There have been many safety recalls in the news the last few years with issues ranging from airbags to ignition switches. Some of these incidents, sadly, were determined to be fatal; Stay in the know and check out some of the latest recalls on some popular car models:
Tesla Model X built prior to March 26th
Tesla is willingly sending out a recall of 2700 Model X vehicles because the possibility exists that the third row latch may not work if involved in certain types of accidents. The cars being recalled were the ones manufactured before March 26th. While it seems that, thankfully, no accidents have been reported, the seat backs need to be replaced in order to avoid a safety issue. If the locking hinge malfunctions, it could have potential to push the seat forward in a frontal crash. After performing a crash test and becoming aware of the issue, it’s great to see a recall happen before it becomes an accident. This doesn’t seem to have the potential to negatively impact sales. Also, it wasn’t too long ago that Tesla announced the Model 3. With a price tag starting at $35,000 and a range of 215 miles on a single charge, get ready to line up around the block for that one.
Semi-autonomous Technology
While auto manufacturers may not be thrilled with the notion that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is all for regulating self-driving vehicles, at least those consumers who are highly interested in these types of car can rest a bit easier.
Optical sensors such as lidar pick up ques from its surroundings; however, these sensors don’t always have the capability to read between the lines. Moreover, they don’t necessarily have the ability to adapt to changing circumstances like the weather for example. Talk about putting it to the test, though, as Ford performed a test with its Ford Fusion Hybrid in order to test out its autonomous driving capabilities. Imagine driving in the dead of night, in the middle of the desert, with no lights on. That’s what Ford put its research vehicle through recently in an effort to put its virtual driving software to the test; and it passed with flying colors.
Millions of Recalls Yet on The Road
Even though there have been plenty of unfortunate stories about recalls over the past years, sadly there are still high numbers of recalls still on the road – high numbers in the millions. With older, used cars it may be difficult to get in touch with the appropriate owner in order to advise them of a recall. While regulators and lawmakers are exploring new ways to ensure every driver’s safety, there are still millions of cars on the road that may have recalls on them without the driver knowing. For more information on the subject: check out the link here:
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/millions-recalled-cars-roam-road-risking-passengers-lives-n553221
Takata in the news again
Unfortunately, another incident with an airbag deploying and killing its driver occurred recently in Houston. Even more unfortunate, it was a 17-year-old girl. Not only do drivers have to be concerned with other drivers on the road, there’s a major concern about the safety of one’s own vehicle, as well. How sad that something intended to save a life is taking lives instead. For a more comprehensive look at recalls in detail, check out the link here: http://blog.caranddriver.com/massive-takata-airbag-recall-everything-you-need-to-know-including-full-list-of-affected-vehicles/#list
