Expert says Takata is ‘facing a crisis that may prove difficult to overcome’

One of the most persistent automotive news stories has been the massive number of recalls from dozens of car manufacturers due to defective Takata-made airbags. More specifically, the issue involves defective inflator and propellent devices that may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, shooting metal fragments into vehicle occupants. Approximately 34 million vehicles are potentially affected in the United States, and another 7 million have been recalled worldwide.

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2017 Maserati Levante is the latest entry in the luxury SUV market

Luxury SUVs are all the rage these days with the likes of the Porsche Cayenne and the upcoming Tesla Model X considered some of the most desirable vehicles in this upper crust of the segment. Maserati's new Levante SUV is theier first entrée into the SUV market, the largest luxury auto segment in the world.

The Levante brings some Italian flair and luxury with a good measure of power, performance and handling. Revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, the Levante features comes to market with either of a pair of 3.0-liter twin-turbo gasoline-fed V-6 engines, offering 350 or 430 horsepower. The landmark feature is “Q4” intelligent all-wheel drive and an 8-speed automatic transmission, both specially calibrated for the new SUV.

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Google's self-driving car hits a bus

Google has been intrepid in pushing the boundariesl of self-driving cars and autonomous technology and while largely successful with three years under its belt and just 17 minor incidents reported, the company is taking full responsibility for a collision with a bus.

"On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2016, a self-driving Lexus RX450h attempted to navigate around some sandbags placed in a wide lane. A bus traveling at 15 mph approached the Google car from behind, occupying same wide lane as the smart car. The Lexus attempted to re-enter the center of the lane while moving at a speed of 2 mph."

While the fear is that this type of accident can set back the cause of autonomous driving (or at least having tests on the open road), Google maintains that this is part of the process and data gathered from these incidents can only improve the algorithms and controls that will make self-driving cars a possibility in the future.

VW's Phideon is a revamped Phaeton for the Chinese market

The VW Phaeton was the brand's super-luxurious sedan that shared the Bentley's platform and many of its amenities. While it was an impressive feat of engineering, the Phaeton cost too much and was hell to maintain. Some owners considered it one of the best cars VW ever built and a second hand market of collectors swore by the luxury and performance on a budget that the Phaeton offered.

Now that China is one of the most voracious consumer economies and with a growing taste (and budget) for the finer things life can offer, the Phaeton suddenly makes a lot of sense. VW is a particularly strong brand in China and has been for many years so, in a way, ushering an ultra-luxe platform under the Phideon monicker (essentially a new Phaeton).

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