Tag Archives: Administration

Motorsport

Automakers Must Cut CO2 Emissions in Half by 2032

This morning, the Biden Administration introduced the finalization of long-awaited new emissions guidelines—and so they’re powerful, however not as strict because the EPA initially proposed.

The new guidelines require roughly 50 % cuts to greenhouse fuel (GHG) emissions for passenger automobiles and vans by 2032. There are additionally drastic cuts for high quality particulates that trigger smog. This is much less drastic than the EPA’s initial proposal last year, which might have required sooner preliminary adjustments by automakers in 2027 and cuts of as much as 67 % to CO2 emissions by 2032.

Despite the slight leisure within the ultimate rule, it is going to undoubtedly change what dealerships promote within the coming a long time. The EPA wished two-thirds of recent automotive gross sales to be electrical by 2032 in its preliminary proposal, which automakers and unions alike decried as unimaginable. The fundamental automaker trade group referred to as the preliminary plans “neither reasonable nor achievable” and inspired the Biden Administration to melt the necessities considerably. The ultimate proposal revealed immediately largely meets their requests, which purpose nearer towards Biden’s authentic objectives of fifty % plug-in and electrical car gross sales by 2030. 

Officially, the brand new guidelines are implementation-agnostic, and automakers can nonetheless promote any drivetrains they need so long as they meet the emissions targets. Meeting the brand new emissions targets will nearly actually require hybrid and EV gross sales to surpass the present proportion of EV new automotive gross sales at 7.6 %. The EPA initiatives a variety someplace from 30 to 56 percent of new cars as EVs by 2032 with the ultimate rule, relying on how automakers determine to implement it.

While the ultimate guidelines have happy automakers, it leaves Biden’s political opponents dissatisfied. Former President and present presidential candidate Donald Trump has repeatedly and harshly criticized Biden for his environmental and EV policy. Oil corporations have additionally expressed dissatisfaction with the EPA’s plans, calling them a de facto ban on gas cars, and the state of Texas is currently suing the EPA, difficult its authority to manage auto emissions in any respect.

The president additionally face challenges from the left, as practically 100 US lawmakers signed a statement encouraging Biden to finalize the more durable guidelines, somewhat than softening them for the sake of the auto trade.

The guidelines have been made stricter previously (in the course of the Obama administration) solely to be reverted (by the Trump administration) after which re-instated (by the Biden administration). The end result of the 2024 presidential election subsequently will possible dictate whether or not the brand new rule will even final lengthy sufficient to be carried out.

News

Lunaz Applied Technology: bin lorry electrifier enters administration

Commercial car electrification agency Lunaz Applied Technologies (LAT) has entered administration, with the lack of round 40 jobs.

Autocar understands the three-year-old agency, based in 2021 as an offshoot of traditional automobile electrification specialist Lunaz, has folded after failing to acquire the required funding to start manufacturing of its electrical bin lorry, dubbed the Lunaz Upcycled Electric Vehicle.

However, Lunaz retains the mental property regarding its HGV electrification course of and plans to restart the programme when the market setting is extra hospitable.

The electromodding division – identified for its zero-emission reworkings of traditional Bentleys, Jaguars and Range Rovers – stays in operation and is known to be unaffected by the transfer.

A spokesperson informed Autocar: “The Lunaz Group is presently restructuring its enterprise to rescope timelines for the beginning of manufacturing for business car merchandise. This means the enterprise entity Lunaz Applied Technologies has stopped operations.

“This choice rebalances enterprise focus to passenger vehicles, which stay in manufacturing, with order books open for [Lunaz’s] 5 engineered EV platforms.

“It is meant that engineered business car platforms will start manufacturing at a later date, in response to confirmed and anticipated delays on the legislative requirement for fleets to transition to zero-emissions autos.

“This restructure will ensure demand for passenger vehicles can be met while ensuring commercial vehicles can be produced once market conditions drive demand.”

LAT deliberate to finally be changing 1100 diesel-engined industrial autos to electrical drivetrains annually, “to meet surging demand for electrified vehicles in the run-up to the 2030 [now 2035] ban on the sale of fossil-fuelled vehicles”.

Last yr, it agreed to provide waste administration firm Biffa with 10 Upcycled Electric Vehicles, in a deal that it stated would save as much as 210 tonnes in embedded carbon.

It then agreed a provide take care of Buckinghamshire Council, with plans to ship the primary lorry final autumn.

Motorsport

NHTSA Investigating 250,000 Hondas Over Unintended Auto Emergency Braking

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) just lately launched an investigation into sure Honda Insights and Passports following a number of complaints of phantom braking incidents. The group is presently searching for extra info relating to attainable unintended activation of the brakes.

The investigation, launched March 7, focuses on Insights and Passports constructed from 2019 by way of 2022. A doc from the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) states that 46 complaints have been obtained relating to the system, alleging the brakes had been utilized unexpectedly with no clear obstruction to set them off. Of these situations, three resulted in both a crash or fireplace, and two resulted in reported accidents. The doc lists an estimate of 250,712 autos as a part of the investigation.


Motorsport

Ford Is The Most Recalled Brand In America For 2023 And It’s Not Even Close

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) by means of December 20, Ford has issued 54 recollects probably affecting 5,692,135 autos in 2023, probably the most of any automaker. This yr marks the third yr in a row Ford has held the highest spot for recollects within the United States. 

Going strictly by autos affected, Ford had almost twice as many as second-place Kia at 3 million, the majority of which got here by means of a single recall for leaking brake fluid resulting in a fireplace threat. If you go by whole recollects, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles USA was second to Ford with 45, affecting 2.7 million vehicles. BMW had 29 recollects, Mercedes-Benz had 27, and Nissan rounds out the highest 5 for automakers at 22.


Motorsport

NHTSA Wants Your Opinions On Its Proposed Anti-Drunk Driving Tech

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration continues its effort to require new autos to function anti-drunk driving expertise. The federal company printed its preliminary report on such a mandate this week, laying out the challenges dealing with its implementation. NHTSA can also be asking for the general public to supply suggestions on the difficulty as a result of it’s nonetheless an open query about how new autos will monitor for impaired drivers.

The company is curious to be taught if the general public will settle for the potential for false positives that might forestall sober drivers from working a car. Even if the system is 99.9 % correct, that might nonetheless quantity to one million false positives a day, which can be arduous for the general public to swallow.

It additionally desires to know the way the federal government ought to educate the general public about privateness issues with the expertise. More sensors imply extra knowledge assortment and defending that data will seemingly be important to gaining shopper acceptance.

The report additionally raises issues that Level 2 driver-assistance options may masks frequent drunk-driving behaviors, like swerving or holding an inconsistent pace. NHTSA can also be involved that the system’s sensors won’t be capable of function in all situations, like heavy climate, poor street markings, or different inconveniences.

The European Union tried to mandate a similar interlock device on new autos that was supposed to enter impact in 2022. However, the bloc watered down the provisions, not requiring the system for all automobiles.

This alternative is among the few probabilities the general public has to affect future public coverage. The street to a world the place the automotive decides for those who’re match to drive continues to be lengthy, nevertheless it’ll solely grow to be simpler to implement such monitoring programs as expertise advances.

Congress handed laws requiring the adoption of the expertise by November 2024, however automakers and regulators appear unlikely to satisfy that deadline. The Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety advised The Washington Post that the group goals to have a working drunk-driver detector by the top of 2025. Automakers must determine how one can set up it in new automobiles even because the company notes the system may enhance prices and complexity, which can seemingly get handed on to the patron. 

You can go away a touch upon the proposal at regulations.gov by trying to find the docket quantity, NHTSA-2022-0079, and following the directions as soon as it’s been printed to the federal register. The public may also mail or fax their feedback to the US Department of Transportation.

Motorsport

NHTSA “Catastrophic Engine Failure” Probe Expanded To 700K Fords, Lincolns

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a detailed investigation in June 2022 into the Ford Bronco following three petitions filed earlier that year. The investigation initially focused on alleged valve defects in selected Bronco models. However, the NHTSA has now expanded its inquiry to include over 700,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles.

The initial investigation looked into over 25,000 2021 Broncos equipped with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine. This was prompted by 26 complaints regarding a potential loss of power at highway speeds without the ability to restart. The NHTSA attributed this power loss to “catastrophic engine failures” resulting from the failure of engine valves.

Last week, the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation elevated the investigation to the engineering analysis stage after Ford provided evidence including 328 customer complaints, 487 warranty claims, and 809 engine exchanges. These cases involved 2021-22 Ford Bronco, Edge, Explorer, and F-150 vehicles, as well as 2021-22 Lincoln Aviator and Nautilus models, all equipped with either the 2.7-liter or 3.0-liter EcoBoost engines. It is important to note that despite these concerns, there have been no reports of injuries, accidents, or fatalities associated with this issue.

In a document, the NHTSA stated, “During the investigation, multiple contributing factors were identified, which can lead to the fracturing of the intake valves in the subject engines. Ford acknowledged that a fractured intake valve can result in catastrophic engine failure and a loss of power, and noted that after a valve fracture, a vehicle typically requires a full engine replacement.” A Ford spokesperson told Automotive News that the company is working with the NHTSA to support the investigation.

Motorsport

Watch The Audi Q8 Receive its Five-Star NHTSA Side-Impact Safety Rating

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducts crash tests to assess the safety of vehicles during collisions. These tests are performed on all vehicles sold in the US, including cars, trucks, and SUVs. Based on their performance in these tests, vehicles are assigned star ratings. A five-star rating, like the one achieved by the Audi Q8, indicates the highest level of safety.

A video posted on CarPro1993’s YouTube channel shows the NHTSA preparing to crash test the Q8, which is Audi’s premium two-row SUV based on the seven-passenger Q7. The NHTSA tapes black and yellow strips along the roof and doors to measure the impact intrusion on the passenger compartment. They use dummies of various sizes wearing brightly colored shirts and paint to evaluate the severity of the impact and the likelihood of injury.



 2023 Audi Q7 NHTSA Side Impact Test

Side-impact tests involve crashing a barrier directly into the side of a vehicle at its midpoint. This simulates a collision with another vehicle. In the case of the Audi Q8, the barrier strikes the driver’s side at a speed of 38.5 miles per hour, causing the left-hand side wheels to lift off the ground. As a result of the impact, the side curtain airbags deploy and the doors are pushed inward. Inside the vehicle, the dummies are initially pushed against the airbags before rebounding to the right.

After the crash, the Audi Q8 displays moderate damage. The B-pillar absorbs most of the impact, and the doors are visibly deformed. However, the SUV still appears drivable. The wheels remain intact and the windshield is undamaged. Although the side windows pop out of their frames, they do not shatter. Inside the vehicle, the door panels are distorted, but the airbags have successfully redirected much of the force away from the dummies.

According to the NHTSA’s website, the Audi Q8 has received a five-star safety rating for side-impact protection and an overall five-star safety rating. Additionally, it has been awarded a five-star rating for frontal impact and a four-star rating for rollover safety. Apart from these categories, the NHTSA has proposed stricter pedestrian safety tests, including standards for automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

Motorsport

Feds Investigating 1.1 Million Ram Trucks For Possible Steering Problem

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into potential problems with power steering that could befall Ram 1500 owners. Trucks from the 2013 model year through 2016 are now under investigation, and with the popularity of pickups in North America, it’s a large investigation. 1.1 million pickups are part of this federal probe that began on August 4.

What exactly is the issue with the Ram 1500? That’s what NHTSA hopes to uncover with its investigation, but owners are reporting either partial or total loss of power steering. The agency has 380 reports from owners thus far, with the most recent coming on August 7. It involved a 2014 Ram 1500 with 118,000 miles that lost power steering while towing a camper trailer. Other owners relay similar experiences, though fortunately, no injuries have been reported thus far. However, NHTSA does mention three accidents that could be related to the failures.


Motorsport

GM Warns Tougher NHTSA Fuel Regulations Could Have Costly Consequences for Automakers, Disagreement with Feds

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed a significant increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, particularly for light and commercial trucks. General Motors (GM) had initially claimed that these stringent fuel economy standards could result in $300 billion in fines for automakers. However, GM appears to be less certain about this now. Let’s delve into the details.

Let’s first take a look at the proposal itself. You can read the entire 696-page proposal here, which was officially released by the NHTSA today. It is important to note that this is just a proposal and is not yet official. Once it is published in the Federal Register, there will be a 60-day open comment period. In a nutshell, the major highlights of the proposal include a 10 percent year-over-year fuel economy improvement for commercial pickup trucks and vans starting in 2030. This requirement applies to vehicles with gross weight ratings over 8,500 pounds but less than 14,001 pounds.


News

This Dodge Ram Do-Not-Drive Warning Shows The Takata Airbag Saga Isn’t Over

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), another death has been attributed to a faulty Takata airbag. This time, it involves the driver of a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck. As a result, a “Do Not Drive” order has been issued for owners of 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 vehicles that haven’t had their airbags fixed. The NHTSA states that 385,686 2003 Dodge Rams were already recalled in 2015, but as many as 84,000 have yet to be repaired.

Unfortunately, this warning for Ram trucks is just one in a long series of recalls related to Takata airbags. These recalls have affected millions of cars from various automotive brands and have been linked to 26 deaths. If your vehicle is part of the Takata recall and hasn’t been repaired, it’s crucial to get it fixed as soon as possible. The repair is free, and driving a vehicle with an unrepaired airbag could be a life-threatening risk.

How to check if your vehicle is affected

Last year, a driver of a 2006 Ford Ranger was killed when a Takata side airbag exploded. The NHTSA emphasizes that even minor accidents that wouldn’t normally trigger airbag deployment can result in a deadly malfunction, particularly in older cars. In a press release, NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson stated, “The older a defective Takata airbag inflator gets, the more dangerous it becomes. Please, get your airbag replaced now for your sake, and for the sake of those who love you.”

The Takata airbag recall has been ongoing for years, and the most recent reported death shows that it is still a concern. General Motors, one of the world’s largest truck manufacturers, had to recall over six million vehicles three years ago due to the same issue that Ram trucks are facing. Therefore, it is highly recommended to check if your vehicle is affected by the recall through the NHTSA’s website and schedule a repair at your car’s dealership.