There Auto Be A Law

Hosted by Center for Auto Safety

Leisure AutomotiveInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

220

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

About the show

A discussion on auto safety issues and technological developments, in hopes of providing consumers and enthusiasts with a better understanding of modern vehicles, safety systems, and current issues in the auto industry.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 15, 20261 hr 4 min

The Cult of Safety: Waymo's Autonomous Vehicle Claims

Crash-avoidance tests show cargo vans and heavy-duty pickups lag on automatic emergency braking—some can’t reliably detect a child dummy—highlighting gaps for vehicles over 10,000 pounds and delays in federal standards. Pedestrian deaths stay stubbornly high while a jaywalking crackdown is criticized as a historic, car-industry-driven scapegoat. Tesla draws fire for a feature that can activate steering-based collision evasion even when driver assist is off, plus marketing retreats to “assisted driving” in Europe. Waymo is mocked for shifting safety rhetoric while real-world mistakes pile up. Also: engine braking basics, fall road tips, and recalls for Mercedes brake hoses, VW ID.4 battery risk, and Ram TPMS and power-steering wiring corrosion. Donate Today! https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/cargo-vans-and-work-pickups-struggle-in-iihs-crash-avoidance-tests https://www.autoevolution.com/news/tesla-s-automatic-collision-evasion-is-the-most-controversial-safety-feature-tesla-launched-in-years-275489.html https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/general/maye-musk-praises-elon-musk-s-safety-first-focus-after-tesla-owner-says-ev-saved-him-and-son-in-crash/ar-AA2e90y9 https://waymo.com/blog/2026/10/sober-driving-benchmarks/ https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/general/your-car-has-another-way-to-slow-down-what-is-engine-braking/ar-AA2doftp https://phl17.com/pennsylvania-news/driving-safety-tips-as-the-leaves-begin-to-fall/ https://autosafety.org/geo-fence/system-demo.html https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V638-9238.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V630-1770.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V623-3160.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V621-5191.pdf

October 8, 20261 hr 3 min

Fact-Checking the Future: Tesla FSD, AV Coalitions, and Safety Standards

A correction kicks off: the “A2Send” coalition (AV industry members plus VTTI) is framed as a red-tape-cutting push that really means fewer safety rules. Tesla is criticized for lobbying EU regulators with flimsy “safety” metrics (horn honks and blinkers). A fuel-economy rollback is blasted as a giveaway that won’t cut car prices but will raise lifetime fuel costs.We publish an open geofence-notification spec to help first responders clear streets. Waymo expands teen rides and updates terms with sweeping indemnity, arbitration traps, and teen trip recording. Data privacy worries grow, and recalls. Support the show! https://www.reuters.com/investigations/tesla-is-browbeating-eu-approve-its-full-self-driving-tech-pressure-is-working-2026-10-07/ https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/president-trump-transportation-secretary-duffy-finalize-freedom-means-affordable-cars https://www.thedriverlessdigest.com/p/the-robotaxi-curb-dilemma-park-cruise https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/trump-administration-sued-over-fuel-economy-rollback-2026-10-02/ https://sd15.senate.ca.gov/news/major-victory-public-safety-accountability-oversight-and-emergency-response-standards https://github.com/The-Center-for-Auto-Safety/Geo-Fence-Notification https://support.google.com/waymo/answer/9184909 https://support.google.com/waymo/answer/9197501 https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/22/waymos-latest-expansion-strategy-teenagers/ https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/general/european-cars-are-spying-on-their-drivers-the-same-tech-could-be-coming-to-the-us/ar-AA2c7Qb1 https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/09/connected-car-data-privacy-is-still-abysmal-study-finds/ more on the website.

October 1, 20261 hr 3 min

Limitations of Robotaxi Safety Claims with Phil Koopman

A deep dive into why “AVs are safer than humans” headlines are shaky: safety studies often ignore changing software, remote-operator roles, empty-vehicle miles that reduce “injury crashes,” selective reporting, weak human-driver baselines (especially COVID-era data), and risk exported to other road users when vehicles stop or phantom brake. The big warning: past performance doesn’t prove safety at massive scale or in new cities with different conditions, and rare fatalities need far more miles to measure. Skepticism also targets closed-door industry “standards” shaping federal rules, plus quick hits on messy recall fixes, rear-camera failures, and an investigation into Comma.ai after crashes and fatalities. https://avsafety.substack.com/p/a-guide-to-the-limitations-of-robotaxi https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/nhtsa-wants-ideas-fix-recalls-120949573.html https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V605-9379.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V597-1248.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V598-8506.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2026/INOA-PE26007-17274.pdf

September 24, 20261 hr 2 min

Autonomous Vehicle Hotlines Fail

A driverless car wanders through a Denver farmers market, and authorities admit there’s no clear way to ticket an empty vehicle. Maybe a Geofence Notice Specification would help? Federal pedestrian-protection results look grim for U.S. automakers, with most qualifying models coming from Asian brands. Emergency hotlines for self-driving operators often fail, raising doubts about remote help and the need for passenger emergency controls. Concerns over reclined or rotated seating in future AVs plus recalls Support the show! https://www.9news.com/article/news/community/transportation/waymo-drives-denver-farmers-market-no-law/73-a55cac7b-9c76-4003-896b-1dd5ad162dea https://www.autopilotwatch.com/analysis/the-fsd-death-toll https://www.teslarati.com/why-automakers-keep-turning-down-elon-musks-tesla-full-self-driving-offer/ https://autos.yahoo.com/safety-and-recalls/articles/nhtsa-says-102-cars-meet-182521601.html https://www.wired.com/story/meet-the-academics-trying-to-stop-you-from-having-sex-in-robotaxis/ https://www.wired.com/story/how-self-driving-cars-might-change-crash-testing-forever/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TZFcyzGEiY https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/policy/articles/ford-ceo-jim-farley-disputes-131135101.html https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2026-09/NHTSA-260820-001_Signed.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V590-6184.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V587-5272.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V588-5849.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V599-8186.pdf

September 17, 20261 hr 5 min

America needs fat dummies

Federal crash tests still rely on a 5’9”, 170‑lb male dummy, leaving heavier, taller, older, and many female body types underrepresented while better (but pricier) sensor-rich dummies exist. Europe pushes intelligent speed assistance and even satellite enforcement, but accuracy, hacking, and real-world driving edge cases raise concerns. Waymo drew dozens of police calls and now touts a new compute chip, prompting worries about revalidating safety and cosmic-ray-induced electronic upsets without strong standards. GM gets heat for cheap backseat “kid reminder” software instead of true presence detection. Tesla takes hits for reckless FSD hype and rising crash reports. A banned counterfeit Chinese airbag inflator claims an 11th life. Recalls: Ford F‑150 fuel tank straps, Toyota C‑HR overcharge shutdown, Ford Bronco curtain-airbag burr. Donate! https://celticswire.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2026/09/10/crash-test-dummies-get-second-look-for-safety-from-michigan-labs/90886527007/ https://insideevs.com/news/801020/eu-mulling-satellite-speed-limits/ https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/waymo-unveils-custom-5nm-asic-to-power-real-time-autonomous-driving-with-1000-tops-performance https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/general/police-records-show-how-waymo-robotaxis-struggled-on-san-antonio-streets/ar-AA2c7hdG https://electrek.co/2026/09/11/musk-promotes-tesla-fsd-misuse-98-year-old/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/09/12/would-jesus-like-waymo-baptists-have-thoughts/ https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/nyregion/mamdani-street-safety-vision-zero-reimagined.html more links at the site.

September 10, 20261 hr 0 min

Cybercab Chaos

This week we're joined by former NASA engineer Chris Chamberlin to discuss oil changes. But first it's Tesla’s steering-wheel-free Cybercab rolls out while claiming self-certified compliance, prompting regulators to probe how it could possibly meet federal safety standards despite missing basics like pedals and mirrors. Their emergency responder guide is mocked as wildly impractical: flatbed-only towing, badge-to-camera verification, jumpstarting low-voltage power to open the hood, heavy “guillotine” doors, and battery fires needing 3,000–8,000 gallons of water. The discussion compares lax autonomous-vehicle oversight to NASA-style “test what you fly,” then detours into shuttle-era lubricant analysis and why oil-change intervals are oversold. Recalls cover Jeep coil springs and rear-camera software failures in Ram and Outlander. Support the Show. Donate! https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/investigation-tesla-cybercab-self-certification https://electrek.co/2026/09/08/tesla-cybercab-hidden-virtual-joystick-manual-driving/ https://www.dps.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/highwaypatrol/cav/plans/tesla_cybercab_robotaxi.pdf https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/04/business/tesla-cybercab-nhtsa-investigation.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2026/09/07/seat-belt-chimes-are-meant-save-lives-some-people-still-resent-them/ https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V562-9434.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V560-9456.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V549-3979.pdf

September 3, 202658 min

Exploding Sunroofs

We look at why sunroofs can shatter—debris, temperature swings, or defects—and why switching to laminated glass could worsen escape in a crash. Telematics data suggests cell phone use before crashes is far higher than police reports indicate, though navigation may muddy the numbers. A Waymo collision shows the robot kept driving to a safer pull-over, while Tesla’s “FSD Lite” on older hardware is criticized after plowing over a large log. A federal reporting quirk can miss robotaxi hard-braking injuries without a crash, fueling calls for near-miss reporting. Also: eBay bans airbag listings, a fuel-economy rollback is blasted, “rest-in-red” lights reward slow drivers, Singapore caps car ownership, and major recalls hit Chrysler, Kia, Britax, Lucid, and Ford. Donate for Safety! https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/car-sunroofs-keep-spontaneously-explodingand-the-problem-is-getting-worse-b197d466 https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/study-shows-police-reports-undercount-cellphone-use-before-crashes https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/general/waymo-driverless-vehicle-collides-with-car-in-california/vi-AA2b8tPI# https://electrek.co/2026/08/24/tesla-fsd-v14-1-lite-drove-over-log/ https://autos.yahoo.com/policy-and-environment/articles/why-robotaxi-hard-braking-injuries-215500260.html https://news.engin.umich.edu/2026/07/self-driving-cars-near-miss-driving-data-can-expedite-av-algorithm-training/ https://www.autonomousvehicleinternational.com/news/trucks/amd-to-power-kodiak-ais-next-generation-autonomous-trucks.html https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2022-1 more links at the website

August 27, 20261 hr 3 min

China: Leading in safety

China orders a 4.3 million-vehicle recall over hard-to-find manual door releases and plans to ban certain electronic door-handle designs by 2027, highlighting faster safety rulemaking than U.S. regulators. Rosy claims about robotaxi safety and affordability are mocked as PR, with criticism of redacted crash disclosures and “shill” tech journalism. A GM blind-spot issue is blasted as a mere service bulletin, and a GM EV brake problem sits in investigation. Donate for safety! https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/china-flexes-its-auto-safety-chops-with-huge-recall-tesla-other-cars-2026-08-26/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/08/democrats-waymo-safety-jobs/688324/?gift=-C-w73vZX-CaPlkKhA0XdmkVQkhpIPzwYPSt0okkDKE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chg_MXkMolY https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/amazons-toaster-shaped-robotaxis-are-hitting-the-road-111c7b90 https://gmauthority.com/blog/2026/08/gm-releases-widespread-fix-for-false-blind-spot-monitoring-system-alerts/ https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/general/waymo-hands-over-documents-in-nhtsa-s-child-collision-probe/ar-AA2aFAK0 https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2026/INRL-PE26001-14420P1.pdf https://www.techtimes.com/articles/325359/20260824/japan-mandates-cabin-facing-cameras-all-cars-2031-smartphone-bans-fail.htm https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/driver-death-rates-remain-high-for-small-cars-models-with-powerful-engines https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/24/brake-problems-in-gm-evs-draw-greater-federal-scrutiny/ https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V545-1489.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V528-0755.pdf

August 20, 20261 hr 12 min

Waymo is 5.5 times worse than a human driver

Privacy-troubled license-plate readers promise shorter data retention while still ripe for abuse, and “park outside” warnings highlight how always-on electronics can spark garage fires. Backup cameras have triggered recalls across over 20 million vehicles. Zoox’s safety claims lack numbers and has 123 autonomous-mode collisions logged, Tesla’s steering-wheel-free Cybercab talk is called nonsense, and Waymo’s expansion is criticized as ignoring local opposition, with a data-based claim it’s far more hazardous than comparable human-driven cars. https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/flock-guardrails-address-lpr-privacy-concerns-and-police-transparency https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/general/they-wwwwre-told-to-park-outside-then-their-cars-burst-into-flames/ar-AA2ahnLG https://zoox.com/journal/safety-case-framework https://thenextweb.com/news/zoox-safety-case-framework-robotaxi-recall https://www.iihs.org/ratings/driver-death-rates-by-make-and-model https://waymo.com/blog/2024/08/meet-the-6th-generation-waymo-driver/ https://electrek.co/2026/08/17/tesla-cybercab-launch-least-exciting-vehicle-ever/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-quantumscape-and-factorial-energy-mass-produce-solid-state-batteries/ https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/17/health/album-streaming-traffic-deaths https://newsroom.aaa.com/2026/08/new-research-finds-most-drivers-think-speeding-is-normal-putting-everyone-at-risk/ https://electrek.co/2026/08/14/waymo-cpuc-approval-california-expansion-18-counties/ https://www.jalopnik.com/2239114/toyota-lexus-cars-electric-door-handles-battery-dies/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3VnjQqbsnE more links on site

August 13, 20261 hr 6 min

Flock Cameras, Duct Tape and People are Safer than Waymo

A loose plastic body panel sparks a debate: glue is a hidden, warranty-voiding headache, while tape is visible and replaceable. Flock license-plate cameras—useful for stopping theft, but ripe for stalking, bad data, and misuse, prompting calls for audits and safeguards and even contract drops like the LAPD’s. Auto insurers get roasted for denying more liability claims and for “household member” technicalities that can zero out coverage. Waymo takes heat for secrecy, arbitration-heavy terms, liability limits, remote assistance delays, and “superhuman” hype, plus news it’s importing Chinese Zeekr vans. Recalls: Chrysler seat belt retractors, Toyota blank instrument displays, Tesla headlamp glare, Rivian turn signals. Support the show! https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/us/flock-cameras-can-track-every-car-in-america-police-love-them-citizens-dont.html https://www.404media.co/lapd-regularly-pulled-over-innocent-people-because-license-plate-readers-flagged-their-cars-as-stolen/ https://www.wsj.com/finance/if-you-get-in-a-car-crash-the-risk-is-growing-your-insurance-wont-pay-1522236c https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/dems/peters-blumenthal-release-gao-report-finding-doge-misled-americans-about-claimed-savings/ https://www.autosafety.org/podcast/terms-of-service-we-read-them-so-you-dont-have-to/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2026/08/02/americans-cant-buy-chinese-evs-waymo-is-importing-thousands/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/cars/news/2026/07/17/driver-moose-crash-in-volvo-safety-design/90962301007/ https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V510-6120.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V511-8251.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V507-2774.pdf https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26V508-6656.pdf

Is this your show?

Claim this listing to keep it up to date, reach guests who want to pitch you, and manage bookings with Guestify.

Claim this listing