Tag: rule

Report: Backup camera rule pushed to 2015

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology

Once again, the federal mandate for backup cameras has been delayed. According to Automotive News, the rule requiring backup cameras in new cars is being pushed back to 2015, reportedly because regulators are now considering giving safety rating incentives to vehicles equipped with this new technology.

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who will be stepping down from his role once a successor is confirmed, said that more analysis of the rule’s cost to the auto industry as a whole is necessary before the mandate is officially issued, Automotive News reports. NHTSA has said that that the cost would be roughly $2.7 billion, or as much as $18 million per life saved.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration delayed its backup camera rules earlier this year (on top of several other setbacks), even though the original plan was to require automakers to outfit at least 10 percent of their cars with this technology by 2012. From there, that number was scheduled to rise to 40 percent by 2013 and 100 percent by 2014.

Backup camera rule pushed to 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Jun 2013 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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German OEMs pick one electrical charging connector to rule them all

Filed under: Hybrid, Europe, Government/Legal, Technology, Electric

One massive sticking point with electric cars is the lack of standards when it comes to plugging in the vehicle. In the 90s, the General Motors EV1 didn’t use the same kind of plug as the Toyota RAV4 EV, and that meant electric vehicle charging stations had to keep multiple adapters on hand if they wanted to service to multiple machinery.

If there’s any hope that EVs will take off in popularity over the next few decades, some standardization is in order. To that end, German manufacturers Audi, BMW, Daimler (Mercedes-Benz and Smart), Porsche and Volkswagen have banded together banded together in support of a modular connector system for electric vehicle charging.

The consortium’s connector system has been submitted for standardization under the designation IEC 62196-2 Type 2 for single- and three-phase charging with alternating current, and a DC extension is currently under development. If all goes according to plan, this new plug system will be ready for use by 2013.

It’s important to note that there are other plug designs and standards in the works as well, most notably the IEC 62196-2 Type 1 (which is favored by Japanese automakers and is the same as the SAE J1772 proposal in the U.S.). In other words, there could be one standard plug in Japan and the States, and another one in Europe. Sounds familiar, no?

Not surprisingly, the SAE has issued something of a response to this new development from Germany, highlighting that its plug and receptacle are ready to go and available now. Read more here. Thanks for the tip, Roy!

[Source: Audi]

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German OEMs pick one electrical charging connector to rule them all originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ecclestone wants independent F1 rule-maker, Mansell a spec chassis

Filed under: Motorsports

Bernie Ecclestone has never been one to shy away from speaking his mind. The latest big idea from F1’s commercial chief? Appointing an independent body to formulate the regulations that govern Formula One.

Currently, the FIA makes the rules with considerable input from the constructors through the Formula One Teams Association. However Ecclestone believes these actors are too close to the sport to make objective decisions on the regulations they have to live by. The rules have been changing too frequently, says Bernie, and an independent rule-maker would be the best way to rectify the situation and return a degree of stability to the sport.

Another influential Brit in the sport’s spotlight has a different idea. Former world champion Nigel Mansell believes F1 should switch to a spec racing series, switching from constructor-teams to a single spec chassis like those used in just about every other open-wheel racing series (like GP2, A1GP and IndyCar). Mansell’s idea, being far more drastic, is less likely to transpire. Think there’s any validity to either proposal? Share your thoughts in the ‘Comments’ section below.

[Source: pitpass | Images: Goh Chai Hin/AFP/Getty, Rick Dole/Getty]

Ecclestone wants independent F1 rule-maker, Mansell a spec chassis originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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