1998 Honda Civic Lx Sedan on 2040-cars

Auto blog

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.

Pondering the 2018 Dodge Demon and 2018 Honda Accord | Autoblog Podcast #521

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Reese Counts and, for the first time, Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. We discuss the new 2018 Honda Accord dropping the V6, what the Dodge Demon means for FCA's future, and if Mercedes-Benz could sell a pickup truck in the US. Spend my money (your money, everyone's money) will be back next week. The rundown is below. Remember, if you have a car-related question you'd like us to answer or you want buying advice of your very own, send a message or a voice memo to podcast at autoblog dot com. (If you record audio of a question with your phone and get it to us, you could hear your very own voice on the podcast. Neat, right?) And if you have other questions or comments, please send those too. Autoblog Podcast #521Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Topics and stories we mention Rundown 00:00:00 - Intro + Demon 00:15:48 - Accord 00:28:48 - X-Class 00:43:10 - Outro Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show on iTunes

Honda Wander Walker, Stand will roam around, around, around [w/video]

They do things differently in Japan, and we're not just talking about the adorable kei car. No, the concept vehicles that debut at the Tokyo Motor Show are decidedly different than what you might see in Geneva or Detroit. Case in point – the Honda Wander Walker and Wander Stand Concepts, which we previewed late last month. Despite its name, the Wander Walker is quite obviously a four-wheeled scooter that'd look right at home being driven by the elderly IKEA enthusiast in some futuristic metropolis. The front wheels turn to darn near 90 degrees, blessing the Wander Walker with a mere one-meter turning circle. The impressive maneuverability is down to this thing being tiny. Check out the picture if it next to everyone's favorite robot, Asimo, for scale. That makes it a prime mobility solution for the cramped confines of urban Tokyo, a fact that's reinforced by its super-model skinny 21.25-inch width. That size allows the Walker to squeeze through the turnstiles to board Japan's ultra-efficient train network. It's unclear what kind of power is in use here, but it's almost certainly electric. The top speed is a leisurely 3.7 miles per hour. (A quick Wikipedia search reveals humans walk at about 3.1 mph, so yes, this is at least a bit faster than walking.) If the Wander Walker is a futuristic scooter, the Wander Stand looks like a waiting room on wheels. Unlike the Walker, it'll accommodate two adults who can ride side-by-side in a 72.8-inch tall, 49.2-inch wide, and 78.4-inch long box. Like so many futuristic bits of tech, the Wander Stand throws information up on the windshield, which sits atop a futuristic dash. What sets this concept apart from the average kei car, is the Honda Omni Traction Drive System, which allows the usual movement forward and back, but also gives drivers the ability to drive laterally or even diagonally. Again, Japan is a tight place, and this kind of ability grants drivers a lot of leeway in urban driving. We've got a few images direct from Honda available above and below, while you can also look forward to a full array of live images, direct from the floor of the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show.