Category: Regulation

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined General Motors and Stellantis $363 million for not meeting Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, according to documents seen by Reuters.

Specifically, NHTSA penalized Stellantis for $235.5 million for vehicles from the 2018 and 2019 model years. Motor1.com reached out to the automaker for a comment on this situation:

“This reflects past performance recorded before the formation of Stellantis, and is not indicative of the Company’s direction. Stellantis is investing $35 billion to develop electrified vehicles and related software to accommodate a global product offensive that includes the launch of 25 U.S.-market BEVs by 2030. Further, we are aspiring to a carbon-neutral future with our commitment to carbon net-zero status by 2038,” a spokesperson said.

The EVs coming from Stellantis include the Ram 1500 Rev pickup and Dodge Charger Daytona muscle car.

NHTSA hit GM with a $128.2 million fine for models from the 2016 and 2017 model years. Motor1.com also reached out to the company for a comment, and we received the following statement:

“General Motors is committed to a zero-emissions, all-electric future and has charted a path to eliminate tailpipe emissions from new light-duty vehicles by 2035. 

“As we work towards the goal of zero-emissions future, we may use a combination of credits from prior model years, expected credits from future model years, credits obtained from other manufacturers, and payment of civil penalties to comply with increasingly stringent CAFE regulations, a spokesperson said.

Reuters did not list the specific vehicles that earned the automaker the fines for either company.

GM also has big plans for adding more EVs to its lineup. The company has supply deals to have raw materials to build 5 million electric models between 2022 and 2030. The new products include three additional offerings from Cadillac. Chevy is launching the Silverado EV, Blazer EV, and Equinox EV.

This was the first time in three years that NHTSA collected fuel economy fines, Reuters reported. GM had never needed to pay them before. Stellantis previously shelled out $156.5 million for vehicles from the 2016 and 2017 model years.

The Corporate Average Fuel Economy penalty for the 2019 to 2021 model years is $14 for every 0.1 mile per gallon off of the mandated figure, and that’s multiplied by the amount of those vehicles the company sold. The fine rises to $15 for 2022 products.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing standard-issue automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems for most new vehicles sold in the United States. If approved, the measure would take effect within three years of being finalized. It would require automakers to include the system on new light trucks and passenger cars weighing less than 10,000 pounds.

The proposal was announced on May 31 as part of NHTSA’s National Roadway Safety Strategy, launched in early 2022 to examine the increase in traffic deaths. The agency estimates that a minimum of 340 lives could be saved each year if the proposal is approved, with injury accidents reduced by 24,000. NHTSA also states there would be a marked decrease in property damage as a result of mandatory AEB systems.

“We’ve seen the benefits of the AEB system in some passenger vehicles already even at lower speeds, and we want to expand the use of the technology to save even more lives,” said NHTSA Chief Counsel Ann Carlson. “That’s why our proposed rule would require all cars to be able to stop and avoid contact with a vehicle in front of them up to 62 miles per hour. And the proposal would require pedestrian AEB, including requiring that AEB recognize and avoid pedestrians at night.”

There is data to support the NHTSA’s position. A recent study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that rear-end collisions dropped 43 percent on pickup trucks equipped with AEB. Injuries were 42 percent lower, and serious injuries in rear-end collisions were 77 percent lower. However, it’s important to note the study focused only on pickup trucks.

A potential downside to the added tech – also revealed in a study by the IIHS – could be increased repair costs and difficulty getting the systems to work properly following a collision. Cameras and sensors used by modern driver assist systems can be finicky to calibrate, with the IIHS study mentioning some owners of repaired vehicles having recurring issues with the functionality of safety systems.

At this time, there’s no mention of when a final ruling on the proposal could take place.

Hyundai has donated four Santa Cruz pickups to the City of Santa Cruz, California. The vehicles, the largest donation to a city by Hyundai Motor America to date and valued at approximately $164,000, will serve in the city’s Marine Safety Division and help keep local beachgoers safe.

“These vehicles are going to be game-changing in terms of bolstering our current fleet of vehicles that are available not only for patrol, but for the emergency response for the water rescues we have all year round,” said Rob Oatey, Santa Cruz’s fire chief.

The Santa Cruz feature a unique safety livery with “Lifeguard” and “Santa Cruz Fire Dept.” on the doors. It also features load extenders for the roof rack, which should allow the truck to carry longer items like a boat or other safety equipment.

The Santa Cruz debuted two years ago, giving Hyundai a new compact truck offering that competes with the new Ford Maverick. The truck has a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder or a 2.5-liter turbocharged unit. The naturally aspirated mill makes 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, while the turbo one pumps out 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of twist. The only gearbox available is the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic.

“We are honored to help keep beachgoers safe in the City of Santa Cruz by supporting the City of Santa Cruz Marine Safety Division,” said Trevor Lai, senior manager of product planning at Hyundai Motor North America. He was at the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Fred Keeley and Nathan Nguyen, Santa Cruz’s mayor and public works director.

The compact truck segment isn’t that crowded at the moment, with Ford offering the only direct competitor. The Maverick also debuted for the 2022 model year, giving the Blue Oval a new offering to slot below the bigger Ranger. Toyota has toyed with offering a Maverick and Santa Cruz rival, but that remains speculative.

Santa Cruz sales were up in the year’s first quarter by 11 percent to just over 9,300 sales. The Maverick saw a similar sales increase during the same period, but it’s outselling the Santa Cruz, with Ford moving nearly 21,500 trucks by comparison. The additional publicity might help bump up Santa Cruz sales.

Getting slapped with a parking fine is something virtually every driver encounters at some point. In some areas, that may come in the form of a boot or clamp attached to the wheel, completely immobilizing the car until said fine is paid. That brings us to Boot Baby and Boot Sheisty – two women currently causing a stir in Atlanta by unlocking boots using keys that are perfectly legal. Of course, it’s not quite as simple as that.

They are the Boot Girls, and their story begins in April. According to NPR, Sheisty had her car booted by a private parking enforcement company while visiting Baby at an apartment complex. Instead of paying the company to remove the boot, she dialed up a friend who had a key. Ultimately, the ladies decided to buy a set of boot keys and now, they have something of a Robin Hood thing happening, though they do charge $50 to unlock a boot. Apparently, fees charged by enforcement companies are $75 or more.

By now, you’re likely wondering whether this is legal. A social media post from the City of Atlanta Police Department states owning keys to unlock parking boots is, in fact, perfectly legal. The gray area involves using the key, which Atlanta PD says could result in charges of Criminal Trespass, Theft of Service, Theft by Taking, or Damage to Property.

It’s important to note that this applies to private businesses using independent parking enforcement companies to monitor private property for vehicles violating rules established by the business. It’s a civil affair that, according to the Atlanta PD’s statement, they don’t get involved in unless “a criminal matter arises.” An attorney speaking to NPR disagrees with the police assessment, saying at most the boot removal could be an instance of trespass.

None of this has stopped the Boot Girls from offering their services. They are reportedly fielding around 40 calls per day to remove boots, and the attention they’re receiving is raising awareness regarding the practice of private companies booting cars. It’s actually prohibited in the state of Georgia, though local municipalities apparently have the ability to authorize it and Atlanta is one of those locations. New legislation proposed by state senators could see booting banned without exception starting next year, if it passes into law.

A bipartisan bill could force automakers to keep AM radio in their cars. As companies shift toward building battery-electric vehicles, more than just combustion engines are being left behind. Automakers big and small are ditching AM radio, but US lawmakers could have the final say in the technology’s future.

The proposed legislation would mandate automakers to include AM radio in their vehicles. It’d also bar them from putting the feature behind a paywall/subscription, forcing them to offer it for free. The “AM for Every Vehicle Act” would allow the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue regulations requiring the century-old technology in new vehicles.

Lawmakers are raising public safety concerns with automakers removing the feature. AM radio is one way local, state, and federal authorities can easily disseminate public safety information. However, the Associated Press reports that some automakers have claimed that the nature of electric vehicles can interfere with radio transmissions, causing static and noise.

AM radio is easily susceptible to interference, including from things like electrical equipment, other electronics, lightning, metal structures, and tall buildings. It works best outside large urban areas and places with fewer competing FM frequencies, like rural parts of the country where cellular services and internet connectivity are also limited.

There is opposition to the bill from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, reports the AP. The organization, which represents major carmakers, called the mandate unnecessary. The US can and does deliver emergency alerts through its Integrated Public Alerts and Warning System, disseminating them through AM and FM radio, cellular networks, satellite radio, and internet-based radio.

The new bill does open the possibility that AM radio could disappear with a proper replacement if it “is as reliable and resilient as AM broadcast stations” and can ensure that the President can reach at least 90 percent of the US population during a crisis. If passed, the law would direct the Government Accountability Office to investigate if there is an alternative communication option for delivering emergency alerts.

Car companies have started removing the technology, with Tesla, Ford, BMW, and Volkswagen already ditching it. It might not seem like AM radio is big, but according to the US Federal Communications Commission, there were over 4,500 AM radio stations in the country as of June 30, 2021. There were also 6,681 FM commercial stations and 4,214 FM educational ones.

Chevrolet has all kinds of updates happening with its SUV family. Today, we are treated to fresh spy photos of the forthcoming Tahoe, slated for a modest facelift as part of its mid-cycle refresh.

If this looks familiar, you likely saw our first Chevrolet Tahoe refresh post in March 2023. It also featured a white Tahoe with heavy black and white coverings on the front and rear, and it even had the same wheels, albeit with center caps missing. This isn’t the same test vehicle, however, as there’s a different number plate on the back. We can also see some fresh details, such as a better view of the split light configuration coming to the front. It should be similar to the recently refreshed Silverado but not identical, thus ensuring the Tahoe (and longer Suburban) maintains a distinctive appearance compared to the truck.

Sticking with the face, a white H pattern in the grille camo obscures the updated design, but we can see several horizontal bars with two prominent bars closer to the top. The outline of a Chevrolet Bow Tie badge is discernable in the center, and we believe the grille overall will grow larger. At the bottom, we can see a restyled lower fascia with a notch in the center.

Our previous Tahoe sighting revealed integrated rectangular exhaust outlets in the rear bumper, but they looked unfinished. We speculated it could be a placeholder fascia, but the outlets are back on this prototype. That all but confirms a significant change for at least the lower part of the Tahoe’s rear clip, and we can see new taillights as well.

Peering through the glass, we don’t have a clear look at the interior but we can see some covers sitting atop the dash. That suggests at least some design changes are planned, possibly relating to driver or center display screens. As for the powertrain, we’ve heard nothing with regard to updates so the current engine options will likely carry over.

There’s some question as to whether this will be a 2024 or 2025 model-year SUV. That depends on when it debuts, which should happen by the end of this year.

May 10 marked the date for the annual Volkswagen Group shareholders meeting, held in Berlin. An official press release from the automaker talks about increasing dividends and board member changes, but it’s the aggressive actions of protesters outside and inside the venue that captured global headlines. And yes, that includes someone throwing cake at VW Group Chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch.

Actually, Automotive News Europe states 80-year-old Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of Porsche SE, was the intended target. The video at the top of this article doesn’t show the moment of impact, but large chunks are seen hurling toward Poetsch during his speech. Photos show a mess of icing on the front of the large table near Porsche’s seat. Nobody was struck in the incident, and as you can imagine, security swiftly removed protesters from the building.

The cake-tosser wasn’t the only prominent protester in Berlin for the meeting, nor was this the only incident. The video shows several people being escorted outside. One woman reportedly removed her top to reveal the words dirty money on her back during a speech by VW Group CEO Oliver Blume. Meanwhile on the outside, the Associated Press reports climate protesters attempted to glue themselves to the ground, though that effort was thwarted by police. At this time, it’s unclear if the protesters are facing charges, or what those charges might be. Approximately 10 people were involved.

Protesters were calling out alleged labor issues relating to VW’s plant in Xinjiang, China. A UN Report from August 2022 expressed deep concern over possible human rights violations, including forced labor, in the region. China has refuted the UN Report, and Volkswagen found no evidence of forced labor at its Xinjiang plant during an inspection in February, according to Reuters.

This isn’t the first such incident against automakers in recent months. Several people glued themselves to Ferraris at the 2022 Paris Motor Show in October to protest climate change. In November, a BMW M1 Art Car painted by Andy Warhol was doused in flour, also in protest of alleged inaction over climate change.

There continues to be fallout from Volkswagen and Audi’s Dieselgate scandal. Former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler is set to confess his involvement in the affair to avoid serving a prison sentence. Prosecutors have agreed to the deal, according to Reuters.

Stadler was arrested in 2018 and has been on trial since 2020 for his role in the scandal. The confession, which Stadler’s lawyers said would be made on May 16, will help the former Audi boss avoid serving a 1.5-2-year sentence. However, he will be on the hook for payment of €1.1 million ($1.2 million at today’s exchange rates).

In September 2015, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced that VW had violated the Clean Air Act. It wasn’t until November 2016 that regulators discovered Audi engineers also employed a cheat device. The automakers had installed illegal software onto their diesel vehicles designed to circumvent emissions tests in America.

The scandal dinged its sales, falling from 500,000 in 2012 to 323,000 four years later in 2016. The automaker has been working on revamping its image in America, launching an ad campaign in 2019 to apologize for its actions while emphasizing its new future with electric vehicles.

In the wake of the Volkswagen scandal, government agencies took a closer look at other automakers. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (now Stellantis), and others were also caught cheating emission regulations. Stadler isn’t the only former Audi employee on trial, with former executive Wolfgang Hatz and an engineer also facing scrutiny. However, the two have confessed to manipulating engines. Stadler has previously rejected the allegations of his involvement.

VW Group’s actions eventually led to the company facing billions in fines in the US and other countries worldwide where it sold defective vehicles. Earlier this year, South Korea announced that Audi, along with Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen, would face a combined fine of 42.3 billion won ($31.9 million at today’s exchange rates) for colluding to cheat emissions standards.

There’s something endlessly fascinating about old maps. They provide a glimpse of the past showing how things changed. Highways become Interstates or are downgraded to state routes with abandoned alignments. It’s easy to get lost in history or spend hours tracing the lines of the roads that connected America. 

Perhaps that’s why the Wisconsin Department of Transportation made its entire archive of state highway maps available recently. Dating back to 1916, you can view the progress of each decade up to 2019. WisDOT scanned all of the maps, making them available to view or download, and published a review called “A Century-old Time Capsule Beyond Highway History.”

The first map from 1916 shows the principal roads of travel and cautions people to first check the routes before starting a journey in something like a Ford Model T or Dodge Touring. The map indicates the routes are “the best practicable and most commonly used” before saying that if anything is inaccurate, “corrections will be appreciated.”     

By 1926, the ambiguous nature of the routes was replaced by a map of Wisconsin’s State Trunk Highway System. Proclaiming, “It’s harder to get lost in WISCONSIN than to find the way in many states,” the map is invaluable if someone wants to drive their Buick Master Six from Janesville to Kenosha on paved or surfaced roads. Most of the routes followed the red lines of the 1916 map as roadbuilders improved the existing roads. 

Each decade shows measurable progress. The 1936 map shows US, state, and county highways along with common road signs and a table showing distances between cities and major towns. Maps in the 1940s include tourist destinations and local maps of cities like Milwaukee, Green Bay, or Sheboygan. 1950s maps added color, and by the 1960s, the Interstate Highway System connected Milwaukee and Madison to Chicago and Rockford, Illinois. 

Follow the maps from the 1960s to today to watch the Interstates creep north to Wausau, Superior, and north of Green Bay. The maps of this time period all have a consistent look, providing an easy familiarity with destinations even as incremental changes occur over the decades. One thing that hasn’t changed is people can still order an official folded Wisconsin State Highway Map and other travel guides. The current version dates to 2019, but the 2023 edition is being printed and will be ready this summer.    

Driving a Ferrari in Italy should be an item on the bucket list, and one American tourist tried to live that dream recently. It turned out to be costlier than expected, however.

The incident, which happened in one of Italy’s historic piazzas, highlighted the importance of following traffic regulations when visiting foreign countries. The 43-year-old tourist was driving a Swiss-registered Ferrari 488 Spider, which then found itself within Piazza della Signoria, a famous pedestrianized square in the historic center of Florence.

According to reports, the driver caught the attention of the authorities for driving in a “nonsensical” way along the adjacent Via dei Gondi street. He then parked in the tourist-riddled square near Uffizi Gallery, home to some of Italy’s most famous artworks.

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The police fined the tourist 470 euros or around $506 at the current exchange rates for parking in a pedestrian area, driving against the direction, and having a non-compliant foreign license.

The Municipality of Florence stated that the tourist had an American driving license that did not comply with international conventions and did not have an international driving permit or an official translation. 

This isn’t the first time that tourists have gotten themselves into trouble while driving in Italy’s historic hotspots. In January, a Californian tourist was fined 500 euros ($540) after driving a rented Fiat Panda across the pedestrianized Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence. Similarly, in May last year, a Saudi man was arrested for damaging a cultural monument after driving a rented Maserati down the Spanish Steps in Rome and fleeing the scene after the vehicle got stuck halfway.

These incidents also highlight the importance of respecting the local culture and traditions, especially in historic and pedestrianized areas. Tourists need to be aware of local rules and regulations before getting behind the wheel of a car or exploring a new area. It is also advisable to seek guidance from local tourism officials and follow their recommendations to ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip without any unpleasant surprises.