There Auto Be A Law

Center for Auto Safety
  • 4.5 (11)
  • Automotive
  • Updated Weekly

A discussion on auto safety issues and technological developments, in hopes of providing consumers and enthusiasts with a better understanding of modern vehicles, safety systems, and current issues in the auto industry.

  1. 1d ago

    Emergency! Robotaxis in the Way.

    Robotaxis rack up clashes with first responders in Austin, and the “training” offered is click-through PR. A critique argues autonomous-vehicle safety isn’t comparable to medicine because AVs lack rigorous independent certification, accountability, and transparency, and “edge cases” are really unsafe control failures. Tesla’s remote assistance reportedly drove a robotaxi into a stump, raising doubts about remote driving and camera-only sensing. DC debates highlight equity claims for blind riders alongside safety and exploitation risks Plus Recalls! Support Safety! https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/other/as-robotaxis-expand-in-austin-challenges-with-first-responders-highlight-limits-of-local-control/ar-AA28nqRbhttps://www.ghsa.org/resource-hub/waymo-first-responder-av-traininghttps://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/07/14/robotaxi-riders-falling-asleep/https://www.noemamag.com/why-we-demand-perfect-machines-yet-tolerate-human-carnage/https://electrek.co/2026/07/20/tesla-robotaxi-remote-operator-crash-houston/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/07/16/waymo-really-wants-operate-dc-does-dc-want-waymo/https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/uber-s-robotaxi-lobbying-effort-puts-it-on-a-collision-course-with-waymo/ar-AA27NXOMhttps://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/fhwa-removes-bike-lanes-speed-cameras-safety-measures-list/825538/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V441-0046.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V451-5134.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V452-5146.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26E044-9233.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V448-4416.pdf

    Emergency! Robotaxis in the Way.

  2. Jul 16

    Edge Cases with Phil Koopman

    Phil Koopman is back. Federal regulators warned autonomous vehicle operators to fix dangerous interactions with first responders and promised meetings and recall pressure, sparking debate over NHTSA’s limited tools and the need to preserve state enforcement of driving behavior. A deep dive reframed “edge cases” as situations vehicles aren’t trained to handle—often not rare and sometimes severe—arguing geofencing and databases aren’t foolproof, while remote assistance looks like a permanent crutch with its own failure modes. There’s also a bright congestion-pricing win in NYC for ambulance times, plus recalls for Kia Telluride fire risk, Honda Odyssey camera corrosion, and Ram 1500 headlamp flicker. Support Safety! https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/av-developers-automated-vehicle-that-cannot-safely-interact-first-responders-dangerhttps://philkoopman.substack.com/p/nhtsa-broadens-scope-of-acceptablehttps://avsafety.substack.com/p/edge-cases-and-the-long-tail-of-safetyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-junko-on-av-safety/id1894854190https://waymo.com/blog/2026/07/time-geo-crash-risk-effect/https://www.jalopnik.com/2212493/nyc-congestion-pricing-cut-ems-response-times-by-one-minute/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V430-6699.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V423-4353.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V421-4385.pdf

    Edge Cases with Phil Koopman

  3. Jul 9

    Waymo's Firework Fiasco

    Waymo has a rough July 4th in San Francisco: robotaxis roll over live fireworks, one catches fire, and a traffic jam forms with a long line of stalled vehicles; in another case, two 15-year-olds ride one while allegedly drinking and shooting projectiles. A Tesla Semi crash kills two people, raising questions about automatic emergency braking and driver monitoring, while regulators still lack a finalized heavy-truck AEB standard. A deep dive celebrates the right-edge white line’s safety history, then critiques “independent” AV safety reviews and rosy government messaging. A model argues broad deployment of proven safety tech (AEB, speed assistance, alcohol detection) beats AV hype. Recalls cover Ford pedestrian sounds, Mach‑E differential failure, Mustang wiper glitches, and a GM third-row power-fold seat hazard. Support Auto Safety https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/terrifying-moment-waymo-drives-exploding-205608345.htmlhttps://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/waymo-firework-fire-san-francisco-22333244.phphttps://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/dozens-waymos-clog-presidio-july-142239118.htmlhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/bay-area-teen-waymo-riders-nabbed-for-allegedly-shooting-projectiles-from-robotaxi/ar-AA27pze0More links on the site.

    Waymo's Firework Fiasco

  4. Jul 2

    We don't need no stinkin' brake pedals

    Regulators consider letting self-driving vehicles skip manual brake pedals—raising alarms about emergencies and unproven safety metrics. Tesla settles a deadly crash case as critics blast BS safety claims. Meanwhile, “quality” awards and China-car fearmongering get called out, Nvidia’s robotaxi safety talk is vague, steering-wheel “bling” is warned to turn airbags into shrapnel and recalls hit Hyundai, GM, Toyota/Subaru, and Ford. Support the show! https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/wayve-self-driving-technology-2e917ebdhttps://www.jalopnik.com/2203830/nhtsa-plan-autonomous-car-brakes-nearvous/https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/general/us-proposes-to-drop-brake-pedal-requirements-for-self-driving-vehicles/ar-AA26xoGuhttps://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/06/feds-deny-polestar-authorization-to-sell-cars-in-us-from-model-year-2027/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/elon-musk/senator-demands-tesla-held-accountable-alleged-self-driving-crash-rcna351690https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/18/rivian-owners-file-lawsuit-alleging-false-promises-on-self-driving-features/https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/airlines-are-installing-new-luxury-seats-but-no-one-is-allowed-to-sit-in-them-14e2878chttps://safetyresearch.net/aftermarket-car-bling-continues-to-inflict-harm/https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2026/06/30/child-hot-car-deaths-2026-data-maps/90736117007/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V400-5456.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V399-0136.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V393-3335.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V402-1380.pdf

    We don't need no stinkin' brake pedals

  5. Jun 25

    Ford's Record Recall Marathon

    A New York Times deep dive ties the rise of huge pickups and SUVs to pedestrian deaths, spotlighting poor visibility and high hoods that “punt” people into a run-over path, while lawmakers push the Pedestrian Protection Act to force tougher federal scrutiny and consumer ratings. Automakers deflect toward road design and hype pedestrian-braking tech even as industry fights related rules. A fatal high-speed Tesla crash raises questions about driver-assist overrides, data transparency, and whether automation breeds complacency. A peer-reviewed argument says “edge cases” are inevitable in AI cars because testing every failure combination is impossible. Meanwhile: Waymo recalls, GM revives autonomy ambitions, and Ford unleashes a blizzard of recalls—many fixing earlier failed fixes. Support the show! https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/06/21/us/trucks-suv-pedestrian-crashes.htmlhttps://scanlon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2028https://gmauthority.com/blog/2026/06/increased-pickup-and-suv-size-blamed-for-rising-pedestrian-fatalities/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/21/us/tesla-autopilot-crash-texas.htmlhttps://electrek.co/2026/06/23/tesla-fsd-katy-crash-driver-pedal/https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-senators-ask-review-teslas-full-self-driving-safety-data-citing-reuters-2026-06-16/https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/10/waymo-says-it-built-a-better-benchmark-for-comparing-robotaxis-to-humans/https://thenextweb.com/news/gm-autonomous-driving-robotaxi-sterling-anderson-super-cruisehttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26E035-7637.pdfhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/cars/recalls/2026/06/20/car-recall-leaders-2026-ford-stellantis/90611355007/More recalls on the website.

    Ford's Record Recall Marathon

  6. Jun 18

    Cathie Wood: Fraud or Fool?

    A roast of autonomous-vehicle hype calls out bold Tesla/robotaxi cost and safety claims as unsupported, then shifts to California’s proposed replacement-tire efficiency rules and the tradeoffs between fuel economy, tread life, and tire waste. A wider look at big-profit SUVs and a snarky take on banning Chinese “surveillance” cars leads into why the EU’s AI Act matters—and what it may still miss on inspection and validation. A deep dive explains how GNSS/GPS can be jammed or spoofed, creating serious self-driving risk. The mood turns grim with a spike in driveway front-over/back-over child deaths tied to huge blind zones, then ends with road-rage stats and Arkansas taking the dubious crown. Support Safety! https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/26/06/53077645/cathie-wood-asks-elon-musk-about-tesla-robotaxi-parking-tickethttps://youtu.be/tz23G_UXCGA?si=LoVfgLmhaMyMWe03 https://electriccarsreport.com/2026/06/toyota-to-demonstrate-liquid-hydrogen-powered-tr-lh2-racing-prototype-at-le-mans/ https://www.jalopnik.com/2187888/new-california-proposal-could-ban-enthusiast-tires/https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/06/michigan-politicians-want-to-ban-chinese-badged-cars-from-even-visiting-the-us/https://www.automotive-iq.com/generative-ai/articles/eu-ai-act-explained-for-automotive-what-changes-for-ai-vehicle-safety-adas-and-autonomous-driving https://www.wbiw.com/2026/06/09/10-children-killed-in-driveway-and-parking-lot-tragedies-in-just-18-days/https://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/states-with-the-worst-road-rage

    Cathie Wood: Fraud or Fool?

  7. Jun 11

    Texas mandates seat belts but forgets the funding

    The “magic” Donut Labs battery gets debunked as ordinary lithium‑ion, tied to a crowdfunding-fueled scam with big promises and no manufactured cells, while real solid-state progress is still coming from major automakers. Americans are keeping cars longer (now ~13 years), slowing the spread of safety tech like advanced AEB. Driverless delivery trucks tout reliability and UL 4600 talk, but robotaxis draw scrutiny for safety claims, red-light issues, and a stalled vehicle that delayed firefighters. Zoox safety marketing and exemptions get criticized, Texas is dragged for an unfunded school-bus seatbelt mandate, liquid hydrogen gets a quick reality check, and multiple recalls hit seatbelts, moonroofs, and fire risks (Jeep, Pacifica PHEV). Support the show! https://electrek.co/2026/06/08/donut-lab-solid-state-battery-exposed-lithium-ion-fraud/ https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/americans-are-keeping-their-cars-longer-than-ever-and-remaking-the-auto-industry-c169e494 https://www.wsj.com/business/logistics/driverless-trucks-pepsico-texas-arizona-arkansas-ee4495f0?mod=hp_lead_pos11 https://edition.cnn.com/us/waymo-robotaxis-safety-invs https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/bodycam-shows-cop-trying-move-102600011.html https://abc13.com/post/texas-school-districts-struggling-costs-complying-bus-seatbelt-law/19235825/ https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V356-0668.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V344-7460.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V346-4589.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V363-5757.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V362-0804.pdf

    Texas mandates seat belts but forgets the funding

  8. Jun 4

    Tesla's Unusual Detours, the Misplaced Panic of Kill Switches, and AV Trucking Truths

    A whirlwind tour of automotive chaos: skepticism toward bold self-driving claims and cherry-picked safety stats, a Tesla crash into a California home, and BYD promising to cover liability when its driver-assist is used “properly.” The discussion also torches rosy “facts” from the autonomous trucking lobby, argues drunk-driving prevention tech isn’t a privacy apocalypse, and flags “zero-gravity” seats as a potential safety risk. A battery deep-dive compares energy density, charging, lifespan, and unanswered cost questions. Recalls roll in for Ford suspension joints, Toyota dashboards, Honda seat sensors affecting airbags, Nissan blank instrument clusters, and GM airbag inflators with rupture risk. Support Auto Safety! https://www.reuters.com/investigations/why-teslas-ai-trainers-dont-trust-its-self-driving-tech-or-its-safety-stats-2026-05-28/https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/67ee365c25e6530594bd40c2/688a2ff712e094608196a6b3_AV%20Truck%20Factsheet_.pdfhttps://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/kill-switch-law-means-next-080330472.htmlhttps://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/tesla-autopilot-crashes-claremont-home-102130808.htmlhttps://cleantechnica.com/2026/06/01/byd-takes-on-crash-liability-when-its-driver-assist-system-is-active/https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/china-releases-draft-safety-requirements-ev-battery-recycling-2026-05-26/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V340-0609.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V341-2541.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V332-6150.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V331-8971.pdfhttps://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V329-0487.pdf

    Tesla's Unusual Detours, the Misplaced Panic of Kill Switches, and AV Trucking Truths
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4.5
out of 5
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About

A discussion on auto safety issues and technological developments, in hopes of providing consumers and enthusiasts with a better understanding of modern vehicles, safety systems, and current issues in the auto industry.

Information

  • Creator
    Center for Auto Safety
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    209
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Center for Auto Safety
  • Show Website
    There Auto Be A Law

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