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10 automakers sued over keyless ignitions

Keyless ignition has rapidly proliferated throughout the auto industry to become a fairly normal feature on new cars. It's supposed to offer the convenience of keeping the fob in your pocket and just pressing a button to drive away. However, ten major automakers are now being sued in US District Court over claims that the system is dangerous, Reuters reports. The suit alleges that people are forgetting to shut off the engine, and the lack of an idle timer is the cause for 13 deaths by carbon monoxide poisoning and multiple injuries. The suit currently includes 28 plaintiffs, according to Reuters, but the lawyers are asking for class-action status to potentially add many more. The case goes after a major swath of the industry, including BMW, Daimler, FCA, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen, plus their related brands like Acura, Infiniti, Mini, and Lexus. In all, over five million vehicles are affected. The assertion here is that people walk away from their vehicle without shutting it off because they believe the engine shuts off automatically. If parked in a garage, carbon monoxide can build up, leading to poisoning. The lawyers claim automakers know this is a problem and also cite 27 complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the issue, according to Reuters. The plaintiffs are asking for an automatic shut-off and damages from the companies. These concerns have come up before, though. Toyota previously faced a lawsuit over a carbon monoxide death after a woman accidentally left her Lexus running. Also earlier this year, GM recalled 64,186 examples of the 2011-2013 Chevrolet Volt because owners weren't shutting them off. The problem resulted in two injuries, and the company released a software update to limit the idling time.

Bosch has an advanced self-parking system slated for 2019

Self-driving cars are the future of the auto industry, but there are many years and intermediate steps between now and driverless roads. Bosch made one of those important baby steps earlier this month when it unveiled its Home Zone Park Assist, which takes automated parking to the next level. The system works like this: a driver pulls up to where they'd normally begin to angle into a preferred parking spot. The driver then sets the start point and slowly drives the car into place so the system can learn the route. After the route is entered, the driver can let the car take control by either holding down a button inside the vehicle or on a smartphone app to engage the self-parking program from outside the car. Twelve ultrasonic sensors, a rear-facing stereo video camera, and four radar sensors work together to slot the car safely into or out of a spot perfectly every time. If you don't start in the same place every time that's okay, because the car can deviate from the original start and stop points by up to six and a half feet. The system can track up to 100 meters' worth of complex maneuvers, perfect for anyone tired of backing out of long, curvy, or steep driveways. Bosch says the system will be available in a few years but doesn't mention any specific models. Other companies have similar technologies, but they're not quite as advanced. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently cleared a similar technology called Park Assistant Plus for use in the BMW 7 Series. BMW's technology allows drivers to move the car in and out of parking spaces with the key fob. Tesla's Summon feature allows the Model S and X to come when called up to 10 meters away. But Bosch seems to have pushed the boundaries of what autonomous features on cars can do. Besides superior distance, the really amazing aspect of Bosch's system is that it allows cars to sense obstacles within its path and make the decision whether to proceed with minor course adjustments or stop and wait for its owner. That's right, a decision-making car. Welcome to the brave new world. Related Video:

Alpina D3 may be coming to Frankfurt with 350 hp, AWD

Rumors are swirling that Alpina, the tuning house that specializes in all things BMW, will followup its Geneva debut of the B3 Bi-Turbo with an oil-burning variant slated for debut at September's Frankfurt Motor Show. The news comes from Auto Zeitung, which reports that the second-generation D3 will be based off the Europe-only 335d.
This is a departure from the last D3, which had the four-cylinder turbo-diesel from the BMW 123d in a 3 Series body. The new model is expected to use a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged inline-six, which will generate 350 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. That should scoot it to 62 miles per hour in under five seconds (likely while towing a tree stump). Both rear- and all-wheel drive should be available on the D3, and we imagine the thrill of this much power channeled through just the two rear wheels to be akin to skydiving sans parachute.
For our European friends that want an Alpina D3, but don't need more torque than any American full-size pickup, there may be plans to offer a four-cylinder variant that still delivers Alpina performance without a compromise in economy. We'll have more on the Alpina D3 when it debuts at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.