Yes, The New Safety Features Are Doing More Damage Than Good

NTSB Questions If Current Raft Of Safety Aids Is Simply Breeding Complacent Drivers

For years, U.S. investigators have been calling for more automation on motor vehicles, such as sensors that slam on the brakes to prevent a crash.

At the same time, the National Transportation Safety Board, in its probes of transportation mishaps, has warned that such devices may also have a down side: the technology can confuse operators if it’s poorly designed or lead to complacency that breeds its own hazards.
Now, for the first time in a highway accident, those two potentially contradictory themes will be put to the test as the NTSB opens an investigation into a fatal accident involving a Tesla Motors Inc. sedan that was driving with a feature called Autopilot enabled.

 

“It’s very significant,” said Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety advocacy group in Washington. “The NTSB only investigates crashes with broader implications.”

(AutoSpies.com)

In Business, You Win Some & You Lose Some

With VW running from diesel, Panasonic may get an electric boost 

Volkswagen could help out Panasonic's battery production expansion.

Panasonic is planning to more than double its annual revenue from the sale of automobile batteries within three years. The Japan-based company is one of the battery makers Volkswagen may team up with as Europe's biggest automaker tries to distance itself from its diesel-emissions scandal by plunging further into electric-vehicle production. Maybe one day we'll look back and realize those Panasonic estimates were actually a bit conservative.

Panasonic plans to generate almost $4 billion a year in sales of lithium-ion batteries and other related products by the year-ending 2019, Reuters says, citing Panasonic executive Kenji Tamura. The company will be the exclusive supplier of batteries for Tesla Motors' Model 3, which has 373,000 reservations on the books. Panasonic is investing $1.6 billion in Tesla's $5-billion Gigafactory being built in Nevada and obviously hopes that revenue growth equates to a good return on that substantial investment. Tesla reportedly has held talks with companies such as LG Chem, Samsung, and SK Innovation to broaden its supply of electric-vehicle batteries, but Panasonic still has the inside track for those deliveries.

Volkswagen may push that revenue growth even further. VW is taking a close look at both Panasonic and South Korea-based LG Chem as a potential partner in the automaker's increased emphasis on electric-vehicle production, according to Bloomberg News. VW is looking to play catch-up with companies such as Nissan, Toyota, and, yes, Tesla, and has estimated that it may sell as many as 3 million electric vehicles a year by 2025. In fact, Volkswagen may invest as much as $2 billion in electric-vehicle production and has said it may build its own version of a Gigafactory in order to reach some economies of scale. Panasonic and LG Chem spokespeople declined to comment to Bloomberg.

(AutoBlog.com)

This Is 1 Mean Lookin' Race Machine

Linkin Park designed a Mercedes racecar livery. Yes, seriously

Or at least someone working with Linkin Park did. Either way, the end result looks pretty good, and it helps that the AMG GT3 is a fantastic design on its own right. The car has all the right proportions, so the addition of black lightning bolts, thick red stripes, and the band's logo/shield draped over the silver base could hardly do anything to hurt the appearance. Strangely, this is not the first Mercedes-AMG/Linkin Park mashup; the band did the soundtrack for a C63 promo video last year.

(AutoBlog.com)

The Big Fundamental Calls It A Career

Spurs' immortal Tim Duncan retires without a whimper

Born in St. Croix and schooled at Wake Forest, Teemy—as he was adorably called by his French-born teammate Tony Parker—was not a man made for highlight reels and social media. He was, though, a man made for his city. San Antonio wrapped him in its no-nonsense arms and squeezed tight, especially after he refused a tempting free-agent offer to abscond to Orlando in 2000. It seems so logical now that the Alamo would trump Disney World, but not back then. Duncan had no Parker or Manu Ginóbili beside him, and his fellow twin tower David Robinson was getting long in the tooth.

But Duncan stayed, and four more championships (he won his first with the Admiral in 1999) followed. Though there was nothing remotely regal about his demeanor or, for that matter, his island wardrobe, Duncan’s championship record puts him in the company of kings. He trails (of course) 11-ringed Bill Russell (and a slew of other Celtics from their dynasty years) and, more relevantly, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan, both of whom have six. He retires with the same number of championships as worthies named Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, which seems about right.

It’s hard to argue that Duncan does not belong among the top 10 players of all time, his frontcourt versatility nonpareil. Feel free to join the protracted chat-room disquisitions on whether the 7-foot Duncan was a center or a power forward, but it comes down to this: He was both. He was not the first player to seamlessly blend the positions (Elvin Hayes and Bob McAdoo preceded him, and Kevin Garnett came along later), but Duncan is certainly the best combo four and five—call him a nine—that the league has ever seen.

(SI.com) 

A Thought To Ponder

(CavemanCircus.com)

And We're Kinda Ok With it

10 Sneaky Ways Las Vegas Casinos Take Your Money

Casinos are windowless traps

• What time of day is it? Where is the nearest exit? Good luck finding some daylight at many mega-casinos like MGM Grand or Caesars Palace. These palatial facilities may be beautiful in a kitschy sort of way, but are designed to keep you numb to the outside world. While some newer Vegas casinos like the Cosmopolitan are getting away from this type of design, many still hope to leave you in casino purgatory with a maze-like design of games, shopping, and restaurants, where there's nothing else to do but give up your cash.

Dirty hidden fees, part one

• Many casino hotels charge what are called "resort fees" -- daily charges tacked on to the hotel bill for "resort amenities" rather than just including them in the cost of the hotel room -- which is just a way to bump up what you thought was a reasonable bill. Imagine you've taken a beating at the tables for a few days and then the casino hits you with another $50 upon departure. "This is one of the worst," says Anthony Curtis with LasVegasAdvisor.com. "The fee should be transparently included in the rate. Only a few casinos no longer charge the resort fee."

The club you don't want to be a part of

• Joining the players club at casinos will earn you "cash back" or "player points" -- the more you gamble, the more perks and points you get, redeemable for things like merchandise, free room and meal comps, or cool jackets. But remember the big picture -- these clubs are designed to keep players at the tables and slot machines longer. Curtis argues that players should always join the clubs to get something back, but the casinos wouldn't offer these programs if they weren't getting the better end of the deal. Don't defy logic by losing hundreds of dollars to earn points that score you a beer koozie.

Complete list (Thrillist.com)

This Is Too Funny

(CavemanCircus.com)