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NHTSA, IIHS, and 20 automakers to make auto braking standard by 2022

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and virtually every automaker in the US domestic market have announced a pact to make automatic emergency braking standard by 2022. Here's the full rundown of companies involved: BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo (not to mention the brands that fall under each automaker's respective umbrella). Like we reported yesterday, AEB will be as ubiquitous in the future as traction and stability control are today. But the thing to note here is that this is not a governmental mandate. It's truly an agreement between automakers and the government, a fact that NHTSA claims will lead to widespread adoption three years sooner than a formal rule. That fact in itself should prevent up to 28,000 crashes and 12,000 injuries. The agreement will come into effect in two waves. For the majority of vehicles on the road – those with gross vehicle weights below 8,500 pounds – AEB will need to be standard equipment by September 1, 2022. Vehicles between 8,501 and 10,000 pounds will have an extra three years to offer AEB. "It's an exciting time for vehicle safety. By proactively making emergency braking systems standard equipment on their vehicles, these 20 automakers will help prevent thousands of crashes and save lives," said Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said in an official statement. "It's a win for safety and a win for consumers." Read on for the official press release from NHTSA. Related Video: U.S. DOT and IIHS announce historic commitment of 20 automakers to make automatic emergency braking standard on new vehicles McLEAN, Va. – The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced today a historic commitment by 20 automakers representing more than 99 percent of the U.S. auto market to make automatic emergency braking a standard feature on virtually all new cars no later than NHTSA's 2022 reporting year, which begins Sept 1, 2022. Automakers making the commitment are Audi, BMW, FCA US LLC, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Tesla Motors Inc., Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo Car USA.

Autoblog Minute: FCA issues Uconnect software update amid hacking fears

Carjacking has gone wireless, as automakers and Congress scramble for a solution after a disturbing video on Wired showed a pair of researchers controlling a Jeep Cherokee remotely. Autoblog's Adam Morath and David Gluckman report on this edition of Autoblog Minute. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Carjacking has gone wireless, as automakers and Congress scramble for a solution. I'm Adam Morath and this is your Autoblog Minute. Cars with wireless connections are susceptible to remote hacking, as demonstrated in a disturbing video on Wired.com. The segment showed two researchers remotely controlling a Jeep Cherokee, including running vehicle's the wipers, turning up the music, and ultimately shutting down [00:00:30] the Jeep while it was being driven on the highway by Wired senior writer Andy Greenberg. Washington took note. A press release issued from the desks of senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal introduces legislation protecting drivers from auto security privacy risks. Fiat Chrysler, parent company of Jeep, has a solution for its customers. For more we go to Autoblog's David Gluckman. [GLUCKMAN INTERVIEW] Chrysler has worked with the Uconnect cellular provider Sprint to plug security holes on the carrier side. The vehicles themselves can't be updated wirelessly, so [00:01:00] the remaining changes require physical access. For that, customers have three options: One, download the Uconnect software update to a USB stick and install. Two, wait for FCA to send a USB stick with the latest software that they can install, or third, visit a dealer. Owners should do what they're most comfortable with. I made a video that walks through the whole process from download to install and it took about a half hour. [MORATH] David's full video tutorial of how to install the Uconnect fix can be seen on Autoblog. [00:01:30] It remains to be seen how the rest of the auto industry will respond to these security risks. For Autoblog, I'm Adam Morath. Related Video: Autoblog Minute is a short-form news video series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals.

Why Mopar won't release a factory lift kit for the new Jeep Cherokee

The Jeep Cherokee Dakar concept showed off at the 2014 Easter Jeep Safari made a lot of online friends, even the Cherokee naysayers assenting that there's a monster Jeep underneath the Cherokee's skin if you're willing to go in and get it. But after reading Road & Track's write-up of what went into creating the Dakar, particularly its lift, you'll understand why you'll probably never see the components for it in the Jeep Performance Parts catalog.
The concept's press release mentions a "prototype Jeep Performance Parts lift kit, and additional suspension modifications." The short-story explanation is that the front struts on the standard Cherokee weren't engineered to accept any amount of lift, so the long story begins with the phrase, "an entirely new suspension." Head over to RT to read the details, and don't be afraid to ogle the Cherokee Dakar gallery and another awesome Jeep fancy that won't likely crawl over the hurdles imposed by production reality.