about what caused unintended acceleration instances in the Japanese manufacturer's vehicles, specifically whether or not the trouble was caused by electronic glitches. Grassley specifically questioned whether NHTSA had the experience necessary to diagnose the defect. The senator also wondered why NHTSA investigators called in NASA scientists for assistance during the investigation.

Strickland, meanwhile, has responded by saying NHTSA did, in fact, have the requisite experience and that NASA was called upon for a second opinion. The administrator underscored the fact that neither NHTSA nor NASA could find an electronic reason for the claims of unintended acceleration. As you may recall, the government agency concluded in early 2011 that faulty gas pedals and floor mats were to blame for the runaway syndrome.

According to The Washington Post, Grassley's letter stemmed from tips from whistleblowers who claim the runaway vehicles were actually caused by errant strands of solder within the pedal assembly itself. Those strands could reportedly cause shorts within the system.

Strickland responded by saying NHTSA investigated the solder issue, otherwise known as "tin whiskers," and found the issue to cause no more than a jumpy throttle, a stance Toyota agrees with.

NHTSA head Strickland defends Toyota unintended acceleration probe originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Jul 2012 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gov't unsure on who can establish distracted driving laws

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

Turns out the federal government's attempts to create enforceable oversight of cellphone use in vehicles has hit a Swiftian snag: it seems there isn't a government agency specifically empowered with the authority to do so. The legislative boundaries of the Federal Communications Commission end at the phone itself, those of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration end at the vehicle itself. Neither is equipped to address how people combine the two while driving.

So, according to a report in Automotive News, what NHTSA honcho David Strickland wants is to have Congress bestow the authority on some agency to make such laws. For now, the recommendations NHTSA drafts are only just that - recommendations. Automakers aren't bound by them.

Not that it should or will stop Strickland's minions, but 37 states and our nation's capital already have laws - with teeth - addressing the use of phones while driving. If our time on the roads is any indication, those laws are almost universally ignored by police, and we can't see how a federal fiat would change that, but such laws are on the books. Strickland has testified in front of Congress on the matter, however, no one expects movement on it anytime soon.

Gov't unsure on who can establish distracted driving laws originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 May 2012 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA working with automakers to accelerate vehicle-to-vehicle communication

Jeff Sabatini — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:45:00 EST

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

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration head-honcho David Strickland is big on emerging vehicle-to-vehicle communication, according to The Detroit Free Press. As a keynote speaker at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit this week, Strickland lauded the technology, saying it could eliminate up to 80 percent of crashes.

We've recently heard General Motors speaking enthusiastically about creating a network effect on the roadways, using portable devices like smartphones to share information about traffic conditions and what's going on in nearby vehicles to alert drivers and even pedestrians and cyclists. GM has been talking about vehicle-to-vehicle communications for a few years now, incorporating the idea into its EN-V concepts like the one pictured above, "cars" that promise a future in which autonomous driving is a reality.

More immediately, Strickland said NHTSA will be "finalizing a rule to improve rear visibility in passenger vehicles," and that the agency is "beyond proof of concept" for a system to prevent an intoxicated person from driving, according to the report.

NHTSA working with automakers to accelerate vehicle-to-vehicle communication originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA wants to issue larger fines for safety and recall infractions

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

Toyota made all kinds of news during its recall woes, with one headline item being the record-breaking $32.4 million civil penalty it paid to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The charge was levied by NHTSA because it considered Toyota tardy in announcing its recalls, and was almost twice the additionally record-setting $16.4 million fine that Toyota paid to address the recall itself. According to a report in Reuters, though, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland believes that such fines aren't strong enough deterrents for automakers.

Currently the maximum fine the NHTSA can levy per infraction is $17 million. Due to last year's climate catastrophes, Toyota's profit for its 2011-2012 fiscal year is expected to drop 42 percent from the year before, but this month the company issued a projection of ¥200 billion ($2.5 billion U.S.) for operating profit. Having to pay government fines is never ideal, but Toyota's total fine of $48.4 million, when compared to $2.5 billion, probably made the public stoning far more painful than writing that check.

Carmakers are said to be doing more, and doing it more quickly, when it comes to investigating and announcing recalls. Still, Strickland wants the maximum civil penalty raised by almost a factor of 15, to $250 million per infraction. The language to do so has been included in a transportation bill approved by the Senate, but a House version omits that provision. Republicans - and automakers - have no interest in seeing it added, but unless he's just rattling the cage to keep the heat up, this probably won't be Strickland's last effort to get a bigger bat.

NHTSA wants to issue larger fines for safety and recall infractions originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM CEO Akerson asked to testify at Volt hearing

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Safety, Chevrolet

It's a safe wager that no one expected the report of the Chevrolet Volt fire after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash test to turn into a Congressional dressing-down. The short story: NHTSA crash-tested a Volt in May, that car caught fire in June while in storage, and NHTSA alerted the public about the fire in November. Certain politicians have wondered if politics played a part in waiting until November to report the fire, and now a House panel is holding a hearing called "Volt Vehicle Fire: What did NHTSA know and when did they know it?" to find out.

According to The Detroit News, the proceedings have now drawn General Motors CEO Dan Akerson into its maw, Akerson agreeing to testify before the panel next week. Akerson's name hasn't come up so far as a Person of Interest, so it looks like the panel is looking to anyone who might have reason to know anything about what has been called "the silence."

NHTSA has already said, in response to questioning, that the White House had nothing to do with the timeline and we can't imagine that the NHTSA was taking its orders from Akerson. The group of pols headed by California Republican Darrell Issa believes that NHTSA has not adequately addressed the panel's concerns, so agency chief David Strickland will be there alongside Akerson to answer questions.

GM CEO Akerson asked to testify at Volt hearing originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: NHTSA chief looking to augment safety arm's powers

Zach Bowman — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety

Thanks to the barrage of Toyota recalls in recent months, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has its eyes on more power. According to The Detroit News, David Strickland (pictured), who heads up the government safety agency, recently met with the Senate Commerce Committee to discuss his agency's need for the ability to order immediate recalls, halt production or stop the importation of vehicles that pose an imminent and significant safety risk. The House of Representatives has already drafted a bill that would give NHTSA those powers. Meanwhile, the Senate has created a new auto safety bill that Strickland believes falls short of giving his agency the power it needs.

Even if Congress awards NHTSA a greater reach, the majority of recalls would still fall squarely on automaker shoulders. The move would simply allow the government to respond more quickly if a manufacturer drags its heels during the recall process.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: NHTSA chief looking to augment safety arm's powers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 May 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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