2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude on 2040-cars

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2019 Jeep Renegade, Fiat 500X fuel economy revealed, slightly improved

The 2019 Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X twins each get a new engine option, a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder. At 177 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque, it's substantially more potent than the 160-horsepower turbocharged 1.4-liter engine it replaces, and nearly matches the naturally aspirated 2.4-liter engine for power while beating its 175 pound-feet of torque. But we haven't known until now is how the new engine fares in terms of fuel economy. The numbers are a little tricky to parse, since both the Jeep and Fiat have changed what transmissions are available, as well as what combinations of engine and driveline are offered. We'll start with looking at the Jeep Renegade. It offers both the new turbo engine and the old 2.4-liter engine, but the manual transmission is gone, and the Renegade Trailhawk gets the turbo engine instead of the naturally aspirated one. All the numbers are below. Overall, the new turbo engine coupled with front-drive and the standard nine-speed auto returns better fuel economy than even the old manual-equipped combo. Both all-wheel-drive models do worse, though, with the automatic and the new engine than with the old engine with a manual. The new turbocharged Trailhawk also doesn't do as well on the highway as the old model, but does better in town. Fuel economy is unchanged for the 2.4-liter versions of the Renegade. 2019 Fiat 500X View 11 Photos The Fiat 500X range is simpler to follow, since only one variant is available now: the turbo 1.3-liter engine with all-wheel drive and an automatic. It's not quite as frugal as the fuel-sipping manual, front-drive turbo model from last year, but it does offer noticeable gains over the 2.4-liter versions. All the numbers are below.

FCA will pay you to hack its systems

FCA is willing to pay you to hack its cars, as long as you tell the company how you did it. In an effort to enhance cybersecurity and prevent future incidents like the Jeep Cherokee hack last year, FCA announced it's working with Bugcrowd to find vulnerabilities in its vehicle software. Bugcrowd labels itself as a crowdsourced application security testing company. Users, or independent security researchers as Bugcrowd calls them, can find exploits or vulnerabilities in FCA systems. They then submit the information to Bugcrowd, who in turn supplies the info to FCA. The goal is to update systems and close any possible security breaches. FCA is offering bounties from $150 to $1,500 to any Mr. Robot types, with payment based on the size and severity of the flaw. FCA wants hackers to focus specifically on the UConnect website and the company's iOS and Android apps. No bounties will be given for anything outside the scope of those three things. Bugcrowd says it will not take any legal action against anyone who submits an exploit. While we think it's good that the company is taking steps to address these problems, it's not a groundbreaking maneuver. Other companies employ similar systems. Earlier this year, both Tesla and Uber announced that they're willing to offer up to $10,000 to hackers who find vulnerabilities in their system. For years, Microsoft has been paying hackers to find exploits. It also seems that FCA took its time to announce this plan, considering the Jeep hack happened nearly a year ago. If the partnership works, we can expect other automakers to make similar deals. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: FCA, Bugcrowd Jeep Safety Technology Infotainment Smartphone FCA

EPA suspected Fiat Chrysler of using 'defeat device' in 2015

U.S. regulators told Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in November 2015 that they suspected some of the automaker's vehicles were equipped with secret software allowing them to violate emission control standards, according to emails disclosed on Friday. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board accused Fiat Chrysler in January of using the software, known as a "defeat device," to illegally allow excess diesel emissions in 104,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500 trucks built between 2014 and 2016. Byron Bunker, director of the EPA's Transportation and Air Quality compliance division, said in a January 2016 email to Fiat Chrysler, obtained by Reuters under the Freedom of Information Act, that he was "very concerned about the unacceptably slow pace" of the automaker's efforts to explain high nitrogen oxide emissions from some of its vehicles. Nitrogen oxide is linked to smog formation and respiratory problems. Bunker's email said the EPA had told Fiat Chrysler officials at a November 2015 meeting that at least one auxiliary emissions control device on the car maker's vehicles appeared to violate the agency's regulations. Mike Dahl, head of vehicle safety and regulatory compliance for Fiat Chrysler's U.S. unit, responded in a separate email that the company was working diligently and understood the EPA's concerns. He added that if the EPA identified Fiat Chrysler vehicles as containing defeat devices it would result in "potentially significant regulatory and commercial consequences." The documents redacted the vehicles named, but two officials briefed on the matter said they referred to diesel models. The EPA's November 2015 meeting with Fiat Chrysler came two months after Volkswagen AG, mired in a major tailpipe emissions scandal, admitted to installing secret defeat device software in hundreds of thousands of U.S. diesel cars to make them appear cleaner than they were on the road.