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2017 Acura NSX No. 1 just rolled off the line in Ohio

The 2017 Acura NSX is officially in production. NASCAR titan Rick Hendrick, who paid $1.2 million at auction for the first one, drove it off the line Tuesday at the NSX factory in Marysville, OH. VIN No. 1 wears Valencia red pearl paint. It is equipped with carbon-ceramic brake rotors, leather and Alcantara trim, and uses carbon fiber for the engine cover, roof, and rear spoiler. Top that off with upgraded wheels, and it has every available option. The NSX is powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 that teams with three electric motors for a system output of 573 hp and 476 pound-feet of torque. It has a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive. The NSX will start at $157,800 and maxes out north of $205,000 for a fully loaded model like this one. Hendrick's heady price came from his winning bid at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona in January, with proceeds going to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Camp Southern Ground. Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motor Sports and the Hendrick Automotive Group, has also paid hefty prices for the first 2015 Chevy Corvette Z06 and 2014 Chevy Camaro Z/28 in support of charities. The NSX launch is a milestone for American Honda, which has built cars in Ohio for more than 30 years. The NSX is assembled at the company's Performance Manufacturing Center, and the engines are hand-built at a nearby facility in Ohio. "Today marks the realization of a big dream here at the PMC and the culmination of more than 30 years of manufacturing experience and expertise here in Ohio," Clement D'Souza, engineering large project leader for the NSX, said in a statement. "Our world class team of expert technicians, through their passion, has realized major innovations in the design and manufacturing of a next-generation Acura supercar that truly delivers incredible precision-crafted performance." Related Video: Image Credit: Acura Design/Style Green Plants/Manufacturing Acura Coupe Hybrid Performance Supercars rick hendrick

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.

Comma.ai makes your car semi-autonomous for $999

At TechCrunch's Disrupt conference in San Francisco, Comma.ai founder George "Geohot" Hotz announced the launch of the Comma One semi-autonomous driving device. Hotz said at the conference that his company has worked on the Comma One for about a year, and it will be available at the end of the year for $999 and a $24 per month subscription fee. But aside from the reasonable price, which TechCrunch points out is possible thanks to off-the-shelf components, the appeal here is that it's an add-on to an existing car that can be installed at home by the car's owner. This gives people with normal cars the opportunity to have semi-autonomous features without having to buy an entire vehicle... that is, if you have a Honda or Acura with lane-keeping assist, since Comma One is currently only compatible with those vehicles. It remains to be seen if the company will add more vehicles to the list over time. The device is roughly the size of a large cell phone or aftermarket navigation system, and it has a screen on the front and a pair of cameras on the back. The computer combines information from the device's cameras and the car's radar sensors to understand what's happening and how to respond. Hotz explained at the conference that this system is similar in capability to the Tesla Autopilot system, and will be able to complete a drive, start to finish, without the driver having to touch anything. He did however emphasize that the driver must still pay attention in the event something goes wrong, comparing the experience to watching a young student driver. Hotz told TechCrunch that the device should start shipping at the end of the year. He also said that owners of compatible Honda products in the San Francisco area are eligible for beta testing, and can get involved by emailing him at george@comma.ai. So if you've been pining for a semi-autonomous vehicle of your own, but couldn't spring for a Tesla, you won't have to wait much longer. We should point out that we don't know yet how well the system works, though we hope to find out soon. Related Video: