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Report: Motorists file class action suit against Florida toll road for… taking hostages?

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

toll booth

Florida motorists are officially fed up with the actions of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Faneuil Inc. The latter is a private firm hired by the FDOT to manage its tollbooth operations. A class-action lawsuit filed against both parties alleges that toll booth operators have been holding cash-paying motorists hostage.

Paying with cash causes an increase in operating costs for Faneuil because workers are needed to handle the money and provide change. In an apparent attempt to dissuade drivers from paying with cash, tollbooth operators are required to fill out Bill Detection Report. The driver’s license plate number, vehicle make and model and driver’s license information are all written down. The barrier isn’t lifted until this information is provided, and many motorists feel this policy is out of control. For its part, Faneeil would prefer that drivers switch to the automated SunPass system, which would help reduce operating costs.

The lawsuit alleges that civil rights are being violated and claims this is a form of false imprisonment. Neither the FDOT or Faneuil have commented on the lawsuit.

[Source: TheNewspaper.com | Image: Getty]

Report: Motorists file class action suit against Florida toll road for… taking hostages? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blind man tackles the road course at Daytona on his own

Filed under: SUV, Etc., Technology, Ford

Mark Riccobono's blind lap of Daytona

Mark Riccobono’s blind lap of Daytona – Click above for high-res image gallery

Another year, another Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona champion. Something interesting happened before the prototypes took to the track, though, when a Ford Escape Hybrid took on the 1.5-mile road course. The driver, Mark Anthony Riccobono, didn’t break any speed records… but he did successfully maneuver the Escape without the help of a very crucial driving aid – vision.

Riccobono is blind, and with the help of non-visual technology, he completed the Daytona road course. Beyond simply making lefts and rights, Riccobono also had to avoid a variety of obstacles. Some were stationary while others were thrown randomly from the back of a van. Riccobono avoided them all, and then he passed the van before crossing the finish line.

The event marks the first time a blind person has driven a vehicle around a course without the aid of a sighted person. It was a major milestone for the Blind Driver Challenge, which aims to improve blind-interface technology. Check out the press release after the break.

Gallery: Mark Anthony Riccobono’s blind lap of Daytona

Mark Anthony Riccobono's blind lap of Daytona

[Source: National Federation of the Blind | Images: Terry Renna and John Raoux/AP]

Continue reading Blind man tackles the road course at Daytona on his own

Blind man tackles the road course at Daytona on his own originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Motor Trend goes to Australia, chronicles Subaru Outback road trip

Filed under: Wagon, Videos, Subaru, Australia

Subaru Outback Motor Trend road trip

Subaru Outback Motor Trend road trip – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Manufacturers can get pretty cocky when it comes to naming their products. We can say with near-certainty that a Chrysler Sebring never turned a tire in anger at the legendary Floridian track and that we’d be surprised if a Pontiac Le Mans ever went fender to fender in France. Motor Trend has set about putting the Subaru Outback up against its Australian namesake in a 30-minute long web special hosted by none other than Editor-in-Chief Angus MacKenzie. This isn’t your typical man-against-nature flick, though. Instead, Motor Trend has gone about creating an in-depth travel video that would be right at home on the Discovery Channel.

MacKenzie and his crew seem to trek across Australia’s wild bits with relative ease despite large mud holes and plenty of soft sand, and we’re left to enjoy the vast scenery of one of our planet’s most beautiful continents. The finished product is less about power figures and 0-60 times and more about the actual trip. It’s well worth taking some time during your lunch break for a quick watch. Hit the jump to take a look for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Motor Trend goes to Australia, chronicles Subaru Outback road trip

Video: Motor Trend goes to Australia, chronicles Subaru Outback road trip originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Mini working on road-going version of WRC Countryman?

Filed under: Performance, Crossover, Mini, Rumormill, Off-Road

Mini Countryman WRC

Mini Countryman WRC – Click above for high-res image gallery

Tail-slidin’, bump-jumpin’ heroics are all good and fun, but one of the things we love most about rallying is that the cars are closely based on production models. Often rather ordinary ones at that, like Ford Fiestas, Subaru Imprezas and the like. And what turns easily from a road car into a rally racer can just as easily be turned back into a road car.

Look no further than examples like the Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Evo X for evidence. And now that Mini is getting into the World Rally Championship, rumors are beginning to circulate that they’re planning a rally-derived performance model as well.

Since the Mini WRC is based on the Countryman crossover, word has it that a showroom-ready, performance-oriented Countryman could be in the works. Something with even more power than the existing JCW version and a wide-body kit for an extra dose of attitude. Even with all the Mini variants on the road and in the pipeline, this one has us particularly intrigued.

Gallery: Paris 2010: Mini Countryman WRC

Photos by Zach Bowman / AOL

[Source: AUSmotive via MotoringFile]

Rumormill: Mini working on road-going version of WRC Countryman? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla Model S begins first phase of road testing [w/video]

Filed under: Sedan, Videos, Tesla, Electric

Tesla Model S road testing – Click above to watch the video after the break

The last time Tesla Motors released a video about the Model S, it was a lot of talking from the company’s vice president and chief engineer for vehicle engineering, Peter Rawlinson, about engineering the vehicle. Today, new video shows just the opposite. No talking, just pretty pictures.

Almost eerily silent, the video shows the first Alpha build Model S (tons of details on the car here) cruising down rural roads, and it’s a beautiful sight. The car looks like it handles well and makes us the need to get behind the wheel yesterday. Tesla’s Vehicle Dynamicist (we’re guessing thats fancy talk for test driver?) Graham Sutherland said in a statement that:

The first Alpha is amazingly agile for a car of its size. It has great handling balance and poised ride with communicative steering. Just goes to show what combining a low center of gravity with a very stiff body structure can achieve.

Sounds – and looks – good. Let’s hope it gets better. Watch the video after the jump.

[Source: Tesla]

Continue reading Tesla Model S begins first phase of road testing [w/video]

Tesla Model S begins first phase of road testing [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit Preview: GMC Sierra All Terrain HD concept is ready for off-road action

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Truck, GM, GMC, Off-Road

GMC Sierra All Terrain HD concept

GMC Sierra All Terrain HD concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you think the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is too hot yet the Dodge Ram Power Wagon is too cold, General Motors’ latest concept might strike you as “just right.” This, the GMC Sierra All Terrain HD concept, looks to bridge the gap between the two hardcore pickups from GM’s crosstown rivals, while still offering top-notch levels of power, refinement and technology.

The four-door 2011 Sierra HD underpins the All Terrain concept, and power comes from The General’s 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V8. A six-speed automatic sends the 397 horsepower and 765 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels. Versus a normal Sierra HD, ground clearance has been increased by about three inches, width has been bumped up to 73 inches (four more than normal) and the whole package rides on 20-inch aluminum wheels wrapped in 35-inch BFGoodrich KM2 mud terrain tires. Off-road performance is enhanced with the addition of Fox off-road shocks (just like the Ford Raptor).

Inside, GM has fitted the All Terrain concept with a Denali-spec interior with additional satin metal finishes and a leather-wrapped dash. What’s more, a next-generation stereo system with an 80-gigabyte hard drive has been fitted inside this concept, and we’ll soon be seeing this new system across the full GM product range.

Currently, there are no plans to create a production version of the All Terrain HD concept, though word is that if a road-ready version of this ultra-tough Sierra is produced, it probably wouldn’t come off of a GM line – it would likely be crafted with the assistance of a second-tier firm (think: Roush). We’ll be seeing the All Terrain concept in person at the Detroit Auto Show in just a few weeks, but for now, click through our high-res image gallery below, or follow the jump for the official release.

Gallery: GMC Sierra HD Concept

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Detroit Preview: GMC Sierra All Terrain HD concept is ready for off-road action

Detroit Preview: GMC Sierra All Terrain HD concept is ready for off-road action originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New study says road deaths drop precipitously – but why?

Filed under: Etc., Safety

Toyota Rollover accident

Automotive fatalities continue to drop year-over-year, which is perhaps not surprising in and of itself. What is surprising, however, is a study that notes a massive falloff in the number of motoring deaths. According to The Wall Street Journal, the total number of road fatalities in 2009 was 33,963 compared to 43,510 in 2005 – a 22 percent decline. That is the steepest rate of decline since automobiles entered mass production in the beginning part of the 20th century. So what gives?

According to a new study by a pair of University of Michigan researchers, it’s certainly not the invasion of handheld technology, which the story says has created a rise in fatalities due to inattentive driving. Keeping our eyes on an incoming text message or email has resulted in a 42 percent rise in distracted-driving fatalities from 2005 to 2008. However, those accidents only account for a small portion of the total number of fatalities, and it’s likely that with increased awareness that more deaths are being classified in this way.

Safety technology continues to improve, and new technologies continue to filtering down into more affordable vehicles. Deaths from side-impact crashes have declined more quickly than the decline rate for overall deaths, meaning that more people are surviving these types of accidents.

Another, more interesting, statistic is the drop in fatal accidents during rush hour driving periods. Why has that number fallen in recent years compared to 2005? According to the WSJ’s theorizing, it’s the economy. More folks out of work means fewer people on the road during rush hour. You just might not notice it when you are stuck in traffic screaming at the car in front of you that just cut you off to make its exit.

Regardless of why overall traffic fatalities are down, it’s great to hear that this number is falling. However, as the economy picks back up, it’s expected that traffic fatalities will as well.

[Source: The Wall Street Journal | Image:Chip Somodevilla/Getty]

New study says road deaths drop precipitously – but why? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iRacing star gets chance to try real thing at Road Atlanta

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Toys/Games, Racing

Most people would love a chance to show their stuff behind the wheel of racecar. Problem is, most people probably wouldn’t be any good at actually driving one. We can all try to hone our skills through the use of racing simulators, but just how much can they actually teach you without the visceral feedback and life-or-death consequences that you can only get from real life? Apparently, they can teach us plenty. One person in particular, who goes by the name Greger Huttu, got to put his virtual racing prowess to the test.

Greger Huttu hails from Vaasa, Finland, where he can be found spending putting a lot of time into the iRacing simulator. Huttu is not just good at the game, he utterly dominates it. For the last six years, he’s turned 2,581 laps and led for 2,339 of them. He’s won every race from the pole position, including the iRacing World Championship that netted him a cool $10,000. Still… he’s never actually driven a real racecar, and the folks at Top Gear were curious to see if he actually could.

Top Gear flew Huttu out to Road Atlanta – one of America’s toughest tracks – and stuck him in a Star Mazda racer. Both the track and the car are familiar to Huttu because he’s experienced both in the iRacing simulator. How did he do? Quite frankly, he did amazingly well. Entering corners at 100 miles per hour, which is just 10 mph shy of where experience drivers come in, Huttu was able to rip off clean lap after clean lap and eventually came within three seconds of what the experts consider a solid time at Road Atlanta.

The difference between a professional driver and a professional simulator driver soon became apparent, however, as Greger Huttu’s body began to be affected by the G forces. The pros work hard to stay fit for a reason, and the toll on Huttu resulted in a helmet full of vomit. Though he wanted to continue, Huttu had to eventually throw in the towel because his body could take no more.

Still, his accomplishments are pretty remarkable and suggest that a good simulator can indeed prepare the armchair racer for a car and a circuit. Head over to Top Gear to get the full scoop on Huttu and his real-life racing adventure.

[Source: Top Gear]

iRacing star gets chance to try real thing at Road Atlanta originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 8.4M recalled Ford models still on the road without fixes

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Ford

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, there are around 8.4 million recalled Ford vehicles on the road right now that have never been serviced for a potential fire risk. The vehicles are the remainder of a 14 million-unit recall that covered 1993-2003 F-Series pickups, 1995-2003 Windstars, 1995-2002 Explorers and 1995-2003 Rangers that were built with faulty cruise control units. The units could leak onto the vehicles’ anti-lock brake system and cause a fire even if the vehicle is off.

Ford says that it has done its best to notify owners of the problem multiple times and NHTSA agrees that the company’s efforts have been adequate. Unfortunately, many of the current owners may have bought the recalled vehicles used and thus may not even know that there’s a potential problem.

The recall is the largest in the history of the automotive industry, so it should come as no surprise that there are still some loose ends to be tied up. Owners can search to see if there are outstanding recalls on their vehicles at the NHTSA website. If that’s the case, NHTSA urges owners to take their vehicle to the dealer as soon as possible.

[Source: Automotive News]

Report: 8.4M recalled Ford models still on the road without fixes originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2012 Ford Focus ST hits the road

Filed under: Performance, Videos, Hatchback, Ford

2012 Ford Focus ST

2012 Ford Focus ST in action – Click above to watch video after the jump

Ford has been so kind as to unleash a video of the Focus ST on the interwebs, giving us all our first glimpse at the hopped-up hatch on open pavement. Don’t expect any apex-clipping shots of the five-door going hard over through a set of twisties, though; this video is largely comprised of a lackadaisical romp through the countryside. That’s fine, though. Even without any 9/10ths driving action, the Focus ST still looks plenty lust-worthy from our point of view.

Of course, that probably has plenty to do with the fact that this is the first genuine sports-oriented version of the Focus we’ve even had a whiff of since the mighty Focus SVT went belly up back in 2004. But whereas the SVT brought a mere 170 horsepower to the table, the ST should boast a more heady 247 ponies and 266 lb-ft of torque from an EcoBoost 2.0-liter four-pot.

So long as Ford can slap a decent suspension and tolerable gearbox into the craft, there should be much to love when the car hits our shores in 2012. Hit the jump to have a look for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 2012 Ford Focus ST hits the road

Video: 2012 Ford Focus ST hits the road originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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