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Acura puts on display of mechanical horsepower in new ad

Originally forged with a brand identity based on luxury, sportiness and practicality, Acura has spent the last decade or so struggling with its image. The sporting credibility suffered a mighty blow with the loss of cars like the Integra, RSX and NSX, and recent years have seen the Japanese company attempting to recast itself as a technology leader.
All of that makes this latest Acura commercial, Let The Race Begin, even more difficult to understand, metaphorically speaking. The horsepower-horse race 'theme' certainly isn't difficult to fathom, with mecca-equine versions of popular luxury brands filling the screen. But the choice to make Acura's filly a flesh-and-blood creation seems odd, for the high-tech theme. Acura as "thoroughbred apart from the rest of the field" seems to be the rough message here, though we're not sure we're buying it. We're also not sure we're comfortable with how much these ponies reminded us of a certain off-putting robotic dog...
Looks expensive, at any rate. Watch the robot ponies run for yourself, below.

NHTSA, IIHS, and 20 automakers to make auto braking standard by 2022

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and virtually every automaker in the US domestic market have announced a pact to make automatic emergency braking standard by 2022. Here's the full rundown of companies involved: BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo (not to mention the brands that fall under each automaker's respective umbrella). Like we reported yesterday, AEB will be as ubiquitous in the future as traction and stability control are today. But the thing to note here is that this is not a governmental mandate. It's truly an agreement between automakers and the government, a fact that NHTSA claims will lead to widespread adoption three years sooner than a formal rule. That fact in itself should prevent up to 28,000 crashes and 12,000 injuries. The agreement will come into effect in two waves. For the majority of vehicles on the road – those with gross vehicle weights below 8,500 pounds – AEB will need to be standard equipment by September 1, 2022. Vehicles between 8,501 and 10,000 pounds will have an extra three years to offer AEB. "It's an exciting time for vehicle safety. By proactively making emergency braking systems standard equipment on their vehicles, these 20 automakers will help prevent thousands of crashes and save lives," said Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said in an official statement. "It's a win for safety and a win for consumers." Read on for the official press release from NHTSA. Related Video: U.S. DOT and IIHS announce historic commitment of 20 automakers to make automatic emergency braking standard on new vehicles McLEAN, Va. – The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced today a historic commitment by 20 automakers representing more than 99 percent of the U.S. auto market to make automatic emergency braking a standard feature on virtually all new cars no later than NHTSA's 2022 reporting year, which begins Sept 1, 2022. Automakers making the commitment are Audi, BMW, FCA US LLC, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Tesla Motors Inc., Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo Car USA.

4.5 million Hondas, Acuras are being recalled worldwide to fix a fuel pump defect

Honda is recalling more than 4.5 million cars worldwide because of a fuel pump problem that could lead to engine failure or stalling in traffic, which could cause an accident. The recall includes 2.54 million vehicles in the United States. The automaker had previously recalled 628,000 U.S. vehicles in 2021 and 136,000 in 2020 for the same issue. Honda issued recalls over the same issue earlier this month in China and Japan. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall documents say the impellers inside fuel pumps of 2017-2020 Hondas and Acuras were improperly made, meaning they “can deform and interfere with the fuel pump body” over time. This could prevent the engine from starting, or can cause a stall while driving, which depending on the situation in traffic, could be dangerous. Fortunately, Honda says it hasn't received any reports of crashes or injuries. To remedy the problem, Honda will replace the in-tank fuel pumps, at no cost to owners, in the entire U.S. recall population of 2,539,902 vehicles, though the defect may be present in only 1 percent of those cars. Because of the size of the recall, repairs will be done in phases, with first owners receiving notification letters in February. Dealer notifications began this week. “Countermeasure replacement parts are not available in sufficient quantities for all recalled vehicles at the time of this announcement, and American Honda intends to notify vehicle owners in stages," Honda wrote. Meanwhile, owners wishing to confirm that their vehicle is included can enter their VIN at the NHTSA recall site or at American Honda's and Acura's recall platforms.  NHTSA's campaign number for the recall is 23V858000. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. Owners may also contact Honda customer service by phone: 1-888-234-2138.