2018 Tesla Model 3 Peter Bleakney photo The vast majority of Tesla Model 3 owners consider the cars Autopilot feature a real safety benefit, despite the fact the systems sometimes put them in danger.The overwhelming consensus about Autopilot is that it made owners feel safer while driving, according to a survey of Model 3 owners conducted by Bloomberg. Of the 5,000 owners polled, over 90 per cent touted the safety benefits of the system.The survey also found 13 per cent of owners say the Autopilot mode has put them into a dangerous situation before.Perhaps most interestingly, the overlap between Model 3 owners who answered those two questions that way was pretty big most of the drivers who reported being put in a dangerous situation by the system also said it made them feel safer. Were not sure what is going through those peoples minds, exactly.One owner surveyed, for example, admitted their car didnt slow down enough to take a bend in the road and ended up hitting a truck; they rated Autopilots overall safety four stars out of five. To be fair to to the capability of Teslas software, some 28 per cent of owners also say Autopilot has saved them from a dangerous situation.It would be interesting to see what other drivers think of Teslas Autopilot when they are driving down the same stretch of road as a Model 3. Do they feel more nervous that the Tesla might be driving itself? Or do they feel safer knowing that there is a second set of eyes on the road?For more on electric vehicles, listen to Drivings EV podcast Plugged In. Plugged In is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google
Origin: Tesla Autopilot users rate feature’s safety high, even after close calls, crashes
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Canada’s getting VW’s Mk. 8 Golf and ID.4 — even if the U.S. might not
Canada is getting the new base model Volkswagen Mk. 8 Golf after all, as well as VWs new ID.4 electric car but not for a while.During the new generation’s debut last month, it seemed uncertain whether dealerships in the U.S. and Canada would see any trims of the Golf besides the high-performance GTI and R versions.Now, VW Canada has confirmed other, lower-spec trims of the Mk. 8 Golf will come to our shores, along with the high performance GTI and Golf R, though whether they hit the U.S., too, is still up in the air. The Mk. 8 Golf as well as the GTI and Golf R variants will start to arrive some time in 2021 as 2022 models, Thomas Tetzlaff, Volkswagen Canadas public relations manager, recently told The Car Guide.That means well see a small gap between the sale of the last Mk. 7 and the first Mk. 8 for some Golf variants, such as the Golf R, SportWagen and Alltrack, none of which will return for the 2020 model year.In other news, the new fully-electric ID.4 will replace the eGolf as the brands small-EV option, and will lead the way in introducing the ID lineup to Canadian showrooms. The ID.4 is a four-door crossover, with a low roofline and a small footprint.The first ID model in Canada will be the production version of the I.D. Crozz concept. This one is planned for early 2021, said Tetzlaff.Next year, Europeans will get the even-smaller ID.3, which was unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show. Whether that vehicle will make it to Canada remains to be
Origin: Canada’s getting VW’s Mk. 8 Golf and ID.4 — even if the U.S. might not
Bronco patent docs suggest even the roll cage will be removable
Ford has filed patent documents for a removable roof and roll cage, apparently for the upcoming Bronco, giving us our best look yet at the new SUV.According to patent documents discovered by AutoGuide’s AllFordMustangs.com arm, the Bronco will have a removable hard top and a removable cage, allowing for a to provide an open-air driving experience.The Bronco is looking to compete directly with the Jeep Wrangler, which means it will have to offer a similar open-top experience. However, the Wrangler only has a removable roof, not a removable roll cage like these patents suggest the Ford might get.The documents show a cage that attaches to the B- and C-pillars behind the doors, and that can be removed with just a few bolts. The patent documents also give us a better look at the bodywork of the new truck, showing off the square styling the Bronco is known for.In order for the truck to comply with safety regulations with the roof and cage off, there will be smaller pillar posts to retain the third seatbelt mounting point. Ford calls these removable belt posts, and they attach to the pillars as well as the floor to offer more strength.The removable cage could offer some problems for off-roading fans, as the Bronco will undoubtedly be taken out on the trails. A cage is usually required to be completely attached to the frame to offer proper protection, but well just have to see if Ford can come up with a safe enough system for the final production
Origin: Bronco patent docs suggest even the roll cage will be removable
New Ford suspension kit answers ‘Do you even lift, bro?’ with ‘yes’
A first-ever offering from Ford, the off-road leveling kits bring FOX™ shocks, exclusive Ford Performance tuning, 2-inch front lift, new front coilovers, vehicle-specific upper front mounts and locking spring pre-load rings Despite the companys ardent refusal (or not?) to sell the Ranger Raptor in this country, Fords not been shy about taking the goods to its competition in other segments of the truck market.Theyve promised a Tremor package for Super Duty to take on Rams Power Wagon, along with the familiar FX4 trim which meets Chevys Z71 kit head on.Now, the Glass House has rolled out answer to the Silverado Trail Boss with a bone thrown to those of us who pine for a Ranger Raptor.From the Ford Performance Parts arm of the company comes an off-road levelling kit, one which includes Fox Shocks and a 2-inch front lift. Also in the box are new front coilovers and vehicle-specific upper front mounts. Locking spring pre-load rings are also on board to tie it all together.Ford Performance engineers worked with Fox to develop unique internal valving for the shocks, meaning the mighty Raptor isnt the only F-150 to wear a set of suspenders from that company. Both Ranger and F-150 will see improvements to front ground clearance measures, plus better approach and breakover angles, not to mention a more aggressive stance.The company estimates Ranger will see a 21-per-cent increase in approach angle and a 10-per-cent increase in breakover angle once the kit is installed. Big-bro F-150, with a 145-inch wheelbase, should get an approximate 22-per-cent increase in approach angle and seven-per-cent increase in breakover.If youre unfamiliar with off-road terms, this basically means the trucks can run over more stuff.Development and testing for the leveling kits included high-speed off-roading in California and low-speed Arizona rock-crawling. Expect to pay in the neighbourhood of two grand for the kit, which can be installed by dealers later this autumn on any 2019 Ranger 44 and 2015-2019 F-150 44
Origin: New Ford suspension kit answers ‘Do you even lift, bro?’ with ‘yes’
The Honda e dashboard design makes us want it even more
The Honda e Prototype at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.Harold Cunningham / AFP/Getty Images Hondas beautiful e concept is coming to life, and the more we learn about it, the more we cant wait to get our hands on one.Honda has just released a video detailing the dashboard of the e, and we have to say, it makes us want one even more than we already did.The dashboard consists of two 12.3-inch touch screens in the centre for the infotainment, an 8.8-inch screen right in front of the driver, and two six-inch mirrors on the edges of the dash to show what the external camera mirrors see.The design is downright gorgeous in its simplicity, and when the vehicle is turned off you wouldnt even recognize that the entire fascia of the dash was a touch screen.Its easy to configure too, basically, anybody thats ever been in contact with a smartphone can move around the apps and change the interface to suit their needs. A smartphone can also be used as a key instead of a standard fob and can be configured to set geofencing, preconditioning, and safety alerts.On top of the great dash, the vehicle will respond to Hey Honda commands. The climate change buttons have remained tactile, and so have the buttons on the steering wheel.According to Honda, more than 36,000 people expressed interest in buying the small EV after it was revealed, the UK, Germany, France, and Norway will get first priority, but we hope Honda knows that Canada wants it just as much as the rest of the
Origin: The Honda e dashboard design makes us want it even more
Cadillac’s super-smart Super Cruise finds even more roads
A steering wheel light bar and cluster icons indicates the status of Super Cruise™ and will prompt the driver to return their attention to the road ahead if the system detects driver attention has turned away from the road too long. Super Cruise is active (green light bar) in this image.Cadillac Detroit, MICHIGAN—Cadillac’s semi-autonomous Super Cruise system is about to get a major update, with more roads ready for use. We can tell you from experience, it takes a big leap of faith to trust at first, but once over this hurdle, it works to perfection and, unlike other “traffic” assistants, it works at any speed—it was perfectly happy doing the piloting on the highway at 120 km/h. Once on a divided highway, the driver centers the car in the lane and, when ready, activates the system. Once activated, a light bar in the steering wheel turns green. Super Cruise now does all of the driving, and it does so without the need for the driver to have their hands on the steering wheel. To pass a car is simple. First signal, make the lane change, and when centered in the new lane, the system automatically picks up where it left off. The impressive part is that fairly sharp bends were taken smoothly and without the wheel-wrenching common in older systems. The fact it did this at the aforementioned 120 km/h and without the need for my itchy hands to step in was very impressive. The system is also smart. For example, when passing a large truck in the adjacent lane rather than hugging the centre of the lane, it moved left in the lane to give the truck, and me, some welcome breathing room. To ensure the driver has not nodded off or taken to texting because the system is in charge, a small camera mounted on the steering column monitors the driver—look away from the road and the system turns the light bar red to tell them to get a grip. It is quick to react, taking about four seconds to note I was not watching the road. If action is not taken, it goes on to vibrate the seat to wake a potentially drowsy driver. If there’s no action after the seat warning, the car will bring itself to a stop, and OnStar contacts the driver to find out if there is a medical emergency. If that’s the case, assistance is dispatched immediately. Currently there are 208,000 kilometres of highway in Canada and the US that have been mapped by LIDAR, the high-resolution imaging Super Cruise uses to interpret its surroundings, which allows it to operate without an on-board LIDAR. Using this hi-res mapping, cameras and radars, it navigates a dived highway with remarkable accuracy. By the time the CT4-V and CT5-V debut next year, the LIDAR-mapped roads will have grown to 320,000 km of Super Cruise-capable roads. The plus is the system is being upgraded from the current controlled-access divided highways to include divided highways with intersections and traffic lights. In the case of railroad crossings, pedestrian crossings, stoplights or stop signs, Super Cruise turns the steering wheel light bar red, which tells the driver to take control. Once through the intersection it resumes the driving duties. Interestingly, an intersection controlled by a yellow flashing light will see the system negotiate it without handing over to the driver. The only pause for thought is what happens if the amber flashing light changes to a red flashing light, making it a four-way stop intersection? Between map updates there is the risk the system will run the red, mistaking it for the stored flashing-amber. That aside, Super Cruise is streets ahead, literally, of its
Origin: Cadillac’s super-smart Super Cruise finds even more roads
Even Ferrari has gone electric
Even Ferrari has gone electric The Ferrari SF90 Stradale is the first PHEV from Maranello The Italian manufacturer has launched the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, its new series-production supercar, which features a 7.9 kWh battery and three electric motors – two on the front axle and one on the rear for all-wheel drive. Combined this electric powertrain produces 162 kW (220hp), and gives the SF90 Stradale an electric driving range of a little over 15 miles on a single charge. Formula 1 technology is used for the rear motor, and the car can be set into eDrive mode to ensure electric-only running. To extend range, Ferrari has added a somewhat less green 4.0 litre turbo-charged V8, giving the SF90 Stradale PHEV an overall power output of 1,000hp, a 0-62mph time of just 2.5 seconds, and the ability to lap Ferrari’s Fiorano test track faster than any other road car the company has produced in history. Emissions and fuel economy figures are yet to be homologated, so we are yet to see how green the Ferrari SF90 Stradale is in terms of NGC Rating. We’re presuming the scores won’t be challenging the best PHEVs on the market, but it is at least good to see that names such as Ferrari, which until recently would never have been associated with a plug-in vehicle, are getting on-board with electrification.
Origin: Even Ferrari has gone electric
Even light rain increases your risk of a deadly car crash: study
In this file photo, umbrellas provide some rain protection along Lakeshore Blvd. in Etobicoke on July 9, 2010.Ernest Doroszuk / Toronto Sun Even light rain significantly increases your risk of a fatal car crash, a new study out of the U.S. finds. The wetter the roads, the deadlier they become, with rain, snow and ice increasing the risk of deadly car crashes by 34 per cent, according to a study published April in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. Light rain – “We’re talking a drizzle, just at the point where you might consider taking an umbrella out,” said study lead author Scott Stevens – increased the fatal crash risk by 27 per cent. Stevens, a data analyst and meteorologist at the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, and colleagues looked at 125,012 fatal car crashes in the Lower 48 states from 2006 to 2011, factoring in how many cars are on the road, to calculate the risk of a fatal accident. While other studies have used police reports and the nearest weather station to calculate rain and snow conditions, Stevens said his is the first study to use more precise weather radar data. It was able to distinguish how hard the rain or snow was falling to come up with results showing an increase in fatal crashes even in rain of less than one-tenth of an inch per hour. “People slow down when it starts to rain heavily, but I think they under-appreciate the risk of light rain,” Stevens said Tuesday. With moderate rain the risk of fatal car crashes is 75 per cent more than in nice weather, Stevens said, and with heavy rain it’s nearly two-and-a-half times more risky. The Northern Rockies and Upper Midwest had the highest risk of fatal crashes with rainy and snowy weather, while the risks were lowest in the Northeast and Southeast. Stevens thinks that’s because the east is more urban and people aren’t driving fast enough for fatal
Origin: Even light rain increases your risk of a deadly car crash: study
Could Alberta drive B.C. gas prices up even further?
A tanker tractor-trailer semi truck driving down a rainy road.Fotolia Drivers in Canada’s westernmost province have historically paid more at the pumps for gasoline than their Alberta neighbours. A combination of demand and taxation, amongst other reasons, conspire to hose British Columbia’s drivers with fuel prices generally much higher than the rest of the country. It doesn’t help the Lower Mainland used to have four refineries but shuttered three of them over twenty years ago, but that is a topic for another day. With a new premier in the Alberta driver’s seat, the energy-rich province has sparked a war of words with its west coast neighbour. By enacting Bill 12 into law, premier Kenney has thrown down the gasoline gauntlet. If you have been living under an especially virulent rock, know that Bill 12 gives Alberta the ability to restrict the export of crude oil, natural gas and refined fuels, if necessary. It was actually passed by the previous NDP government, who intended to hang onto it and only enact it into law if needed. A bit of background on how fuel makes its way into British Columbia might be helpful. With a dearth of refineries, the province relies on a series of import systems to quench its thirst for the almighty go-juice. It is estimated Alberta supplies well over two-thirds of the gasoline and diesel used in B.C., liquid gold that is sent west via trucks and a pipeline. With the latter full to capacity, B.C. needs to ship in more gas via trucks and barges, both of which are eye-wateringly expensive ways to move fuel. It’s clear, then, why some think the threat of tightening the taps in Alberta should scare the bejeebers out of folks in British Columbia. With gas prices rapidly approaching $2.00/litre, they may have a point. But there’s a problem. Lawmakers in B.C. have filed a constitutional challenge to Bill 12, arguing it contravenes the Constitution Act, 1867, which allows for the free flow of goods throughout the provinces. The new bill would give the provincial government authority to require companies to obtain a licence before exporting energy products from Alberta via pipeline, rail or truck. Those export licences would be required for every company if the energy minister determines it’s in the public interest to ensure adequate pipeline capacity is available to maximize the return on resources and supply is maintained for Alberta’s needs, now and into the future. It’s likely that latter stipulation that has rankled the crew in B.C. We won’t have long to wait: an initial hearing on the issue is set for May 7 in
Origin: Could Alberta drive B.C. gas prices up even further?
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