NHTSA Proposes Less High Tech in Cars Because They Can't Keep Up

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday it is considering imposing vehicle electronic requirements and asked major automakers to consider if voluntary standards for vehicle electronics make sense.

NHTSA said in a notice Monday it was updating automakers on its “progress on examining the need for safety standards” for passenger cars — something Congress required it to do in a 2012 law. The law requires NHTSA must report to Congress on the highest priority areas for safety for electronic systems.

The safety agency has come under criticism for failing to connect the problem of General Motors vehicles ignition vehicles that are now linked to at least 23 deaths and 54 crashes. NHTSA didn’t know that GM’s computer controls deactivated the airbags if the ignition switch was in the “off” or “accessory” mode.

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MDarringer - 10/6/2014 6:54:55 PM

+2 Boost

Let's see more idiotic regulations so that cars will cost even more.

Yonder7 - 10/6/2014 7:09:32 PM

+4 Boost

Less tech? ..it is not going to happen...

JDMUSMuscle - 10/6/2014 9:35:34 PM

+1 Boost

the U.S. is practically struggling with scientific developments, which pretty much explains why those guys don't want cars to have too much tech.

Because they can't figure out things that go inside the new Mercedes, Audi and such.

And this also kind of explains why the American automakers usually stick to usual stuff and not really invent anything.

Sciros - 10/6/2014 11:26:46 PM

+1 Boost

Right. Hell, you probably think Tesla is German. Also there's quite a bit more high-end tech in my C7 than in other cars I've owned or driven.

JDMUSMuscle - 10/7/2014 4:57:02 AM

-2 Boost

Unfortunately, the whole Tesla thing is nothing but just an American trend. I always thought Tesla was getting so many good reviews because the U.S. has not a single good car to be proud of right now (And I am right). It looks like an overglorified Toyota Camry with boring interior. Do you think the Europeans and the Japanese would go crazy over something like Tesla? I don't think so. The only ones who are going crazy over it were mostly Americans. Is the car good? Oh I would say it is, just like how Chevrolet Sonic is good. Let me ask you, let's say there are Lamborghini Aventador or Porsche 918 and Tesla parked. How many people would actually be impressed with Tesla, instead of Lamborghini or Porsche?

I saw two of Teslas in real life and they really look like an average car, I almost laughed hard. It is almost hard to tell if that car even costs over 100k or not. The new Toyota Camry actually looks a lot more aggressive than this, and costs way cheaper.

And I don't exactly see how Tesla is even so "amazing" when practically many automakers are into hybrid electric motors. You can't even put fuel in a Tesla, so where do you use Tesla mostly? Sounds pretty useless to me.

And C7 is a simple car still. NHTSA definitely can figure out things that are in a C7.

Sciros - 10/7/2014 10:10:16 AM

0 Boost

You, then, would be surprised by how many people are more impressed by the Tesla over the exotics you mentioned. The "car guy" in me would lust for the Lambo and Porsche most, and of course the 918 being a $1-mil hybrid hypercar SHOULD have a high level of tech in it. But the "tech guy" in me is really impressed by the Tesla.

Consider that to deal with the handful of fires that occurred with Model S cars due to impact with large metal debris on the ground, Tesla pushed a software update to all cars over the web which in turn adjusted the ride height. Why issue a recall when you can issue a fix over the net? And you say it is an "overglorified Camry". How can you say that and not be straight-up trolling :-|

What do you mean by that deliberately obtuse question of "you can't put fuel in a Tesla, so where do you use it" -- it runs on electricity stored in its batteries. And it has a good range so as long as you charge it overnight every few days you'll never have issues.

The Camry's front looks aggressive. But the rest of it looks super boring. Don't pretend that the Camry is anywhere near as visually appealing as Model S. It's not even close.

And the C7 is far from simple. Whether the NHTSA can "figure it out" is neither here nor there, but this thing is a very high tech precision machine. You can't half-ass it and get away with it when your competition is new F-Types, 911s, and GT-Rs.

JDMUSMuscle - 10/7/2014 3:05:48 PM

-1 Boost

Unfortunately, it is not even trolling. Whenever I write down the names of cars I am interested, I come up with Corvette, Escalade, GT-R.....but "rarely" Tesla.

Not because I am "trying" to hate on the car, the car looks so "average" you just forget about it very easily. Not because I am trying to forget about the car, either. And later on, I think of Tesla and I go "Oh yes, there was indeed a car like this now, too."

I am not exactly sure why Tesla Model S is getting so much recognition from the magazines, when practically no one in real life would recognize this car as much as Porsche, Ferrari or Lamborghini.

But this does not mean I hate Tesla or anything. I am only saying, this car looks just so forgettable.

But, since the car is from California's Silicon Valley, that alone means something to me, so I would be interested to buy one.