Auto Industry News: Uber Releases Sexual Assault Report, NHTSA Issues New Recalls, Mr. Musk Goes To Trial, and Pundits Call for a Corvette-Based Electric SUV
It’s been a weird week for the auto industry. In a bid for more transparency, Uber released its first ever safety report. The data, showing thousands of sexual assault claims across 2017 and 2018, has many people thinking twice about getting into strangers’ cars. The NHTSA announced some big recalls—and one of them concerns repeat offender, Takata. Plus, Elon Musk was in L.A. Court, facing defamation charges over his “pedo guy” comments from July 2018. And analysts are calling for a Corvette-based electric SUV to compete with the new Mustang Mach-E.
Sheesh, we have some industry baggage to unpack.
Uber Safety Report Shows Thousands of Sexual Assault Claims
On December 5, Uber published its long-awaited safety study, in response to dozens of sexual assault allegations making headlines in 2018. Compiled with the help of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and the Urban Institute, the 84-page report “represents the latest in a series of actions Uber has taken to continually improve the safety of [its] platform for all who use it,” per the company.
While the safety report ensures readers that, of the nearly 4 million Uber trips happening every day in the U.S., 99.9 percent of “end without any safety-related issue at all.” And “critical safety incidents,” i.e. assault, sexual assault, robbery, and yes, murder, make up only 0.0003% of trips.
That said, there were still 235 rapes reported in 2018 alone, averaging a horrific four per week. Another 5,500 sexual assault incidents, ranging from unwanted kissing to groping and even attempted rape, were reported over the two years covered in the report.
While that number is taken in the context of billions of rides, it’s important to note that those were only the cases that were reported. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) only about 230 of every 1,000 sexual assaults are ever reported to authorities, leaving, on average, three out of every four assaults unreported.
How is Uber combatting the issue?
In light of these alarming statistics, what is the billion-dollar corporate ride-sharing giant doing to improve customer safety? Well, as it turns out, not quite as much as you might expect.
Aside from some in-app additions like RideCheck, a feature that sends push notifications to riders and drivers if there’s an unexpected stop during the ride, and a text-to-911 feature that includes location data along with the make, model, and license plate of the vehicle they’re riding in, Uber is still resistant to make sweeping substantial changes to the driver-vetting process.
Even when the company implemented continual background checks in 2018, it dulled the effectiveness by refusing to fingerprint drivers, even calling fingerprint checks “an unnecessary burden and cost” that would make it harder to get drivers onto the platform.
While Uber isn’t the only riding sharing company with issues, it is one of the biggest names in the game, having pioneered this transportation market disruption.
Uber commits to releasing more of these safety reports every two years—a bold move that we applaud. Transparency is the first of many steps needed to reduce sexual assault and violence of all kinds.
As it pertains to more traditional corporate transparency a la the NHTSA, here are two important safety recalls that should be on your radar.
… Due to a faulty electrical latch that’s prone to short-circuit and cause truck tailgates to open willy-nilly, Ford is recalling 262,000 F-250, F-350 and F-450 trucks from 2017 to 2019. Truck owners will be notified by mail during the week of January 20 if their truck is impacted. The issue can be fixed with just a quick trip to the local dealership.
… Repeat-offender Takata STILL has faulty airbags on the road, affecting another 1.4 million vehicles. Toyota, BMW (3-Series), Honda, Mitsubishi, and Audi models from 1995-2000 appear to fall in the affected pool, per a notice on the agency’s website.
The airbags in question include non-azide inflators that lack stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant, meaning moisture build up can cause the airbag to explode or under-inflate during a crash. To make things worse, that explosion might send shards of shrapnel back at the driver, increasing the chance of being injured.
More information is forthcoming as automakers determine which specific vehicles have the affected inflators. The recall is expected to begin on January 24, 2020. For more in-depth and technical information on the recall and airbag issues, check out the NHTSA website.
Elon Musk Defamation Trail
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is in a little bit less hot water than normal this week after a $190 million defamation lawsuit brought by British cave explorer Vernon Unsworth was dismissed. Musk branded Unsworth as “pedo guy” on Twitter during the July 2018 rescue of a Thai soccer team and their coach from an underwater cave system.
The panel took only 45 minutes to make the historic decision, killing the first major defamation suit brought against an individual for remarks on Twitter after only four days on trial.
The jury’s decision sets a high legal bar for potentially libelous tweets which, in today’s day and age, sounds not ideal if you ask me. The decision gets Musk off the hook for his seemingly reckless tweets and might be a bit of good for Tesla shareholders’ peace of mind this week.
Musk clearly remains undeterred to speak his mind, however, telling the press after the trial that “my faith in humanity is restored.”
Industry Pundits Call For Corvette-Based Electric SUV to Compete with Ford Mach-E
With Ford’s Mustang Mach-E set to make a splash on the EV scene late next year, industry experts are convinced other automakers are keeping tabs. Tesla is set to launch its own Model Y rival and, according to industry experts, Chevy is considering tossing its hat in the ring with a Corvette-based electric SUV.
Adam Jonas, a Morgan Stanley analyst who spoke with CNBC, believes that the Corvette brand has the staying-power and consumer recognition to properly compete with the Mustang name. “It’s time to look at the potential of GM’s supercar brand,” Jonas told CNBC, citing it would be “more than a needle-mover for GM.”
“Historically, the thought of GM expanding Corvette into anything beyond its single model status would have been brand heresy,” Jonas said. “But times are changing in global autos.”
With the rise of EVs to the mainstream and the stagnation of traditional combustion engine cars, it makes sense that big-name automakers are preparing for the clean, green future by leaning on established vehicle models.
GM played its usual tease, with CEO and chairman Mary Barra refusing to talk about future projects but saying she appreciates that Jonas thinks the Corvette franchise is very strong. Steve Majoros, director of Chevrolet passenger car and crossover marketing echoed this sentiment at the LA Auto Show saying, “We’re flattered by the attention. We’re happy with the Corvette we’ve got to sell, here, right after we turn the calendar in 2020. What future plans are—we’ll see.”
Is that a maybe? After all, who would have guessed we’d be getting a fully electric Mustang SUV a few months ago?
Do we even want a Corvette-based electric SUV? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Around the (Show) Circuit
PRI Show Starts Thursday
One of the best options for staying on top of the latest trends, gadgets and supplies in the speed and performance market, the PRI Trade Show is a weekend of showing off what’s new and hot on the go-fast side of the industry.
Admission is free for anyone who can prove they own, manage, or are employed by a racing business. Held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis between December 12 – 14, click here for a full schedule of the event and check The Engine Block tomorrow for a run-down of what to expect.
42 Annual Chicagoland Toys for Tots Motorcycle Parade
Chicago was turned into a winter wonderland of giving last weekend as the 42nd Annual Chicagoland Toys for Tots Motorcycle Parade. Tens of thousands of motorcycle riders joined together in the Windy City to donate toys to children in need ahead of the holiday season.
As always, the bikers did not disappoint, dressing in wacky costumes and outfitting their bikes in outlandish decorations.
