Category: Regulation

With 2023 right around the corner, states across the country will see new laws and regulations go on the books. In California, a new law will go into effect that bans Tesla from advertising their vehicles as “fully self-driving.” It’s a blanket law that affects every automaker looking to venture into the semi-automated driving technology space. It also applies to dealers and goes into effect on January 1.

California governor Gavin Newsom signed the legislation in September. It dictates that automakers must clearly describe the functions and limitations of any partial driving automation technology on the vehicle or added later through a software update. Tesla states on its website that its cars’ “Full Self-Driving” features require “active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous.” The crux of the bill that could affect Tesla is:

“(b) A manufacturer or dealer shall not name any partial driving automation feature, or describe any partial driving automation feature in marketing materials, using language that implies or would otherwise lead a reasonable person to believe, that the feature allows the vehicle to function as an autonomous vehicle, as defined in Section 38750, or otherwise has functionality not actually included in the feature. A violation of this subdivision shall be considered a misleading advertisement for the purposes of Section 11713.” 

California Senate Bill No. 1398

While California had existing laws that regulated truly autonomous vehicles – vehicles without physical controls or a human monitor. However, the law did not apply to the litany of crash-avoidance technologies like lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot assistance, and others. These technologies enhance the driving experience and make it safer, but they don’t make a car fully self-driving.

Claims of deceptive marketing have plagued Tesla for several years. Adding to the confusion are the various names automakers use for similar technologies and functions that aren’t always easy to decipher. Cars are more complex than ever, with massive amounts of new features that should be made clear to the buyer before they hit the road with the rest of us. Knowing a technology’s limitations is vital to operate it safely.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality put its stamp of approval on rules that effectively ban the sale of new cars, SUVs, and light-duty pickups with combustion-powered engines, be it gasoline or diesel. Called Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC), the rules require all new-vehicle sales in Oregon to be 100 percent electric by 2035, though there are some exceptions.

Plug-in hybrid vehicle sales will be allowed, though there isn’t a clear mention of criteria regarding electric-only range. ACC II also makes specific mention of light-duty trucks, but doesn’t address heavy-duty models like the Ford Super Duty, Silverado HD, or Ram HD pickups. The ruling doesn’t affect combustion-powered vehicles already in use, nor does it prohibit the sale of used cars with gas or diesel engines. Additionally, ACC II prevents in-state sales, but not purchases or vehicle registrations. In theory, a buyer could go out of state to buy a new car without issue.

While the 100-percent-electric mandate doesn’t activate until 2035, ACC II goes into effect immediately with various requirements for manufacturers to meet in the coming years. According to a report from Oregon Live, the first phase drops in 2026 requiring zero-emission vehicle sales of 35 percent. The report also states automakers are required to make EVs more accessible to lower-income households and communities of color.

ACC II passed the Environmental Quality Commission in a 3-1 vote on December 19. Of approximately 700 comments on the issue received by the Commission, 500 were reportedly in favor of the action.

“With today’s adoption of the ACC II Rule, all those living in Oregon will benefit from the cleaner air and improved public health outcomes achieved by reducing pollution from transportation,” said DEQ Interim Director Leah Feldon. “This is especially true for low-income and underrepresented communities across the state who live closest to roadways and have been most often impacted by poor air quality.”

In August 2022, California approved a ruling to stop combustion-powered vehicle sales by 2035. Numerous US states are now considering similar measures.

Federal regulators are eyeing autonomous vehicles with suspicion more than ever. In 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into Tesla’s autonomous driving system (ADS). Now, the agency is looking into General Motors’ Cruise vehicles equipped with ADS after receiving reports that they were becoming immobilized during operation and engaging in hard braking.

NHTSA’s Office of Defects and Investigation is opening a Preliminary Evaluation to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem. The agency received three reports of Cruise vehicles slamming on the brakes, resulting in each one being rear-ended. The three were operating with an onboard human supervisor at the time of the crashes. NHTSA notes that the incidents resulted in two injuries.

NHTSA is uncertain of the number of incidents where the Cruise vehicles became immobilized. However, the agency said it has received “multiple” ones where the vehicles were operating without onboard human supervision. They originated from discussions with Cruise, media reports, and local authorities like the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the San Francisco Transportation Authority.

Cruise told Reuters that its vehicles had traveled nearly 700,000 miles autonomously without any life-threatening injuries or fatalities. It also said it would continue to cooperate with NHTSA.

When NHTSA opened its investigation into Tesla, it looked at 11 crashes involving the brand’s EV and at least one stationary first responder vehicle. The crashes resulted in 17 injuries and one death, most occurring after dark.

Autonomous driving systems are not perfect, and there are still issues to iron out before the technology goes mainstream. Ambitious promises of the tech haven’t been met, even though automakers like Volkswagen believe that autonomous cars could be mainstream by 2030. Even though NHTSA is investigating the company, GM’s robotaxi division has plans to expand in 2023. It is looking at places like Austin and Phoenix to enter. Currently, the company operates around 30 Chevrolet Bolt taxis.

Whether you like it or not, trends are part of our lives as part of our right to express ourselves. These trends give us an idea of what works for many people in terms of fashion, music, buying patterns, and even how to reveal the gender of your upcoming offspring to your family and friends.

But as with any activity, that right to express stops whenever we step on other people’s rights. In this case in Australia, it’s a question of legality and safety.

A car used in doing burnouts for a “gender reveal” party has been recently destroyed by the Queensland Police. In September, a Holder Commodore was filmed while doing burnouts, producing a thick blue smoke signifying that a baby boy is on the way.

The driver of the car was nabbed by the police for a “life-endangering offense” with his car. Apart from the car being destroyed, the driver was also sentenced to prison and was disqualified from getting behind the wheel for four years.

“The burnout was so significant that you couldn’t see the road in any direction for about 100 meters,” Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus said in a statement.

“If you tear up the road, we’ll tear up your car – it’s that simple,” said Mark Ryan, Minister for Police and Corrective Services and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services.

The activity was used to send a strong message to “hoons” in the Land Down Under. The car was used by the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) for their road crash rescue training. It was destroyed on the steps of Queensland’s Parliament House, simulating a process that needs to be done to free up passengers trapped inside a car.

“Firefighters attend thousands of road crash incidents each year, with many of those requiring the use of specialist cutting equipment to free people,” said QFES Commissioner Greg Leach said.

“While firefighters expand their knowledge with every incident they attend, our crews would much rather practice their skills on a vehicle in a simulated and controlled scenario than on the road in real life.”

The New Jersey Department of Transportation’s plan to liven up commutes with cutesy road sign messages has ended. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has ordered the state to stop posting its creative safety messages to its 215 digital alert signs located throughout the state.

The department began posting creative messages in October to get drivers’ attention about various road safety measures. New Jersey DOT’s press manager Stephen Schapiro told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the FHWA instructed the department to cease posting the creative safety messages. FHWA reps did not explain to the publication why it told the state to stop; however, the federal agency said that it was aware of the signs and reached out to the DOT.

The creative safety messages include bangers like:

• “We’ll be blunt – don’t drive high.”
• “Hold onto your butts – help prevent forest fires.”
• “Nice car – did it come with a turn signal?”
• “Get your head out of your apps.”
• “Hocus pocus, drive with focus.”

States around the country are combating an increase in crashes, and New Jersey isn’t the only one getting creative as a way to reach drivers. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Utah, Delaware, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and others have all published similarly creative messages to their digital alert signs.

Last year, traffic deaths rose to a 16-year high, with an estimated 42,915 people dying in motor vehicle traffic crashes last year, a 10.5 percent increase over 2021. Traffic deaths in 2022 were slightly up through the year’s first half, but evidence suggests they are beginning to decline for the first time since 2020. Vehicle fatalities in New Jersey are up 11 to 618 compared to 2021.

In a prophetic tweet last month, the New Jersey DOT asked drivers to stop taking pictures of the creative signs. “It’s very dangerous and defeats the message we’re trying to drive home,” the agency tweeted. The post included a meme of a cat sitting at a car’s steering wheel with a displeased look. The meme threateningly told drivers that the old messages would return if they didn’t stop. The federal government decided to step in, though.

The United States Department of Justice stopped a massive, multi-state catalytic converter theft ring. The agency indicted 21 people across five states and sought the forfeiture of over $545 million in assets.

The federal grand jury in the Eastern District of California has a 40-count indictment against nine people for crimes like conspiracy to transport stolen catalytic converters and conspiracy to commit money laundering. A group in Sacramento was allegedly buying stolen catalytic converters from local thieves. These folks then shipped them to the company DG Auto in New Jersey and made over $38 million from the scheme.

The DOJ indictment includes people from DG Auto. The company allegedly knowingly bought stolen catalytic converters and took them apart to extract the precious metal powders inside. It then sold this material to a refinery and made over $545 million in the process.

“Last year approximately 1,600 catalytic converters were reportedly stolen in California each month, and California accounts for 37% of all catalytic converter theft claims nationwide. I am proud to announce that we have indicted nine people who are at the core of catalytic theft in our community and nationwide,” said US Attorney for the Eastern District of California Phillip A. Talbert.

Separately, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Oklahoma brought a 40-count indictment against 13 people for conspiracy to receive stolen catalytic converters and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Their alleged crime was similar to the group in California by buying stolen catalytic converters and selling them to DG Auto.

One person in the indictment allegedly made over $13 million. Another reportedly received over $45 million, and a third purportedly got $6 million.

A portion of catalytic converters contains valuable precious metals like palladium, platinum, and rhodium. For example, palladium trades at $1,901 an ounce, and platinum is $984 as of this writing. Rhodium is $13,990 an ounce.

According to the DOJ, thieves can receive over $1,000 each for a stolen catalytic converter. Plus, a person can take them in less than a minute. The result is a quick, lucrative crime. Catalytic converters generally don’t have a vehicle’s VIN number or other identifying information, making stolen examples hard to track.

According to previous reports (and the source of the lead image above), thieves preferred certain models over others. Heavy-duty pickups like the Ford Super Duty trucks were popular because their catalytic converters were larger, therefore containing more material. The Toyota Prius was also a target because its catalytic converters were often in better condition due to the hybrid powertrain.

If you live in California, you’ll probably be happy to learn you are now legally allowed to put a digital license plate on your car. This becomes possible after the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) approved the use of digital plates. This is the culmination of a process that started in California back in 2013, while digital plates have been allowed in limited numbers in the state since 2018.

This new step granted by the passage of the Motor Vehicle Digital Number Plates bill (AB-984) increases the number of vehicles allowed to use digital plates dramatically. Until now, only 0.5 percent of California’s vehicles were eligible (roughly 175,000 vehicles) but from now on, all 40 million vehicles registered for use in the state will be allowed to legally change their traditional registration plates with digital plates.

Tech firm Reviver is the only provider of digital plates for now and it says about 10,000 vehicles in California have already purchased digital plates. These early adopters were part of a pilot program with the California Highway Patrol evaluating the operational capability and functionality of three digital plates before the statewide implementation.

“Californians are known to be early adopters of emerging innovative technologies. We welcome new opportunities to automate and integrate as many parts of our lives as possible, enabling us to streamline mundane tasks and stay connected. Our cars are no exception,” Neville Boston, Reviver co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, comments. 

Reviver’s RPlate is much more than just a digital plate. The product enables vehicle owners to connect with their vehicles for visual personalization, vehicle location, and security services, including reporting a vehicle as stolen. There are two versions of the product – a battery-powered one with a subscription of $19.95 per month and a hard-wired one, which is currently only available to commercial businesses at $24.95 per month. 

California is not the only state where Reviver’s digital license plates are legal for commercial fleet vehicles. Michigan, Arizona, and Texas also allow fleet vehicles to use digital plates and more than 10 US states are currently in various stages of adoption.

France has an established reputation for being rather strict when it comes to speeding. In 2018, the country implemented privately operated speed camera cars driven not by law enforcement, but by outsourced individuals. Their use has spread since then, and in 2021 these anonymous cars caught more than half a million speeding motorists in France.

Catching that many speeders require many more motorists to be monitored. According to The Connexion, 6.65 million vehicles underwent speed checks, resulting in over 500,000 fines totaling €76 million for 2021. That’s a hefty number, but it’s just 10 percent of the total fines issued for high-speed driving offenses in the country last year.

The actual cars are still government property, but the drivers are employed by a private company and as such, they don’t pull people over. Cameras and infrared tech are used to monitor traffic while the driver travels a predetermined route. The system does all the work, “flashing” a car that is speeding and logging the info for the fine. There’s no indication when vehicles are flashed or cited, and no information is given to the camera car driver. In this case, the person behind the wheel is essentially just driving an unmarked, anonymous speed camera.

Private companies stepping into the realm of law enforcement has long been a controversial subject, especially when money is involved. In this instance, The Connexion explains that drivers and companies are not paid based on citations issued, but on miles traveled and there is a specific limit. Each driver has a route to follow, and they are required to maintain normal speeds during their shift. In theory, this discourages baiting other motorists to speed by slowing down. Camera car drivers can get a hefty fine of their own if caught deliberately speeding up or slowing down to futz with other motorists.

The camera cars are also limited to a maximum of €194,000 in fines per car in one year. However, 450 are presently in use throughout the country, which means the French government allows up to €87.3 million in annual speeding fines to be generated by private companies.

New York is the third US state to announce a ban on new gas-powered cars by 2035. California enacted similar legislation earlier this year. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has directed various state agencies to change the necessary laws and regulations to ban the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles. 

“With sustained state and federal investments, our actions are incentivizing New Yorkers, local governments, and businesses to make the transition to electric vehicles,” Hochul said during a ceremony commemorating National Drive Electric Week. “We’re driving New York’s transition to clean transportation forward, and today’s announcement will benefit our climate and the health of our communities for generations to come.” 

The proposal lays out the state’s plan to increase the sale of zero-emission vehicles, including EVs, over the next 13 years. The state wants ZEVs to account for 35 percent of new-car sales by 2026, 68 percent by 2030, and 100 percent by 2035.

Hochul also noted that the new regulations would come with new pollution rules for passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles with an internal combustion engine. The new pollution guidelines would take effect in 2026 and continue through the 2034 model year. According to the state, these regulations give automakers flexibility during the transition to ZEVs.

New York’s proposal closely mimics that of California’s benchmarks, which also calls for 35 percent of new vehicle sales to be ZEVs by 2026. However, there is one difference. California’s proposal sets rules for 2028, which calls for ZEVs to account for 51 percent of sales.

The state’s proposal is part of its broader plan to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050. The state also made $5.75 million available to municipalities to help facilitate the purchase or lease of ZEVs and to install public EV chargers.

New York is just the latest governing body to seek a ban on the sale of new ICE vehicles. The European Union earlier this year agreed to a 2035 ban on new gas and diesel car sales. Washington has an aggressive plan to ban such vehicles by 2030. Countries that also plan to prohibit these products include Canada, Japan, Costa Rica, and many more.

Pictured is NY Governor Kathy Hochul behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Bolt EV. 

The legal battle between Mahindra and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles over the off-road-only Roxor isn’t finished just yet. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Ohio has said a previous court was incorrect in its reasoning for not blocking the sale of redesigned Roxor models after 2020.

The initial ruling was in favor of FCA’s claim that India-based Mahindra copied classic Jeep styling for its Roxor. The not-street-legal off-roader launched in 2018 looking very much like an old Willys Jeep, and FCA took legal action just months later. Mahindra fired back, claiming it had permission from Chrysler to build the Roxor and that the automaker approved its similar-yet-different grille design. It was a legal battle that Mahindra ultimately lost in late 2019. That led to a redesigned grille for the Roxor, which relaunched in 2020 sporting a new face.

FCA wanted all Roxor sales blocked, but the initial court decision didn’t apply to the updated model. The ruling was that a typical person wouldn’t think the refreshed Roxor looked like a Jeep, so it was free and clear for sale. The updated Roxor eliminated the long grille with vertical slats in favor of a wide grille with a series of oval openings. The front fenders were also modified, but now it seems the refreshed Roxor is guilty by association.

14 Photos

According to the appeals court, the ruling should have considered Mahindra’s previous run-ins with infringement cases and held the company to a higher standard. In this instance, it suggests the Roxor’s overall design still infringes upon FCA’s Jeep. The basic body is square, lacks doors, and features a rounded hood. It rides on a very short wheelbase as well, so there is still some resemblance to the old Jeeper.

The case now goes back to court for reconsideration, giving FCA one more opportunity to close the door on all Roxor sales in the States.

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