SAE says a person is 20,000 times more likely to die in a plane crash than be exposed to a vehicle fire caused by a leak and ignition of HFO-1234yf.
SAE International, after a new round of tests, said a controversial refrigerant favored by most automakers is safe for use in mobile air conditioning units.
With its six eyes (cameras) and six ears (radar sensors), the new Mercedes S class can see and hear enough to drive itself at speeds up to 60kph (37mph). Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche says the S class “marks the start of the era of partially autonomous driving.”
The European Union agreed on a compromise deal to enforce stricter rules on carbon dioxide emissions for all new EU automobiles from 2020.
The European Commission’s proposal would reduce average fleet CO2 to 95g/km by 2020.
Senior members of the German government have warned EU member states that Germany’s automakers could scale back or scrap production plans in their countries unless they support weakened carbon emissions rules, according to diplomatic sources.
The A class is a key part of CEO Dieter Zetsche’s goal of catching rivals BMW and Audi.
Daimler is recalling more than 6,000 of its new Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatchbacks because of problems with the passenger airbag.
