Orbital ATK an Aerospace Firm Has Been Chosen to Run Test on the Takata Airbags

A group of 10 automakers have joined forces to find out the reason behind the faulty Takata airbags. Included in the group are BMW, Subaru, Mazda, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Fiat-Chrysler, Ford, General Motors and Mitsubishi. The group selected former acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the position of project manager to oversee the joint testing. The group chose Orbital ATK to conduct the testing on the faulty inflators. In a joint statement the group said “Orbital ATK is one of the world’s leading engineering firms, and we are confident that their extensive expertise will help speed and advance the ongoing technical investigation of Takata airbag inflators”.

Faulty Takata airbag inflators have been linked to dozens of injuries and at least six deaths. In the U.S. approximately 17 million vehicles have recalled for faulty airbag inflators. The inflators are reportedly exploding with too much force spraying occupants with metal shards. One of the factors being looked into by Orbital ATK is the use of ammonium nitrate for the propellant in the suspected faulty airbags. Orbital ATK is an aerospace and defense contractor with expertise in rocket propulsion systems. 

Vin # Warning something to think about

Potential car thieves have a non evasive way to get into your car. The VIN # of your car is visible from through the front windshield. A car thief can see the number and copy it down from the label on the dash, they then take this number to car dealership and ask for a duplicate key for the VIN #. The dealership’s parts department makes a duplicate key and the car thief now has the key to your car. The source who told me about this practice did not believe this report, so he phoned a local car dealership and explained to the parts department that he had lost his keys. The dealership told him to just bring in the VIN# and they would give him a new key that day and if he needed the keyless device they would order that for him as well.

I contacted someone who had recently obtained a duplicate key for his Nissan from the dealership and he told me that the dealership had a strict policy in place for duplicate key replacements. He had to provide identification proving he was the owner of the vehicle along with the VIN#.

 If you’re concerned there is a really simple fix, take a piece of black electrical tape and cover up your VIN #. It is illegal to remove the VIN #, but you can cover it up.

Interesting Drivers Law

In Japan if you are a driver over the age of 75 you must display the Koreisha mark (the aged driver sign) on the back of your vehicle to alert other drivers that you are an older driver.  If you are a new driver you must display the yellow and green Wakaba mark or Shoshinsha mark to let other drivers know that you are an inexperienced driver.

The Fiscal Times Rated the Top Ten Safest Small Cars and SUV’s

1. Subaru Forester      
2. Mazda CX-5             
3. Mazda 3                   
4. Subaru Impreza  (tied with Mazda 3) 
5. Dodge Dart              
6. Mitsubishi Outlander  
7. Subaru XV Crosstrek   
8. Chevrolet Spark               
9. Hyundai Elantra           
10. Scion TC                                                                                                                            

Volkswagen Beetle

Ferdinand Porsche was ordered by Adolf Hitler (leader of Nazi Germany) to design a car that could be mass produce to run on the new road network of Nazi Germany. The car had to be simple, cheap and built to Hitler’s exact specifications. It took Porsche’s team 4 years to finalize the design. This car went on to become the Volkswagen Beetle “which means the people car”. 

 Internal Combustion Engine

 The first car powered by an internal combustion engine that ran on gas fuel was design by French inventor and politician Francois Isaac de Rivaz (Paris, December 19, 1752 – July 30, 1828).

Interesting car fact (Ethanol Fuel)

92% of new cars sold in Brazil use Ethanol fuel. (Ethanol fuel is made from sugar cane) The world’s 2^nd largest producer of Ethanol is Brazil and until 2010 was the world’s largest producer. Today the U.S. and Brazil lead the world in industrial production of Ethanol fuel.

Fun Car Fact

We Americans love our cars, there are approximately one car per person in the U.S. this includes babies.

Whale Oil Used in Automatic Transmission Fluid

Here is something you may not have known, before 1973 some automatic transmission fluids contained Whale oil. Thankfully this practice was banned by the Endangered Species Act (16) signed into law by President Richard Nixon on 12/28/1973.