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Android Auto Quick Facts Our phones add a lot to our lives: They connect us to the people we love, the hobbies we enjoy, the politics we hate-watch, and the work we need to do. In the same way, our cars add a lot to our lives. They give us the freedom to see and do more than we could ever hope without them. But put the two together, and you create something dangerous. Safety First According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving kills more than 3,000 Americans every year. Safety experts used to advocate for…
Tesla is recalling 362,758 electric cars equipped with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) driver-assist system because the system could cause crashes. Despite the name, Full Self-Driving does not enable autonomous driving. Based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall documents, the system, which is still considered by Tesla to be in the “Beta” development stage, can in certain circumstances behave in ways that would be unacceptable for human drivers. After analysis and testing, the NHTSA found that the Autosteer on City Streets function of the system “led to an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety based on insufficient adherence…
An updated 2024 Buick Encore GX subcompact crossover will be introduced for the 2024 model year, and it will sport fresh styling, a more high-tech cabin, and a new upmarket Avenir model. The Encore GX arrived for the 2020 model year as a slightly larger alternative to the Encore, a crossover that’s also in the subcompact segment. It was among the first vehicles based on a platform from General Motors’ VSS family, specifically the VSS-F for small, front-wheel-drive vehicles. It’s proven a hit, becoming Buick’s most popular vehicle in North America quickly after launch, and the latest updates should only…
A few months ago, we wrote that the final production units of the Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae represented the end of the reign of the naturally aspirated V12 in Sant’Agata Bolognese, and the last Aventador Ultimae meant the end of an NA V12 Aventador. Seems we were mistaken. Lamborghini now tells us these two one-offs are the proper and (maybe) final end of the NA V12. Created for a customer who worked with Lamborghini Centro Stile from inception, the duo are the Invencible (the Spanish spelling of “Invincible”) coupe and Auténtica roadster. They’re not only farewells, they are greatest-hits compilations said…
Nine million EVs and hybrids are potentially under scrutiny because of one petition questioning their safety. A group of automakers stands by California and its EV mandate in court. And New Jersey is the latest state to sign on to these tighter rules. This and more, here at DriftBreath Reports. On Wednesday, the U.S. DOT and the Biden administration laid out requirements for the hardware, and charging network interfaces, for companies looking to claim federal funds on the buildout of the $7.5 billion federal EV charging network. Among many key contributing pieces: Tesla will open up some of its network—for…
Recent actions in two states have solidified a bloc of EV support throughout most of the East Coast. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Wednesday announced plans to adopt California’s 2035 end date for new internal-combustion cars aside from plug-in hybrids. This was codified in one of three executive orders signed by Murphy Wednesday, which outline policies that include 100% clean-energy use by 2035, and greater energy efficiency in the state’s building sector. “These bold targets and carefully crafted initiatives signal our unequivocal commitment to swift and concrete climate action today,” Murphy said in a statement. 2023 Jaguar I-Pace The…
BMW and French automotive supplier Valeo are expanding their partnership in the area of self-driving technology to cover automated parking systems that can be used in both private and public parking garages. The two companies already entered into an agreement last summer to use some of Valeo’s self-driving technology on BMW’s upcoming Neue Klasse family of electric vehicles, including a central computer, sensors, and software for automated low-speed maneuvering. The two companies this week said they will also work together to develop an automated parking system ranked at Level 4 on the SAE scale of self-driving technology. Level 4 means…
Seven automakers on Monday filed a brief in a federal court case challenging California’s ability to set tougher emissions standards—siding with California. The case—Ohio v. EPA—is pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington. It was brought by 17 Republican-led states looking to revoke California’s Clean Air Act waiver, which allows the state to set emissions standards higher than federal standards for itself and any states wishing to adopt them. Petitioners now opposing California rules are the states of Ohio, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.…
Hyundai appears to be readying a radical redesign for the Santa Fe, as evidenced by a prototype recently spotted in the wild. The Santa Fe is Hyundai’s oldest SUV nameplate and the current fourth-generation model is a top seller for the brand, with almost 120,000 sold in the U.S. alone in 2022. The prototype points to a much boxier design for the new generation of the five-seat mid-size SUV, which should arrive later this year as a 2024 model. The new Santa Fe is expected to be more of a heavy update of the outgoing model than a ground-up redesign.…
Quick Facts About Mufflers Many drivers like cars with big engines that make a lot of noise when accelerating. However, sometimes your vehicle being loud can be a problem, meaning something is wrong with the muffler. If your car is louder than usual or you hear weird sounds coming from beneath your vehicle, you will need to get your muffler checked. Keep reading to know when you have a muffler problem and what to do about it. What Is a Muffler? A muffler is a metal canister, usually oval or cylindrical in shape, under your vehicle near the rear. Connecting…