Latest Auto Headlines
All the headlines from our Auto Topic Page, ordered by recency.
New Ventures, Driver Shortage Among Challenges in Trucking Insurance Market
Feb 15 2019 // The transportation industry is considered a barometer of the U.S. economy. If freight is trending up, so too is the U.S. economy. But capacity constraints for trucking – including a shortage of qualified drivers, low...
Auto Loan Delinquencies Keep Rising But Economists Hold Off on Alarm
Feb 14 2019 // Borrowers are behind in their auto loan payments in numbers not seen since delinquencies peaked at the end of 2010, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. More than 7 million Americans were 90 or more days...
Nationwide’s ‘SmartMiles’ Auto Insurance Targets Low-Mileage Drivers
Feb 14 2019 // For those who work from home, carpool frequently or use public transit more than they drive, Nationwide is launching SmartMiles, an auto insurance policy for low-mileage drivers. BuildIng on its telematics SmartRide...
Study Questions Safety Claims About Tesla Autopilot’s Steering Feature
Feb 14 2019 // An analysis of government data disputes a finding by safety regulators and promoted by Tesla Inc. that crash rates of its older vehicles declined after they were equipped with an automatic steering capability. The study,...
State Farm Lowering Auto Insurance Rates in Texas
Feb 14 2019 // State Farm Mutual Insurance Co. is cutting its Texas auto insurance rates for the fourth consecutive time in a year, the insurer said. on Feb. 18, the overall personal auto rate will drop by 4.3 percent for 2.9 million...
State Farm to Cut Auto Insurance Rates for Michigan Customers
Feb 13 2019 // State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. announced it is cutting its overall personal auto insurance rate will drop by 3.5 percent in Michigan. The total state-wide expected impact for State Farm Mutual by this rate...
State Farm Cuts Auto Insurance Rates in Missouri
Feb 13 2019 // State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. says it is cutting its rates in Missouri. As a result, its overall personal auto rate will drop by 3.9 percent. The total state-wide expected impact for State Farm Mutual by this...
Federal Preliminary Report on New York Limo Crash Offers No Cause Yet
Feb 13 2019 // The National Transportation Safety Board’s probe of a fatal limousine crash in upstate New York has not yet identified a cause, according to a preliminary report released Monday, after weeks of wrangling between...
What? Women Pay More Than Men for Auto Insurance? Yup.
Feb 12 2019 // It’s a widespread belief that men pay more for automobile insurance than women. But that’s only true for young adults. Several studies in 2018 and 2017 revealed that women over 25, particularly those between 40...
Michigan Court Revives Dispute with Car Maker over $100K Porsche
Feb 11 2019 // Was a $100,000 Porsche a lemon? The Michigan appeals court says a Kent County woman will get a second chance to make her case with a jury. Jane Meyering bought a new Porsche Cayenne in 2015, but she sued after having...
Jury Awards $123M to Victims in Washington Duck Boat Crash
Feb 11 2019 // A Washington jury has awarded about $123 million to the victims and families of a 2015 duck boat crash that killed five college students and injured more than 60 others in Seattle. After a four-month civil trial, King...
$6.1M for Motorcyclist Who Crashed after Hitting Pothole
Feb 11 2019 // Los Angeles will pay $6.1 million to a motorcyclist who hit potholes and crashed, leaving him with a serious brain injury. The Los Angeles Times reported the City Council voted the money for the settlement last...
World’s Automakers Face Massive Disruption from Car Sharing Phenomenon
Feb 11 2019 // When Evgeny Barkov owned a car, the 31-year-old software salesman would often look out of his Moscow window at it with disgust. His possession sat unused more than 90 percent of time, while sucking up money and causing him...
Man Steals Cement Truck, Hits Vehicles at Michigan GM Facility
Feb 8 2019 // Authorities say a person is in custody after driving a stolen cement truck through a locked gate at a General Motors facility in mid-Michigan and hitting several parked vehicles. The Eaton County sheriff’s office...
State Farm to Again Lower Auto Insurance Rates in Louisiana
Feb 8 2019 // Beginning in April, Louisiana customers of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. will see a decrease in their auto insurance rates, the insurance department announced. It will be the third rated decrease filed by the...
Allstate Q4 Catastrophe Loss Tempered by Higher Premiums, Reduced Auto Claims
Feb 8 2019 // The Allstate Corp. lost $312 million in its 2018 fourth quarter, which was attributable to higher catastrophe losses, lower investment income and a pension settlement charge. Catastrophe losses hit $963 million, versus...
Alleged 2018 Staged Vehicle Crash Leads to Arrest of 4 in Louisiana
Feb 7 2019 // Detectives with the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit – Lafayette Field Office on Jan. 31 arrested four Crowley residents in relation to a vehicle crash that authorities say was staged in an...
AM Best Upgrades Credit Ratings of Auto Club Insurance Co. of Florida
Feb 7 2019 // AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A- (Excellent) from B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “a-” from “bbb+” of Auto Club Insurance Company of Florida (ACICF),...
Volvo’s Autonomous Car Venture to Begin Testing on Swedish Roads
Feb 6 2019 // A Volvo Cars joint venture has won approval to begin hands-free testing of its software for self-driving cars on Swedish highways, partner Veoneer said. Veoneer said the Zenuity joint venture’s software for Level 4...
Safety Agency Pulls Obama Proposal to Require Event Data Recorders in Cars, Trucks
Feb 6 2019 // The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday it is withdrawing a 2012 Obama administration proposal to require event data recorders in all new cars and trucks because it says automakers have...
