If you absolutely can’t trust your kid to avoid texting while he’s driving the family car, the ORIGOsafe provides a brute-force way to keep them focused on the road. It’s a smartphone dock that prevents a vehicle from actually starting until a phone is inserted, ensuring the distraction remains out of sight. More »
Toyota has recalled a huge number of its popular FJ Cruiser SUVs – 310,000 to be exact. The recall was made due to a safety hazard posed by the driver and passenger seat belts, which could potentially fail due to how they are positioned in the vehicle. Most of the vehicles being recalled are in the US, but some of them are located elsewhere.
Toyota announced the recall in a press release, stating that the driver and front passenger seat belts are fixed to the rear doors, which have panels that aren’t strop enough to handle them. If the driver of an FJ Cruiser repeatedly closes the door “forcefully”, there’s a chance the panels may crack, resulting in a weak seat belt that may not hold up in the event of a crash or rough braking.
The FJ Cruisers being recalled including the latest 2013 model all the way down to the 2007 model-year. The majority of them – 209,000 – were sold in the United States, while a fairy hefty 52,000 were sold in the Middle East. The remaining SUVs were sold throughout China, Australia, Canada, Latin America, and Oceania.
Unfortunately, a solid method of correcting the problem has not been determined, with the manufacturer still considering its options. Once it decides on a repair method, owners of the affected models will be notified and can take the vehicle to the dealer for a cost-free repair. This follows other recalls Toyota has suffered, including one earlier this year where it recalled over 1 million vehicles due to problems with wipers and airbags.
[via NBC News]
Toyota recalls 310,000 FJ Cruisers due to seatbelt issue is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Crashes with big rig trucks are one of the worst crashes a driver can be in, especially if they happen to be in a low car that can underride the semi. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released a video showing that while the measures that have been taken to prevent compact cars from sliding under the truck in a rear-end crash are somewhat effective, more needs to be done to help keep drivers safe.
According to the IIHS, the majority of semis have underride guards installed, which are steel bars hanging below the rear of the vehicle’s trailer to stop a car from going underneath in the event of a rear-end crash. The minimum requirements for these guards, however, have been demonstrated as inadequate for keeping drivers safe, and because of this the IIHS petitioned the NHTSA back in 2011 to adopt harsher requirements.
Unfortunately, the NHTSA never responded to the request, but trailer manufacturers took the initiative anyway and began putting in guards above the minimum requirements. While this was an excellent measure on their part, a new rear-crash test performed by the IIHS, which you can see in the video above, has demonstrated that there are still safety concerns that need to be addressed – specifically, the guard’s inability to help keep drivers safe when there’s an overlap in the collision, meaning only part of the car hits the back of the semi’s trailer.
Says the IIHS, the 30-percent overlap is still within the range for the driver’s (or passenger’s, depending on the side) head to hit the back of the trailer if the vehicle underrides the semi, something that is sure to be fatal. As a result, the Institute has stated that while the stronger guards being used with trailers is a “good first step,” much more can be done to keep drivers safe and help reduce the number of deaths in these sort of collisions.
[via IIHS]
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety releases report on big-rig rear crashes is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Honda has ended up recalling 250,000 vehicles because a brake defect that would randomly and automatically apply pressure to the brakes for a split second when the driver began to apply the brakes. Honda said that the brake force applied would sometimes “exceed the driver’s intended input.”
Honda has received several complaints about the issue, but says that no accidents or injuries have been reported. Still though, Honda says that the malfunction could cause an accident or serious injury. One Honda owner even went as far as to start a petition with the NHTSA after she sent in a complaint to Honda with no recall to come of it.
After the organization reviewed the petition, Honda ended up announcing the recall. In the US, the recall affects 101,000 Honda Pilot vehicles, 60,000 Acura MDX vehicles, and 21,000 Acura RL vehicles from the 2005 model year, along with 800 Acura MDX vehicles from the 2006 model year. on a global scale, the recall could affect even more of these vehicles.
Specifically, the recall deals with the Vehicle Stability Assist, which is what Honda calls its electronic stability control system. Honda says that the malfunction is caused by an electrical capacitor being damaged during the manufacturing process, as well as an electrical ground bolt that may have not been tightened enough during assembly.
[via NY Times]
Honda recalls 250,000 vehicles over brake issue is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
While recalls aren’t an unfamiliar subject to automotive manufacturers, it’s a tad more of an issue when a recall rolls out for hot-off-the-machines models, which is the case Nissan and its luxury division Infiniti. The manufacturer has recalled five of its 2013 models due to a safety issue, according to the NHTSA.
The reason for the recall is a sensor that could be faulty which would result in the front passenger’s seat airbag not deploying when it is needed. Such an issue poses a potentially serious safety concern, and as a result the five affected models have been recalled. The number of vehicles that are being recalled is still being calculated.
The affected vehicles are comprised of the 2013 Nissan Altima sedan, the Nissan Sentra, the Nissan Pathfinder SUV, the 2013 Nissan Leaf EV, and the 2013 Infiniti division’s JX35 luxury SUV crossover. The information comes from data posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The faulty sensor’s discovery was made when Nissan observed airbag warning lights at one of its automotive plants, as well as warranty claims being made. The problem was traced back to the sensor’s supplier, which altered the process it uses to make the sensors. Those with the affected vehicles will begin receiving notifications in April.
[via USA Today]
Nissan and Infiniti recall five 2013 models is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
It was just a nice, winter’s day over at Concord, NC. This poor salesman, Steve, from Troutman Motors didn’t think much of it. Perhaps he’d make a few sales today, and then maybe he’d clock out around 5 and head home to his family. But no, Pepsi MAX and NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon had a different plan in mind for the guy. Pepsi MAX disguised Jeff Gordon up to look like just an innocent customer looking to find his next set of wheels, but in reality, he was going to instill the fear of death into poor, ol Steve.
Jeff Gordon received the full 9 yards for his disguise: facial hair, make-up, and a cheek mole. He also tried to appear as naive as possible to Steve. Pretending he didn’t know that you have to unlock cars to get inside them, having to adjust to the acceleration of the 2009 Camaro, and making a couple abrupt stops just to seal the deal. Once he had thoroughly convinced Steve that he was an amateur driver, he proceeded to scare the living crap out of him. Speeding around the Philip Morris manufacturing plant, swerving around other cars, making donuts around a light pole, all of which probably would’ve made Steve pee his pants.
Of course, this was all staged, because in reality this probably would’ve given poor, ol Steve a heart attack. This was all part of a promotion to create a viral video campaign for Pepsi MAX, and it worked, garnering over 1.8 million viewers. There were cameras placed on Jeff Gordon’s glasses, his Pepsi Max can, on the car, and all through the staging areas.
Brad Noffsinger, a racer at the Richard Petty Driving Experience, did some of the driving we saw on the video. This video was produced by “Gifted You”, a division that’s part of Will Ferrell’s Funny or Die company. There have been said to be 75 people employed to shoot this video. So while it may not be real, it’s very entertaining and everyone can agree that it’s full of awesome.
[via Business Insider]
NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon pranks a poor, unsuspecting car salesman is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Hitachi has unveiled its Ropits single passenger robot car, which looks like a Fisher Price Cozy Coupe for adults and does the driving all on its own. The name and style prompt one to think of a science fiction contraption, but it’s the vehicle’s autonomic functionality that truly brings the idea of “futuristic” to the forefront.
Ropits stands for Robot for Personal Intelligent Transport System, and was designed to aid those who find walking difficult. The idea is that Ropits vehicles could be outfitted in a city, for example, and hailed via a computer or kiosk of some sort positioned in various places around town. The robotic car will retrieve the passenger and whisk him or her away to their destination.
The tiny car achieves its autonomic functionality via a variety of navigation tools, including GPS, a gyro sensor, and laser sensors. The gyro will help the car remain stable on uneven roads, while the laser sensors will be used to judge distance from items. The GPS, obviously, will allow the passenger to tell Ropits where to go.
A quick glance at the vehicle could prompt concerns that it may be unstable with such a small base, but those concerns have been addressed by Hitachi, which designed the Ropits so that each wheel is controlled via what it calls active suspension, helping to keep things both stable and comfortable. What do you think of this little car? Let us know in the comments!
[via Japan Daily Press]
Hitachi introduces Ropits, a robotic single passenger car is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Hyundai is set to debut its 2014 Equus (also known as the Centennial) at the upcoming New York Auto Show. In preparation, the manufacturer has released two videos giving us a pretty solid glimpse of the car, the first one showing off its driving dynamics, and the second offering a look at its concept and design. We have both the videos after the jump.
The driving dynamics video is interesting enough, mostly providing a complete look at the Equus’s body, but also offering a few glimpses at its interior, where we see a concept animation of its instrument panel modes. There are close ups of the lights, windows, and other such aspects of the vehicle, all of it set to gentle piano music with the occasional flower petal fluttering by.
The second video featured below is its polar opposite, setting the scene with dramatic music that accompanies us throughout the car’s interior, where we’re given point-by-point looks at its different features, both external and internal (but mostly internal). Check out the video, then get a run down of its specifications below.
The Equus will be available in White Frost AT, Sterling Silver AU, Phantom Black AF, Hyper Metallic NY, Blue Baltico PUE, and Cona Black VB2. The vehicle features fully adaptive LED headlights, wrap-around LED rear lights, a card-type start key, a shift by wire transmission system, and there’s a 9.2-inch monitor in the center console. Perhaps its most alluring feature, however, is the full thin-film transistor LCD cluster, which changes styles based on the driving mode.
We’ll have more details when the 2014 Equus makes it debut later this month.
[via AutoBlog]
Hyundai shows off 2014 Equus design in two videos is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
While most vehicles are equipped with computers that can provide diagnostic information to mechanics, the owners of the cars don’t usually have the resources to get that kind of information for themselves. However, a new Bluetooth dongle that attaches to your car’s onboard diagnostics (OBD) port allows you send diagnostic information about your car to your iPhone.
The little device is called the Automatic Link, and it’s available for pre-order right now for $80. The accessory will tell you why your “check engine” light is on, and it also can give you tons of trip information, including your gas mileage, your driving style, and can even tell you where you parked your car.
Since the device plugs into the OBD port, it’ll only work on vehicles that were built from 1996 and onward, so those with classic vehicles won’t be able to take advantage of the new tool. Automatic can give you personalized feedback on your driving style with a weekly drive score that’s based on a scale from 0-100. The score is based on how well you manage fuel efficiency and safety, and the app will give you tips on how to increase fuel efficiency.
The device will even alert emergency services with your location if you ever get into an accident. The app can even contact any of your significant others to let them know that you got into an accident and that emergency services are on the way. The dongle communicates with your iPhone through Bluetooth. Automatic Link will start shipping in May.
Automatic Link sends car diagnostics to your iPhone is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
A British luxury car rental company is looking to make a bigger name for itself by creating what could be the world’s first Lamborghini Aventador stretch limo. For the moment Cars For Stars’ bold creation is only in the concept stages, but with a deep-pocketed sponsor the company is optimistic about making it a reality. More »
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