Category: Automotive
Takata pleads guilty over momentous air bag scandal and have agreed to pay $1 billion in fines.
It seems the Takata airbag scandal is finally drawing to a close as the auto parts manufacturer, Takata Corp, has pleaded guilty to fraud in hiding the dangerous defect.
Based in Japan, the company found themselves in hot water as 16 deaths were connected to lethal Takata airbags that exploded inside car cabins. Whilst the majority of the fatalities were in the U.S., Takata airbags are used worldwide.
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$3.4 billion (£2.6 billion) settlement agreement for Toyota’s rusty truck frames
On the 26th April a federal judge signed off on a $3.4 billion (£2.6 billion) deal to settle a massive action against Toyota. The settlement agreement was pushed forward by the vehicle owners’ lawyers who were led by Blood Hurst & O’Readon LLP and Barnow and Associates PC.
The federal judge approved of the settlement agreement to resolve claims of dangerous rust-prone truck frames. The judge didn’t adjust the settlement offer or the fee request, and at a separate hearing in Los Angeles, U.S. District Judge Fernando Olgiun said he would approve the lawyers’ fees and the final approval of the settlement.
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The U.S. NHTSA clears Tesla of responsibility behind fatal crash; but does not protect the company from future lawsuits
Last year, former Navy SEAL and Tesla Model S enthusiast, Joshua Brown, died whilst driving a Tesla vehicle on auto-pilot mode.
Perhaps assuming that the “self-driving” vehicle would live up to its name, Brown did not swerve or apply his brakes during the 7 seconds leading up to his collision into the back of a truck. Due to the speed the vehicle was travelling at, Brown tragically died on impact.
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Over 48,000 Mercedes-Benz SUVs recalled to fix dangerous airbag defect.
Several Mercedes-Benz models have been recalled due to a defect in their airbags. A failure in calibration has reportedly led to a software flaw that doesn’t always deploy airbags when needed.
Regulators investigating the matter noted:
“The front passenger seat Occupant Classification System (OCS) calibration may be incorrect, and as a result, the system can incorrectly classify the occupant as a child seat, deactivating the front passenger air bag.”
Tesla to roll out 2nd Generation of Self-Driving technology – “Should we be worried?”
Tesla will be slowly rolling out a second generation of self-driving technology for cars. Ever since their auto-pilot system was involved in an accident resulting in a fatality last year, this updated technology is set to be cautiously and slowly marketed.
But with the problematic history for self-drive cars – something Tesla have been at the heart of – the big question is this: should we be worried about these new self-driving cars, and will they ever be truly safe?
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General Motors company to pay $1 million for lack of communication with accountants
General Motors is set to pay $1 million in civil penalty fines for not notifying accountants of a proposed recall.
Back in Spring of 2012, the company were aware of a potential safety recall, but reportedly failed to let accountants know. This failure prevented accountants from assessing the financial impact the recall may have, including any potential losses. This information was allegedly kept from accountants for around 18 months, though it is unclear whether this was intentional or an expensive oversight.
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Regulators reportedly find no evidence of defect in Tesla car involved in fatal Autopilot crash
Regulators have concluded their investigations into Tesla Model S cars, which was prompted by the death of a man named Joshua Brown in May of 2016. The driver was using the self-drive autopilot system when he collided with a truck.
The Regulators report apparently blames human error rather than the unfamiliar new technology…
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Nissan recalls over 150,000 vehicles over potentially deadly airbags.
Nissan has recalled a total of 152,554 vehicles after reports of defective airbag inflators causing injury and death. The airbag inflators may rupture: exploding and shooting metal fragments into the cabin of the car; potentially causing substantial harm.
This defect is susceptible to rupturing for a number of reasons:
- Propellant degradation;
- Long term exposure to absolutely humidity;
- Exposure to temperature cycling (quickly going from one temperature extreme to the other).
VW’s fines and penalties hailed as strong deterrent
Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has hailed fines and penalties inflicted upon the VW Group as a great success for deterring further cheating from other automakers.
According to Reuters, Christopher Grundler, director of EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality, in a meeting with automotive engineers commented on the effectiveness of the fines and penalties. He said, “It gets everybody’s attention”.
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Takata to plead guilty for the airbag defect scandal
Major auto part maker Takata is set to plead guilty and pay a $1 billion settlement in a plea agreement over an airbag fault scandal.
It has been called one of the “largest and most complex safety recall” cases in history, with defects linked to 16 deaths worldwide, and a further 100 injuries reported.
The airbag’s defect can lead to a sudden explosion, shooting sharp metal fragments into the cars cabin. A safety device that’s intended to save lives has ended up costing them instead.
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Land Rovers and Jaguars rolling away while parked reportedly causing injuries
According to automotive regulators, some Land Rover SUVs and Jaguar XF sedans have been reported to cause injuries after the vehicles rolled away while parked.
Seven reports were received of rollaway vehicles for the following models: year 2012-2014 Land Rover Evoque sport-utility vehicles; and 2013 Jaguar XF sedan vehicles.
It’s thought that approximately 39,000 vehicles could be affected by the problem though, which is a lot of potential accidents waiting to happen…
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Why have affected Honda Odyssey minivan owners had to wait six years for a remedy?
Honda have been in the firing line following their reportedly lax attitude in recalling defective minivans.
Vehicle owners have reported that their minivans’ second row seats are unstable. The second-row seats have a lever that allows the seats to slide forward so that passengers can access the third row.
The Japanese automakers state that the release lever may remain unlocked due to a manufacturing fault of the spring, which allows the second-row seats to move spontaneously – also known as free-sliding.
In the event of a crash, an unlocked seat could jolt second-row passengers forward, which could cause disastrous injuries; which is rather worrying…
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