Articles by Tom Krisher

AP Auto Writer

Driver in Suspicious Texas Tesla Crash Apparently Moved to Rear Seat

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board apparently have solved the mystery of why no one was found behind the steering wheel of a Tesla that crashed in a Texas two years ago, killing two men. The agency said in …

Most Small SUVs Flunk Updated Insurance Industry Crash Tests

Most small SUVs flunked the latest frontal crash tests done by the insurance industry, but oddly enough, they’re just as safe as they were before. That’s because the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety updated the test so it places more …

Studies Find Automatic Braking Can Cut Crashes Over 40%

Two new U.S. studies show that automatic emergency braking can cut the number of rear-end automobile crashes in half, and reduce pickup truck crashes by more than 40%. The studies released Tuesday, one by a government-auto industry partnership and the …

Thieves Key on Hack That Leaves Hyundai, Kia Cars Vulnerable

Some Hyundai and Kia cars and SUVs are missing a “key” anti-theft device, and thieves know. An insurance industry group says these cars are stolen at nearly twice the rate of the rest of the auto industry because their keys …

U.S. Agency Probes Tesla Crashes That Killed 2 Motorcyclists

Two crashes involving Teslas apparently running on Autopilot are drawing scrutiny from federal regulators and point to a potential new hazard on U.S. freeways: The partially automated vehicles may not stop for motorcycles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent …

New NHTSA Chief: Agency to Scrutinize Auto-Driver Technology

The new head of the government’s road safety agency says it will intensify efforts to understand the risks posed by automated vehicle technology, so it can decide what regulations may be necessary to protect drivers, passengers and pedestrians. In an …

Class Action Accuses 3 Automakers, Parts Maker of Selling Risky Air Bag Inflators

A class action lawsuit is accusing three automakers and a parts manufacturer of knowingly selling vehicles containing air bag inflators that are at risk of exploding. Two deaths and at least four injuries have been linked to such explosions. The …

SEC Claims Authority to Subpoena Elon Musk About Tweets

U.S. securities regulators say they have legal authority to subpoena Tesla and CEO Elon Musk about his tweets, and that Musk’s move to throw out a 2018 court agreement that his tweets be pre-approved is not valid. The Securities and …

Study: SUVs, Pickups Hit Pedestrians More Often Than Cars Do

Drivers of bigger vehicles such as pickup trucks and SUVs are more likely to hit pedestrians while making turns than drivers of cars, according to a new study. The research released Thursday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety points …

Biden’s Supreme Court Nominee Defies Expectations on Employer-Employee Cases

Labor unions and worker advocates have applauded President Joe Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court. Yet a look back at Jackson’s decisions in cases involving business and labor suggest that she won’t always rule as …