2013 Hyundai Veloster 3dr Cpe Man Turbo Ultimate W/ Matte Grey Navigation Backup on 2040-cars

Auto blog

10 automakers sued over keyless ignitions

Keyless ignition has rapidly proliferated throughout the auto industry to become a fairly normal feature on new cars. It's supposed to offer the convenience of keeping the fob in your pocket and just pressing a button to drive away. However, ten major automakers are now being sued in US District Court over claims that the system is dangerous, Reuters reports. The suit alleges that people are forgetting to shut off the engine, and the lack of an idle timer is the cause for 13 deaths by carbon monoxide poisoning and multiple injuries. The suit currently includes 28 plaintiffs, according to Reuters, but the lawyers are asking for class-action status to potentially add many more. The case goes after a major swath of the industry, including BMW, Daimler, FCA, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen, plus their related brands like Acura, Infiniti, Mini, and Lexus. In all, over five million vehicles are affected. The assertion here is that people walk away from their vehicle without shutting it off because they believe the engine shuts off automatically. If parked in a garage, carbon monoxide can build up, leading to poisoning. The lawyers claim automakers know this is a problem and also cite 27 complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the issue, according to Reuters. The plaintiffs are asking for an automatic shut-off and damages from the companies. These concerns have come up before, though. Toyota previously faced a lawsuit over a carbon monoxide death after a woman accidentally left her Lexus running. Also earlier this year, GM recalled 64,186 examples of the 2011-2013 Chevrolet Volt because owners weren't shutting them off. The problem resulted in two injuries, and the company released a software update to limit the idling time.

Hyundai FE Fuel Cell Concept previews next year's hydrogen SUV

For a while and without too many specifics, Hyundai has been talking about a new hydrogen powered CUV or SUV to replace the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell. Now, in Geneva, the Korean automaker has given us a preview of that vehicle: the Future Eco (FE) Fuel Cell Concept. The FE Fuel Cell definitely looks like a concept car, with a clean, flowing look Hyundai says is inspired by water, which happens to be this car's only tailpipe emission. It has a sturdy stature, with the large wheels pushed to the corners. Aerodynamic touches help make it more efficient, and add to its fresh design. Let's hope the production vehicle keeps some of these visual cues. Inside the car, an internal air humidifier recycles some of those water emissions inside the cabin's atmosphere. The FE Fuel Cell Concept also has portable battery packs for powering passenger devices, and the trunk is built to stow and charge an electric scooter to help you go that last mile. The FE's hydrogen fuel cell technology improves upon the Tucson Fuel Cell by being lighter and more efficient, with a fuel cell stack with 30 percent greater energy density. That means more range. Driving range is, of course what sets FCEVs apart from other zero-emissions vehicles, and the FE Fuel Cell has plenty of that to go around. "We have designed the car to run the longest distance ever achieved by a fuel cell vehicle," says Hyundai Vice Chairman Dr. Woong-Chul Yang. It'll go about 500 miles on a full tank of hydrogen, which is especially helpful while fueling stations are still few and far between. Hyundai expects to launch the production SUV inspired by the FE Fuel Cell Concept in early 2018. Related Video:

Hyundai Motorsport tests its performance at the WRC Rally Finland

Autoblog joined Hyundai to check out the Neste Oil Rally Finland, where thousands of kilometers of lightly traveled, rolling gravel roads have turned out decades of astonishing racing and cold-blooded drivers. Even though the World Rally Championship is well tamed from its feral Group B days, Rally Finland is still the drivers' favorite, with the fastest speeds and the biggest jumps.
It's the rookie year for the Hyundai Shell World Rally Team, run by Hyundai Motorsport out of Alzenau, Germany. The squad entered the season aiming for podiums in the second half and looking to get its three cars to the finish at every race for maximum development data. It's already outdone itself, Thierry Neuville scoring third places in Mexico - where he used a bottle of Corona to fill his radiator - and Poland.
Denis Giraudet told us that the rally's sternest challenge is not one of heart, though. Giraudet isn't part of Hyundai Motorsport, he was our guide and he's been in the sport as a co-driver for more than 30 years; he won Rally Finland with Juha Kankunnen in 1993 in a Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD. Giraudet said the race tests that particular confidence that comes from about 18 inches below the heart: "Here, you have to go all out. If there's a problem, it's usually between the steering wheel and the seat."