Tag Archives: Electric vehicles

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is officially looking into the “driver distraction potential” of Tesla’s “Passenger Play” system, which drivers say allows them to play games while on the road. 

A spokesperson for NHTSA told Popular Science Wednesday it has now opened a “Preliminary Evaluation” to “evaluate the scenarios” in which Tesla drivers can interact with the gaming offerings available on the dashboard screen. The vehicles included in this investigation are Tesla Models 3, S, X, and Y from years 2017 through 2022. The Associated Press, which first reported on the NHTSA evaluation, says this equates to about 580,000 cars. 

According to a report from the New York Times on December 7, three new games were added to Tesla’s dashboard screens in a virtual update this summer, including solitaire, a “jet fighter game,” and a “conquest strategy game.” While more than a dozen games were previously available while the car was in park, this update also made games accessible when the vehicle was in drive. Before launching, the games ask for confirmation that the player is a passenger, not the driver, The Verge found, but the driver could still tap the confirmation button to proceed. 

The Times report cited Vince Patton, a Tesla owner who filed a complaint to NHTSA after discovering the feature and had safety concerns, as well as videos on YouTube that show how the system works. NHTSA confirmed to Popular Science that it received one owner complaint about the games. In the report from the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation, there are no recorded incidents of crashes or injuries related to the game system’s use.

“NHTSA based its decision on reports that Tesla’s gameplay functionality is visible from the driver’s seat and can be enabled while driving the vehicle,” the NHTSA spokesperson said to Popular Science in an emailed statement about the agency’s choice to formally look into the issue. Previously, NHTSA told the Times it was “discussing the feature with the manufacturer.”

This probe comes less than two weeks after NHTSA told CNBC it was in communication with Tesla over an Autopilot glitch and as the agency continues to investigate multiple serious accidents involving Teslas hitting emergency vehicles while in Autopilot mode. The NHTSA spokesperson said that, as a reminder, there are no commercially available vehicles today that can totally drive themselves.

“Every available vehicle requires the human driver to be in control at all times, and all State laws hold the human driver responsible for the operation of their vehicles,” the spokesperson added. 

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Charging is key to the transition to electric vehicles and while more chargers are one the way, Ford Motor Co. is launching a new program to ensure the juice needed to run an EV does not contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases. 

Ford debuts 2020 Escape PHEV
Ford’s program can be used by current owners of the Mustang Mach-E, E-Transit and Escape PHEV.

With help of one auto industry’s traditional foes, the California Air Resource Board, Ford is beginning what it describes as a “sustainable charging program,” which allows owners of plug-in electric vehicles in California to opt for only carbon-neutral charging at home.  

“Ford’s electric vehicle customers are beginning to realize all the possibilities associated with their vehicles and sustainable energy management,” said Matt Stover, director of charging and energy services, Ford Motor Co.

“By working with regulators, utilities and customers for home integration services, we’re enabling EV drivers to lower their carbon footprints, potentially save money and help protect the grid, all through their smartphones.” 

California-based owners of all current Ford all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, including the Mustang Mach-E, the E-Transit and the Escape PHEV, plus the F-150 Lightning coming in 2022, are eligible for the program. 

Ford green charging California graphic

Only green energy wanted 

The idea is to only use electricity made with renewable sources rather than oil, gas or coal, reducing the carbon footprint of the energy used to power the vehicles.  

Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, recently noted the ability of electric vehicles to limit emissions of greenhouse gases is blunted if the energy powering them comes from fossil fuels, such as oil. Other critics of EVs note EVs cannot deter climate change if they are dependent on electric grid powered by fossil fuels.  

Ford plans to participate in CARB’s “Low Carbon Fuel Standard,” which will offer customers a new way to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change by matching the use of electricity used to charge plug-in electric vehicles at home with 100% local renewable energy, the automaker said. 

CARB, which has control of air quality standards throughout California, has long warred with automakers about emissions. Significant health concerns, created by automotive-related air pollution in Southern California, have given CARB enormous influence over emission standards not only across California but also across the United States. 

Ford Sustainable Charging web page

Program uses a phone app to find green energy 

Under the program, owners of eligible plug-in electric vehicles connect to the program through the FordPass app. 

Once enrolled, the FordPass app automatically tracks the amount of electricity used while charging at home. Ford generates, or buys, an equivalent amount of California-sourced Renewable Energy Certificates, an EPA-recognized program that records the generation and usage of green energy. 

Ford then sends evidence of the matching amounts to CARB, ensuring that all home plug-in charging activity is matched with zero-carbon electricity. 

Ford is investing more than $30 billion in electric vehicles and batteries through 2025. The push supports the company’s longer-term goal of creating a sustainable American manufacturing ecosystem, and to accelerate its progress towards achieving carbon neutrality no later than 2050. Overall, Ford expects 40% to 50% of its global vehicle volume to be fully electric by 2030.

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FedEx had kneeled before mankind, vowing to become a carbon-neutral business by 2040. That’s roughly eight years longer than it’ll probably take most of the population to forget that the promise was ever made. But this is the way of the world and we wager it won’t be long before it’s just easier to list the companies and governments that have not made informal, often empty commitments about the environment.

But, before we throw FedEx into the camp of blatant placation, let’s see what it actually has planned.

The parcel service’s plan involves six layers of action, starting with electrification. FedEx has promised its pickup and delivery fleet will be comprised exclusively of zero-emission EVs by 2040. This will allegedly be accomplished “through phased programs to replace existing” trucks. The company gave an example where 50 percent of Express delivery vehicle purchases would be electric by 2025, with all subsequent purchases being EV only by 2030 – though it did not say this would be exactly how things played out.

Everything else requires a bit more imagination, though a few might actually yield better environmental results than blowing a bunch of cash on EVs. One of our favorites is its plan to work with customers to bolster supply chain sustainability. Most of this is being done via carbon-neutral shipping options and new packaging solutions and seems like an easy enough (and immediate) way to help mitigate wastefulness.

FedEx also plans on investing in sustainable fuels for aircraft and trucks, deploying new forms of fleet monitoring (sky and ground-based) targeting fuel savings, and reconfiguring its facilities to use less energy. There’s even a plan to fund the Yale Center ($100 million) in researching Natural Carbon Capture methods.

“While we’ve made great strides in reducing our environmental impact, we have to do more. The long-term health of our industry is directly linked to the health of the planet, but this effort is about more than the bottom line – it’s the right thing to do,” Mitch Jackson, Chief Sustainability Officer, FedEx, stated. “At FedEx, we are committed to connecting people and possibilities resourcefully and responsibly. The steps we are taking today will contribute a positive impact for generations to come.”

The company has already committed itself to spend $2 billion toward its greener visions but we still think the publicity this kind of investment offers is probably worth more than whatever fruit it manages to yield. As a byproduct, it may also help keep FedEx from falling behind when and if widespread electrification becomes more feasible.

“We have a responsibility to take bold action in addressing climate challenges,” explained Frederick W. Smith, Chairman and CEO, FedEx Corp. “This goal builds on our longstanding commitment to sustainability throughout our operations, while at the same time investing in long-term, transformational solutions for FedEx and our entire industry.”

Be sure to check back in 20 years to see how that worked out.

[Image: FedEx]

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Bolt EUV

In launching the Bolt EUV and EV, leave it up to Chevrolet and Disney’s Imagineers to spin a pretty good tale. Nick Cho, the creator of TikTok, better known as YourKoreanDad, was the host of their launch video.

Bolt EUV

Cho gleefully tells us Chevrolet is debuting Super Cruise for the first (it is already available on some Cadillacs), what it claims is the first true hands-free driver assistance feature for compatible roads. I assume compatible roads are going to be like those shown at Disney World, with all the Bolt EUVs heading in the same direction, evenly spaced, without any cross-traffic. The only ride more hands-free than Super Cruise is Disneyland’s Autopia.

Bolt EUV

Especially useful is the energy feature on the myChevrolet app, to let you know that the next charging station is going to be just beyond the estimated 250-mile range the automaker was able to achieve with this platform, what they see as more than sufficient for daily driving. A friend who lives in Michigan noted about EVs in general, “250-mile range, 300-mile round trip to my cabin, wonder how far I’d be walking in freezing weather?”

As Dalya Aboona, Chevrolet’s EV charging specialist said, “The app will take into consideration the weather and driving terrain, to help give you an accurate estimation of your range, and the time you’d arrive at your destination.”

Range anxiety, a term I just learned, is what you experience as you creep ever-closer to the range limit. This, we’re told, will miraculously vanish, as Chevrolet builds more fast chargers. That, and when you become accustomed to the EV equivalent of NASCAR’s splash and go, sucking up just enough volts to make the light go green, sending you on your way again.  Why we are less concerned about running out of gas? Could it be because AAA doesn’t list electricity as a roadside assist that they can provide?

The Star Wars analogy has an X-Wing fighter pulling alongside, and the EUV driver hitting the Sport mode button, instantly propelling them into hyperspace. More hyperbole, but the Bolt EUV is getting some of the styling cues from their SUV line, and with a flat floor, there’s more legroom than in vehicles with a driveline tunnel.

Bolt EUV

A permanent magnetic drive, 200-horsepower motor with 266 lb-ft of torque is under the hood. One-pedal driving that doesn’t require you to apply the brakes means the car is thinking for you, even though there’s a disclaimer that said to use the brake pedal when you need to stop urgently. This requires you to make a split-second decision to brake or not if your EUV hasn’t. Regen on Demand stores energy when you come to stop, although to what extent wasn’t made clear.

Available this summer, the 2022 Bolt EUV starts at $33,995, and the EV is priced at $31,995. Chevrolet will also pay for the installation of level two charging with the purchase of either vehicle.

[Images: Chevrolet]