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Weekly Recap: Auto execs face life in prison for recall delays under proposed legislation

The stiff punishments are part of broader transportation legislation, but clearly McCaskill has automakers in her sights.
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill threw down the gauntlet this week, proposing a bill that could send auto executives to prison for life if they were found to have delayed a recall. She also wants to eliminate the limit for fines for auto safety violations, which are currently capped at $35 million.

GM crab walked the Hummer EV truck up and down Woodward this weekend

Sometimes, manufacturers like to show off their fancy new wares at the Woodward Dream Cruise. It’s largely done through static showcases with big displays for the public to gawk at. However, GM did something a little different with its GMC Hummer EV truck this year. Instead of parking it at the Chevy and GM display area, it took to Woodward Avenue itself to show off the Hummer in pre-production form. Not only did GM drive the electric truck on the road in front of thousands, but it crab walked the whole way. This was our first time, and probably most of the publicÂ’s first time seeing the Hummer EV crab mode in person. Judging from the crowdÂ’s reaction (GM got its wish of everybody paying attention), folks are impressed, and maybe a bit confused at the HummerÂ’s sideways movements.  ItÂ’s a strange spectacle to see in person. At first, the truck appears as though itÂ’s sliding sideways on ice in a smooth, graceful slide. ThatÂ’s because even though the wheels are turned, the front of the truck is still pointing dead straight ahead. The GM employee behind the wheel of the prototype appeared to be moving forward at about 5-10 mph — it appears shockingly quick in person for the way this behemoth of a truck presents itself. The tech making it work is rather simple in concept. GM simply took existing rear-wheel steering technology, then amplified and modified it for this type of movement. Whereas most cars with rear-wheel steering max out at around 5 degrees of lock with the rear wheels, this Hummer can turn the wheels up to 10 degrees. Turn the wheel left or right in crab mode, and the Hummer moves diagonally down the street. If you use it for its intended purpose, crab mode is meant to help you navigate the Hummer through trails it might otherwise be too big to fit through using regular steering. In reality, we suspect most folks might use crab mode in the exact same fashion as GM did this past weekend: to impress people. And honestly, we canÂ’t blame them. It was a seriously cool sight to see. Crab mode in action: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2015 Chevy Canyon, GMC Colorado to net up to 27 mpg with 4-cylinder

Before even officially going on sale to customers, the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickup twins are already proving to be a success with dealer orders exceeding original projections. Now, there is even more good news for these siblings, with the fuel economy for their four-cylinder engines netting class-leading numbers and the 3.6-liter V6 getting segment-best payload ratings.
The 2.5-liter four-cylinder in the two trucks makes 200 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, and in rear-wheel drive and six-speed manual trim it has an EPA rating of 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. Opting for a two-wheel drive configuration with the six-speed automatic bumps those figures slightly to 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. Finally, a four-wheel drive model with the automatic 'box carries a 19/25/21 rating. Those numbers are a tick better here and there compared to what's offered by the optional V6.
The twins' major four-cylinder, midsize pickup rivals are the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier, but they're both getting somewhat long in the tooth. To compare fuel economy and power, a two-wheel drive Tacoma with its 2.7-liter four-cylinder is rated at 159 hp and 180 lb-ft, and achieves 21/25/22 mpg. The Frontier with its 2.5-liter four-cylinder is good for 152 hp and 171 lb-ft, and carries 19/23/21 mpg figures.