A call for clarity on self-driving terminology

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

Driverless or self-driving — autonomous or automated — automation or autonomy — these terms are often used interchangeably. That's regrettable because they don't all mean the same thing.

Automation, for example, describes the presence of automatic equipment that's used as one part in an overall process. Autonomy, on the other hand, confers the idea that a system is governing itself and all actions. Self-driving implies that a vehicle is being driven without a human involved, while driverless might indicate no one or nothing is in control at all.

Those terms are just the start. Add the likes of semi-autonomous, partially self-driving and driver-assist feature, and the language landscape becomes more cluttered. Throw in industry jargon such as "Level 2 Plus" and Elon Musk's special dictionary entries for "Autopilot," "feature complete" and "fully self driving," and this confounding mix is complete.

It's time to clean up the mess. read more »

Ambulances not repaired years after safety recalls

THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

EMS companies in metro Atlanta have been operating dozens of ambulances with defects that may pose a hazard to patients and the emergency medical personnel who ride in them, an AJC investigation found.

The defects, which led to manufacturer recalls, include water pumps that can leak coolant and prompt an engine fire, transmissions that can shift out of gear without a key in the ignition; and axles, sensors and welds that can fail, raising the likelihood of crashes and putting lives at risk.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires the manufacturers who issued the recalls to offer repairs and replacement parts for free. read more »

Nissan recalls 394,000 crossovers and sedans for a fire risk

AUTO BLOG

'Park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles and structures'

Nissan is recalling 394,025 vehicles due to a fire risk. It previously recalled about 215,000 of these vehicles, but now they’re coming back. Here’s how Nissan explains it: “These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair.”

Strange. Regardless, the problem is the same one that we wrote about before, and Nissan added another 179,000 vehicles to the recall list this time. There’s an anti-lock brake pump seal that could deteriorate, causing brake fluid to leak onto an electronic circuit board. If this happens, the circuit board could malfunction, causing a short. Nissan says this could cause a fire. The affected vehicles and model years are as follows: read more »