2011 Kia Sorento on 2040-cars

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65k Kia Sorento models face NHTSA probe for shattering sunroof

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration isn't ready to give up its investigation into spontaneously shattering sunroofs in the 2011-2013 Kia Sorento yet. In fact, it has actually broadened it into a full engineering analysis affecting as many as 65,347 vehicles.
The investigation started in 2013 when NHTSA received 15 complaints about breaking sunroofs in the crossover. Since then, the regulator requested data from Kia and found that there have been 95 complaints of the roof abruptly braking. In many of those cases, the vehicle was moving at the time. People have been injured when this happens; NHTSA found 14 incidents where at least one person in the vehicle suffered from cuts or scrapes.
According to the investigation document, Kia also conducted its own internal review but couldn't find any defects. The company claims that the only way for the roof to break is for an object to strike it. Although, it does admit that the large surface of the sunroof on the Sorento could be the cause of the high frequency of damage. NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation isn't convinced and calls it "concerning." It's pressing forward to find more details in the engineering analysis.

Kia will launch a fully autonomous car by 2030

Kia promises to have a fully autonomous vehicle on sale by 2030, and the South Korean automaker will provide an early preview at that next-gen tech by launching the Drive Wise sub-brand at the Consumer Electronics Show. The new branding will encompass all of the company's advanced driver assistance systems and innovations in the human-machine interface over the next 15 years. Before Kia's fully driverless vehicle hits the street, the company thinks that partially autonomous Drive Wise technology could be ready by 2020. These early steps are largely what the company has on display at CES. Tech like Highway Autonomous Driving and Urban Autonomous Driving use sensors and GPS to allow a model to control itself. An Emergency Stop System can automatically get the car off the road if there's a problem, and an electronic valet would even allow a vehicle to park without a driver inside. Kia took a major step toward its autonomous future in December 2015 when it received permission from Nevada to test driverless tech on public roads there with a Soul EV (pictured above). The company and Hyundai have also pledged $2 billion in research through 2018 to help bring these advanced systems into production. Kia also folds future in-vehicle tech under the Drive Wise branding, and its I-Cockpit concept shows some of these solutions off at CES. This demonstrator of a next-gen vehicle cabin supports gesture controls and can detect an owner's fingerprint to adapt the interior to the person's preferred music and climate settings. Autonomous tech is one of the hottest parts of the auto industry right now, and a host of companies are ready to challenge Kia's coming innovations. For example, General Motors plans to test a network of driverless vehicles with ridesharing service Lyft, and Ford and Google might form a similar partnership. BMW also could show of a concept with a nearly production-ready solution early in 2016. Kia Motors introduces new 'DRIVE WISE' sub-brand for autonomous driving technologies - Kia 'DRIVE WISE' encompasses future Advanced Driver Assistance Systems - DRIVE WISE intelligent safety technologies exhibited at 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas - U.S.

Minivan market not what it used to be, but margins make up for it

Residual values for last year's minivans are higher than they were in 2000.
Much like the station wagon was the shuttle of Baby Boomer generation, the minivan has been the primary means of transport for Generations X and Y. Just as the boomers abandoned the Country Squire, though, those kids that were toted around in Grand Caravans and Windstars are adults, and they certainly don't want to be seen in the cars their parents drove.