WASHINGTON -- Crash-avoidance technologies would be included in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s five-star vehicle safety ratings if a bipartisan measure becomes law. The federal Safety Through Informed Consumers Act would instruct NHTSA to include technologies such as automatic emergency braking, collision warnings and others in its safety ratings that are included on vehicle window stickers. NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program currently rates a vehicle’s crashworthiness, based on front and side crash tests, as well as rollover protection. Identical bills for the measure in the U.S.

House of Representatives and Senate with bipartisan backing this week. The House bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Todd Rokita, R-Ind., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., while the Senate version is backed by Sens. Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Ed Markey, D-Mass. “Today’s 5-star safety rating system only tells them how safe they are in the vehicle once a crash occurs, ignoring any features like collision warning and automatic emergency braking, that can help avoid that crash in the first place,” Markey said in a statement. “With new safety technology standard in many cars, we need a 21st century 5-star safety rating system that tells consumers how safe their vehicles really are.”. In January, NHTSA added automatic braking to its list of “recommended” technologies that it publishes alongside its five-star crashworthiness scores, joining forward collision warning, lane-departure warning and rearview camera systems.

The list is printed on window stickers and tells consumers whether a vehicle has the technologies, but those features do not factor into a vehicle’s overall star rating. “The Safety Through Informed Consumers Act ensures that the latest safety technologies are integrated into the 5-star rating system, arming new car buyers with potentially life-saving information,” Rokita said in a statement.

“This is a common-sense, bipartisan bill that promotes innovation, empowers consumers, and protects lives.”. Tennessee law fuels used-car recall fight Fiat Chrysler to recall 1.8 million trucks to fix shifter issue Hackett apologizes as Ford, UAW launch anti-harassment campaign NHTSA, IIHS document increase in emergency braking systems in 2017 vehicles Uber's loss in Europe shows trans-Atlantic split over technology, regulation Audi recalls 330,000 cars in Germany on possible electrical problem Fiat Chrysler in talks over potential diesel emissions settlement Honda says ruptured Takata airbag led to death in Louisiana. ATTENTION COMMENTERS: Over the last few months, Automotive News has monitored a significant increase in the number of personal attacks and abusive comments on our site. We encourage our readers to voice their opinions and argue their points. We expect disagreement. We do not expect our readers to turn on each other. Mpx Tool Crack.

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Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller last week unveiled a 15-point strategic plan to transform a hierarchical, engineering-driven German carmaker plagued by low margins in its core business into a nimble company of entrepreneurs focused on serving its end customers. Over the next 10 years, Mueller said the group will cut around $9 billion in costs, sell as much as 25 percent of its vehicles with electrified powertrains, streamline its modular vehicle architectures and carve out its auto parts operations into an independent business encompassing more than a tenth of its work force.

Mueller admitted the company suffered over the years from a 'certain fixation on size' and 'smugness' that partly discredited the massive growth spurt under his predecessor, during which the company doubled in volume, underlying profits and employees. Dubbed 'Together' in an attempt to rally internal support for the high level of change needed, the strategy envisions a leaner, more innovative company that aims to be merely 'one of the leading providers of sustainable mobility' in a nod to its newfound humility. The only explicit volume target Mueller announced was his intention to sell 2 million to 3 million battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles a year by 2025 -- more than the 1 million needed to meet carbon emission targets.

This would account for 20 to 25 percent of group volumes, he estimated. To achieve this, Mueller said his company was examining whether to build its own electric battery packs and even battery cells on an industrial scale. He estimates Volkswagen would need 150 gigawatt hours of supply -- three times the scale of Tesla's 'gigafactory.' Streamlining Were it to invest billions in battery production, the new plant could end up as part of an independent auto parts company carved out from the group's dozen brands and encompassing 67,000 workers.

Measures such as these are designed to streamline a cost base that consumes 94 percent of Volkswagen's annual $240 billion sales revenue. In the future, the company wants to reduce its massive r&d budget from 6.4 percent of automotive revenue to 6 percent. Critics often target VW's development operations as a leading source of waste, since it generates too little in the way of meaningful innovation. Last year, VW spent more than any other company on r&d. By thinning out its model range of 340 vehicles as well as cutting costs by further consolidating the group's modular platforms, Mueller wants to save roughly $9 billion by 2025.

VW to expand Atlas, Tiguan offerings by adding 2-row versions Lamborghini makes room for Urus production VW Canada reaches class-action settlement in 3.0-liter diesel scandal Volkswagen cuts works council pay as prosecutors probe overpayment Audi recalls 330,000 cars in Germany on possible electrical problem Raging bulls, lip action and Harrison Ford: Lamborghini's 2019 Urus and what people are saying U.S. Regulators approve emissions fix for 24,000 Audi diesel 3.0-liter vehicles VW's stock rebound leaves Daimler and BMW in the dust. ATTENTION COMMENTERS: Over the last few months, Automotive News has monitored a significant increase in the number of personal attacks and abusive comments on our site. We encourage our readers to voice their opinions and argue their points. We expect disagreement. We do not expect our readers to turn on each other.

We will be aggressively deleting all comments that personally attack another poster, or an article author, even if the comment is otherwise a well-argued observation. If we see repeated behavior, we will ban the commenter. Please help us maintain a civil level of discourse.