Articles by David Shepardson

Vehicle Recalls in U.S. Fell in 2017 After 3 Years of Record High Levels

U.S. motor vehicle recalls fell to 30.7 million in 2017, the lowest level since 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Thursday, after a record 53 million were recalled in 2016 when a callback linked to deadly airbags …

Automakers, Tech Firms Urge Congress to Speed Up Autonomous Vehicles

Major automakers on Monday joined forces with tech companies and a variety of interest groups to urge the U.S. Senate to take up, before the end of May, a stalled bill aimed at speeding the deployment and testing of self-driving …

U.S. Wants Public Input on Rules for Driverless Vehicles, Trains

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said on Thursday that regulators will seek public input on rules for self-driving commercial vehicles and trains, as the administration grapples with how to regulate their expected future use. At a speech in Washington, Chao …

Two-Thirds of Commuter Trains May Miss Braking Technology Deadline

As many as two-thirds of the 29 U.S. commuter railroads may not meet a deadline to install an anti-crash technology by the end of the year, according to a report by a government watchdog seen by Reuters. The report by …

U.S. Issues ‘Quiet’ Car Sound Rule with Extended Deadline

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Monday finalized rules that will require “quiet cars” like electric vehicles and hybrids to emit alert sounds to warn pedestrians of their approach, extending to 2020 the deadline for full compliance. The long-delayed rules, …

Takata, 44 States Reach Settlement Over Defective Air Bags

Takata Corp.’s U.S. unit agreed Thursday to settle a probe by 44 state attorneys general into claims it concealed a deadly safety defect with air bag inflators. TK Holdings Inc., which is in bankruptcy reorganization proceedings, agreed in the settlement …

‘Public Is Tired of Excuses’ for Delays in Anti-Crash Tech: Republican Chairman

The chair of a congressional committee on Thursday urged U.S. railroads and transit agencies to meet a looming deadline to install an anti-crash technology called positive train control after a series of recent crashes. “I think the American public is …

Trump Administration Plans Autonomous Vehicles Regulatory Summit

Auto manufacturers, technology companies, road safety advocates and policy makers will attend a March 1 conference over potential government actions that could speed the rollout of autonomous cars, the U.S. Transportation Department said on Friday. Last month, Transportation Secretary Elaine …

U.S. Safety Board Blames Two NYC-Area Commuter Crashes on Sleep Disorders

A U.S. investigative agency said on Tuesday that two New York City area commuter train crashes were the result of engineers with undiagnosed sleep disorders. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) criticized the lack of safety systems in both crashes …

Senate Committee Hopes to Restart Bill to Ease Entry of Driverless Cars

The chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Tuesday said he is pursuing different strategies to win approval this year of landmark self-driving car legislation that could make it easier for automakers to get thousands of cars on the …