2005 Hyundai Elantra 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:

Auto execs surveyed say VW, BMW most likely to grow

A new survey of top global automotive executives indicates both Volkswagen and BMW are the most likely to grow their market share over the next five years.
Tax advisory firm KPMG LLP has released its 14th annual Global Automotive Executive Survey, which includes responses from over 200 executives. A total of 81 percent of respondents said they expect to see Volkswagen make gains, compared to 70 percent last year. BMW, meanwhile, saw 70 percent of those surveyed say they believe the company will increase its market share. That's a jump of 7 percentage points over last year. This is the first time in the history of the survey that BMW has claimed the second-place spot.
Meanwhile, Hyundai has seen its perceived market share potential slacken for the third year in a row. Around 61 percent of those surveyed predicted gains for Hyundai, down from 63 in 2012. Toyota also has a surprising year, but for just the opposite reason. While the manufacturer had slipped in ranking since 2011, it enjoyed the largest increase of any company in the 2013 survey, jumping to 68 percent from 44 percent last year.