Monday, May 25, 2015

A Toyota Camry landed on top of air-conditioning units at a Lauderhill apartment complex



Car lands on top of A/C units at Lauderhill apartments





A Toyota Camry landed on top of air-conditioning units at a Lauderhill apartment complex


Some Lauderhill apartment residents are looking for new ways to stay cool after a car crashed into their air conditioning units Wednesday morning.



No injuries were reported when a bronze 4-door Toyota Camry ended up on top of the exterior central air-conditioning units at the Newport at Lauderhill apartment complex.
 
The incident was reported shortly after 6:30 a.m. at 2051 NW 46 Avenue.


It left the car adjacent to several empty parking spaces and propped on top of the air conditioners outside some first-floor units at the complex. The vehicle was towed away shortly after 7:30 a.m.
 
What caused the driver to end up in such a position wasn't clear and the amount of damage to the air-conditioning equipment was not immediately available.


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/lauderhill/fl-lauderhill-car-apartment-building-20150520-story.html



Saturday, May 23, 2015

Senator Boxer: More Information on the Air Bag Recall




Honorable Senator Boxer:

Thank you for sharing additional information to protect consumers.
Tragically, this highlights the failures of many, including NHTSA.
Evidence indicates that Takata concealed the propellant failure and failed to take action.
Criminal prosecution would put these multi-national companies on notice to act responsibly.

















May 22, 2015
 
This week we learned the shocking news that nearly 34 million air bags made by the Takata Corporation are being recalled nationwide because of a dangerous defect that has caused at least six deaths and more than 100 injuries.
 
Dozens of models of vehicles from automakers including Honda, BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Saab, Subaru and Toyota dating back to the 2001 model year have been affected.
 
While automakers are required to send you a recall notice if your vehicle is under recall, I encourage anyone concerned that their vehicle might be affected to go to the Transportation Department's safety recall website. By entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), you can find out if your vehicle is subject to the Takata air bag recall or any other safety recalls.
 
You can also visit the automakers' recall websites to determine if your vehicle is affected. For more information on how automakers are responding and to visit their recall websites, please click here.


Sincerely,



Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Takata, the Cover-Up, the Recall, NHTSA's Failures













Takata air bag recall becomes biggest ever in U.S.

Senate Commerce Committee member Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. displays the parts and function of a defective airbag made by Takata of Japan on Nov. 20, 2014. (AP Photo)
Senate Commerce Committee member Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. displays the parts and function of a defective airbag made by Takata of Japan on Nov. 20, 2014. (AP Photo)
 
 
AP
Air bag maker Takata Corp. has agreed to declare 33.8 million of its inflator mechanisms defective, effectively doubling the number of cars and trucks that have been recalled in the U.S. so far.

The announcement was made Tuesday afternoon by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which reached an agreement with Takata after sparring with the company for the past year over the size of the recalls and the cause of the problem with millions of air bags. It will be the largest recall in the agency's history.

Many of Takata's air bags can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and sending shrapnel into the passenger compartment. The air bags are responsible for six deaths worldwide and more than 100 injuries.

Ten automakers, including Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp., have recalled 17 million vehicles in the U.S. and more than 36 million worldwide because of the problem. Those numbers will grow by millions because of the agreement, but it's unclear which manufacturers will be most affected by the expanded recalls.

Automakers must conduct recalls even if they are for defective parts.

The Takata recall dwarfs last year's highly publicized recall of 2.6 million General Motors small cars for defective ignition switches.

Rosekind also said motorists should continue driving their cars, but also look online to see if a car's VIN number falls under the recall list. If it does, an individual must immediately take their car to their original dealership to get a replacement airbag. They can check their car's VIN online at www.safercar.gov.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, May 16, 2015

TOYOTA RECALLS







Please click on the following NHTSA Campaign ID links to view the recall information.


NHTSA Campaign ID Number :15V240
Manufacturer :Gulf States Toyota, Inc.
Make / Model Years :TOYOTA / 2015
Subject : Reuse of Trim Panel Clip may Allow Panel to Detach
Thank you,
Recalls Subscription Team
Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)



close RECALL Subject : Reuse of Trim Panel Clip may Allow Panel to Detach

Friday, May 15, 2015

TOYOTA RECALL





You are receiving this message because you have requested to be notified if there is a safety recall regarding Vehicles from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Please click on the following NHTSA Campaign ID links to view the recall information.

NHTSA Campaign ID Number :15V285
Manufacturer :Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Make / Model Years :TOYOTA / 2003-2004
Subject : Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture
Thank you,
Recalls Subscription Team
Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)



RECALL Subject : Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture





TOYOTA RECALL






Please click on the following NHTSA Campaign ID links to view the recall information.


NHTSA Campaign ID Number :15V284
Manufacturer :Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Make / Model Years :TOYOTA / 2004-2005
Subject : Driver Side Frontal Air Bag May Rupture
Thank you,
Recalls Subscription Team
Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)



RECALL Subject : Driver Side Frontal Air Bag May Rupture

TOYOTA RECALL





NHTSA Campaign ID Number :15V286
Manufacturer :Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Make / Model Years :LEXUS / 2005-2007
PONTIAC / 2005-2007
TOYOTA / 2005-2007
Subject : Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture
Thank you,
Recalls Subscription Team
Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)


RECALL Subject : Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture

Report Receipt Date: MAY 13, 2015
NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V286000
Component(s): AIR BAGS
Potential Number of Units Affected: 300,000

All Products Associated with this Recall expand

Details close

2 Associated Documents expand

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Lexus and Prius crash injures bicyclist




Bicyclist taken to the hospital after being hit by a car in San Francisco

GM ignition toll reaches 100




GM ignition toll reaches 100

'Grim milestone' shows need for carmakers, government to act promptly to correct flaws, congresswoman says
 
 
By The Associated Press
Posted May. 12, 2015


DETROIT – The death toll from faulty ignition switches in small cars made by General Motors has reached 100.

The families of the victims are being offered compensation by Attorney Kenneth Feinberg, who was hired by GM last year. In addition, GM has agreed to make offers to 184 people who were injured in crashes caused by the switches in older-model cars such as the Chevrolet Cobalt.

GM recalled 2.6 million of the cars last year, but acknowledged it knew about problems with the switches for more than a decade.

Through much of last year, the company had blamed the switches for 13 deaths but conceded the toll would rise. During a Congressional hearing in June, Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., said the death toll could rise to 100 based on lawsuits and media reports.

The "grim milestone" revives concerns about automakers quickly sharing information with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and for the agency to analyze data and promptly take action, DeGette said in a statement. "As we have seen with the problems with GM's ignition switches, these failures can compound and bring tragic consequences for far too many innocent people," she said.

The switches can slip out of the "on" position, causing the cars to stall, disabling some important safety features.

Feinberg has said each validated death claim would start at $1 million and rise depending on the circumstances of the crash. The company, he said, would pay claims regardless of whether the victims contributed to the cause of the crash.

Feinberg's compensation fund received 4,342 claims by the Jan. 31 deadline, and about 14 percent of those are still under review. A total of 1,759 have been deemed ineligible, and another 1,633 were deficient or turned in without documentation.

GM paid $200 million to settle claims filed with Feinberg as of March 31, according to its quarterly report. The company set aside $550 million to pay claims and says that number could rise to $600 million. Feinberg says there is no cap on the total amount of money he can pay out.

So far, Feinberg has made 193 compensation offers and 140 have been accepted. Five have been rejected, leaving 48 outstanding, according to Camille Biros, deputy administrator of the compensation program for Feinberg. She said their goal is to finish making all compensation offers by mid-summer.


http://www.capecodtimes.com/article/20150512/NEWS/150519880/101017/BIZ






Driverless cars get into four accidents...or is it 11?



Y'all can't get cars to work properly....and DRIVERLESS?




Why the secrecy?


Driverless cars get into four accidents


  • Four of the nearly 50 self-driving cars now rolling around California have gotten into accidents since September, when the state began issuing permits for companies to test them on public roads.



  • A row of Google self-driving Lexus cars is shown last month at an event outside the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, Calif. Of the nearly 50 self-driving cars rolling around California roads and highways, four have gotten into accidents since September. Eric Risberg/The Associated Press

    By Justin Pritchard
    The Associated Press
    Posted May. 12, 2015 at 2:00 AM


    LOS ANGELES – Four of the nearly 50 self-driving cars now rolling around California have gotten into accidents since September, when the state began issuing permits for companies to test them on public roads.

    Two accidents happened while the cars were in control; in the other two, the person who still must be behind the wheel was driving, a person familiar with the accident reports told The Associated Press.

    Three involved Lexus SUVs that Google Inc. outfitted with sensors and computing power in its aggressive effort to develop "autonomous driving," a goal the tech giant shares with traditional automakers. The parts supplier Delphi Automotive had the other accident with one of its two test vehicles.

    Google and Delphi said their cars were not at fault in any accidents, which the companies said were minor.

    Since September, any accident must be reported to the state Department of Motor Vehicles. The agency said there have been four, but would not comment about fault or anything else, citing California law that collision reports are confidential.

    The person familiar with the accident reports said the cars were in self-driving mode in two of the four accidents, all of which involved speeds of less than 10 mph. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the reports publicly.

    Five other companies have testing permits. In response to questions from the AP, all said they had no accidents. In all, 48 cars are licensed to test on public roads.

    The fact that neither the companies nor the state have revealed the accidents troubles some who say the public should have information to monitor the rollout of technology that its own developers acknowledge is imperfect.

    John Simpson, a longtime critic of Google as privacy project director of the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog, pointed out that the company's ultimate goal is a car without a steering wheel or pedals. That would mean a person has no power to intervene if a car lost control, making it "even more important that the details of any accidents be made public – so people know what the heck's going on."

    A chief selling point for self-driving cars is safety. Their cameras, radar and laser sensors give them a far more detailed understanding of their surroundings than humans have. Their reaction times also should be faster. Cars could be programmed to adjust if they sense a crash coming – move a few feet, tighten the seat belts, honk the horn or flash the lights in hope of alerting a distracted driver.

    A higher priority so far is teaching them to avoid causing a serious accident that could set public and political acceptance of the technology back years, said Raj Rajkumar, a pioneer of the technology with Carnegie Mellon University.

    In the October accident involving Delphi, the front of its 2014 Audi SQ5 was moderately damaged when, as it waited to make a left turn, another car broadsided it, according to an accident report the company shared with AP. The car was not in self-driving mode, Delphi spokeswoman Kristen Kinley said.

    Google, which has 23 Lexus SUVs, would not discuss its three accidents in detail.

    The accidents are not Google's first: In a briefing with reporters a year ago, the leader of Google's self-driving car program acknowledged three others between when the company first sent cars onto public roads six years ago – without the state's official permission – and May 2014.

    In a written statement, Google said that since September, cars driving on streets near its headquarters in Mountain View had "a handful of minor fender-benders, light damage, no injuries, so far caused by human error and inattention."

    Google said that while safety is paramount some accidents can be expected, given that its cars have gone "the equivalent of over 15 years of typical human driving" since fall. That would be approximately 140,000 miles. Google said its cars have gone over 700,000 miles in self-driving mode since they first hit the road in 2009.

    The national rate for reported "property-damage-only crashes" is about 0.3 per 100,000 miles driven, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

    In that context, Google's three in about 140,000 miles may seem high. As the company pointed out, however, perhaps 5 million minor accidents are not reported to authorities each year, so it is hard to gauge how typical Google's experience is.

    Curious to make the excuse that minor accidents go unreported....


    Three other states have passed laws welcoming self-driving cars onto their roads. Regulators in Nevada, Michigan and Florida said they were not aware of any accidents.

    As self-driving cars proliferate, other issues will arise that human drivers have dealt with for decades, notably who's liable for an accident. Each test car is required to have $5 million insurance.

    Interest in accidents will remain high, especially if the self-driving car is at fault, said Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina who has written extensively on the technology.

    "For a lot of reasons," Smith said, "more might be expected of these test vehicles and of the companies that are deploying them and the drivers that are supervising them than we might expect of a 17-year-old driver in a 10-year-old car."



    http://www.capecodtimes.com/article/20150512/NEWS/150519881/101017/BIZ




    Google acknowledges 11 accidents with its self-driving cars



    Thursday, May 7, 2015

    TOYOTA crashes through fence



    2 images 
                  
    A car crashed through the front of the Loudoun Courthouse fence and into a tree Tuesday morning. There were no injuries and the official cause of the crash is currently unknown.


    Car crashes through Loudoun courthouse fence -- again

    Updated
     
    Four months after a driver crashed into the Loudoun County Courthouse's front steps, another drove through the courthouse square fence and struck a tree today.
    The driver of a Toyota sedan was driving eastbound on West Market Street this morning when she took a right turn onto North King Street. The car accelerated through the fenced-in area before slamming into a tree about 10 feet inside the courthouse lawn.
     
    Law enforcement officers surrounded the area today just before noon, along with the woman who was driving the car and a passenger. They did not appear to be injured, and no pedestrians were injured.
     

    Tuesday, May 5, 2015

    Toyota Prius crashes into restaurant






    Denver Police responded to the 1500 block of South

    Denver Police responded to the 1500 block of South

    Driver hits Denver restaurant