It may have been its best-selling model but the 737 Max could now become the plane that destroys Boeing. The plane has been grounded for almost a year now and it seems it will take more than a year before it can spread its wings again. But even if it finally gets the green light, Boeing might have some trouble restarting its pipelines now that it has put the production of the problematic plane on hold.
Boeing has discovered another software issue with its 737 MAX aircraft that will need to be fixed before the planes can return to the sky. The company confirmed the glitch late last week, according to a recent report, which claims that this problem may impact the plane's ability to verify that its systems are ready for flight. Boeing is working with the FAA on getting this fix through the pipeline.
US driving safety regulators is considering an investigation into claims of unexpected acceleration in Tesla's EVs, the NHTSA has confirmed, after owners complained that their electric cars could suddenly speed up. Although the petition covers reports from 123 different cars, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that it could affect 500,000 vehicles in total.
Boeing is already under a lot of heat for technical problems with its beleaguered 737 Max plane and the last thing it needs is a PR disaster caused by its own ranks. Unfortunately for the company, that is exactly the case thanks to documents coming from Boeing itself as part of its required disclosure about the design and development of the plane. Suffice it to say, some people inside the company knew exactly about the problems that would tragically cost 346 lives later on.
People die all around the world each year due to distracted driving. Distracted driving takes many forms from smartphone use to eating, to paying more attention to people in the car than the road. Bosch is talking up a new camera that it has developed that is intended to keep an eye on passengers inside the car. The camera uses AI to understand what the driver is doing to help improve safety.
Apple's headaches with iOS 13 updates may have diminished but it's far from being a flawless situation. While there have been little reports in the way of broken updates or bricked iPhones, iOS 13.3 may bring its own list of concerns, especially from parents. The latest iOS update added a new feature that would protect kids against strangers but a bug in that Communication Limits ironically lets children get around those blocks, intentionally or otherwise.
Massachusetts State Police was officially the first police department in the United States to test the use of a robotic dog named Spot from Boston Dynamics. News of the test was first revealed in documents obtained by the ACLU; the robotic dog was in use for non-weaponized purposes from August to November of this year. The test raises concerns over the potential use of intelligent robots by law enforcement.
General Motors has recalled approximately 640,000 pickup trucks primarily located in North America due to a fire risk. The recalled vehicles include 2019 and 2020 model year GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 trucks, as well as 2020 model year Silverado 2500 and 3500 trucks, and the Sierra 2500 / 3500 heavy-duty models. As with other vehicle recalls, eligible owners will get the potential defect repaired for free.
News of the recall first surfaced in an advisory dated November 14 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The recalled vehicles all feature carpeted rather than vinyl flooring, according to the recall notice; the issue revolves around the potential for that carpet to catch on fire due to the technology used for the front seat belts in these trucks.
Recalled models feature front seat belt pretensioners that deploy as a result of certain types of crashes. When this happens, GM explains that exhaust produced by the activated pretensioner could be diverted through an opening in the system’s bracket. The exhaust may then ignite the fibers in the truck's carpeting located near the interior B-pillar, resulting in a visible fire.
Carpet that is on fire may, of course, put people in the car at greater risk of injury in the event of a crash. The recall notice explains that the opening through which exhaust is expelled was intended to be used as a locator hole during the vehicle’s assembly process but was ultimately never used. The hole isn’t actually part of the pretensioner system’s design and isn’t needed for it to work.
The potential risk was discovered following the report of a fire that happened in a truck this past summer. The automaker’s review of the case ultimately led to an official product investigation launched on September 3. Fast-forward to the newly announced recall and GM explains that dealers will install a component in affected trucks that closes the openings in the pretensioner bracket. This will keep the exhaust gases away from the carpet, removing the fire risk. Owners of recalled vehicles will be notified about the recall directly.
The CDC reports that yet another E. coli outbreak has been linked to romaine lettuce. The agency is warning the public to avoid consuming romaine lettuce that originates from the Salinas, California, area due to the risk of contracting the illness. As of November 22, the agency was aware of 40 reported E. coli cases across 16 states, including 28 hospitalizations. Another romaine lettuce recall has been initiated.
The U.S. Army has unveiled a special new type of hearing protection designed specifically for military dogs working in combat environments. Unlike existing hearing protection gear for canines, this padded hood has a low profile and is designed to fit snugly on the dog's head without the need for straps or otherwise cumbersome attachments. The hearing protection can be used on helicopters, during training, and more.
Uber may have helped start a new industry but it has quickly become the object of scorn over a multitude of issues and accusations. In addition to questionable business and labor practices, the ride-sharing company that started it all has come under fire for its failure to keep both passengers and even drivers safe, sometimes from each other. That is why it is testing a new safety feature that will provide needed evidence and safety incentives by potentially violating privacy in audio recording trips.
It may be called Autopilot but Tesla's semi-automated driver assistance feature isn't as self-driving as many, including Tesla owners, presume it to be. It can't even detect traffic cones, which is essential to keeping away from dangerous road construction. That is slowly changing now that Tesla is rolling out pylon detection to its Autopilot feature but drivers should still keep their eyes on the road anyway.