Seems like a sign of the times. Crash test dummies are getting a redesign after being introduced over 50 years ago. Based on the advice of University of Michigan trauma experts, engineers at Humanetics have created two new dummy prototypes to reflect today's drivers.

The male prototype is 106 pounds heavier than the original model. Also obese, the female is based on a 70-year-old woman. The new designs have a higher body mass index than previous models. ICAM will be able to 3D print the prototypes once they're finished.

Highlighting Dangers of Obesity With Crash Test Dummies

The models are supposed...

Trucks are getting bigger and bigger. It's getting harder and harder to get into the cargo bed. Ford addressed this problem with the 2009 F-150 slide out tailgate step. Chevy, who poked fun at the time, were just granted a patent for a similar device.

"The mounting system supports the handle portion about both a first axis and a second axis. The handle portion rotates about the first axis to move between the stowed position and the intermediate position to position the handle portion outside an interior space of the structure." states the patent.

So, the tailgate folds down and a handle locks...

Today on my morning commute, I had the opportunity to help someone. I noticed a man in a motorized wheelchair having some trouble getting his chair onto the train. Another commuter and I asked if he wanted assistance and we lifted his wheels and helped him onto the train. What kind of access do people with disabilities to public transportation? While the Americans With Disabilities Act mandates access to public transportation, it has its shortcomings, especially in certain parts of the country. A recent study indicates that self-driving cars are a viable solution for Americans with disabilities...

I have weather alerts set up for 3 places. New York, where I live, Topeka, where my parents live, and the Bay Area, where 2 of brothers live with their families.

It's been an interesting week. The Bay Area is officially not in a drought after a drought monitor issued Thursday. Powerful storms in the area have caused at least 40% of the state to enter a drought.

Even though it's still winter, yesterday in New York it was around 70°. It was so amazing. I wore a t-shirt in January. Then there's Jupiter.

Winter Storm Jupiter

Winter storm Jupiter is a huge multi-day ice storm that is expected to cut...

SB 1072, commonly called the "Paul Lee School Bus Safety Law",  went into effect at the start of 2017. The bill was drafted in response to the 2015 tragic death of 19-year-old Hun Joon "Paul" Lee. Paul Lee was a student with severe autism, who died after being locked inside a parked school bus.

The law states that all school buses, car motor vehicles, and youth buses must be outfitted with special alert systems. An audible alarm starts when the required technology generates an audible alarm when the ignition is turned off. The driver must walk to the rear of the bus to turn off the alarm. This...

I received a bunch of texts early Wednesday morning. They were from friends and family checking if I was alright. I was commuting to work at the time, and received the text and alerts about the horrible LIRR crash when I got off my A train stop, about 3 miles from the crash. Thankfully no one was killed, but more than 100 people were injured when a train failed to stop and hit a bumping block in the Atlantic terminal. The train was reportedly traveling 10 mph, nearly double the speed limit for approaching trains. They also indicate that the engineer may have been suffering from sleep apnea.

Sleep...

Happy New Year! It's finally cold in New York. The kind of cold where you carefully layer clothing and speed walk to the bus to avoid the brisk morning wind. It makes me want to go RVing more than ever.

Though I spent a lot of time camping and in the outdoors growing up, I've never been RVing. Learning about RV culture has been like learning a new language, exciting and challenging. Many of our systems are made for RVs, but the culture is a whole new world. It's very exciting discovering terms like toads, dry weight, and full-timing.

Toad: Vehicle towed behind a motor home

Dry Weight:  The weight...

I don't fly that often. Maybe once a year to visit home. I usually pick a super early flight and just sleep the entire way. No problem. That's why I was initially confused when I read a headline that the government may soon allow Wi-Fi connected phone calls on flights. Why would you need to make a call on an airplane? I've used Wi-Fi on a plane, but never lamented that I can't make a call while in the air. I ride the bus nearly every day, and it's very annoying when someone is on the phone. Someone is always on the phone.

After reading the story, the reason became obvious. It's for work. If you...

I wake up pretty early. Depending on when I go to bed (thanks a lot, Netflix) I usually get out of bed between 5 AM and 6 AM, sometimes even earlier. Every morning I check the weather by looking out my window. I live across the street from a very busy coffee shop and a police prescient. A lot of trucks and buses are stored in my neighborhood. No matter what time I look out the window, the coffee shop is full of drivers, fueling up for their morning rides. It's still full with another group when I start walking to my bus around 7:30. It's important to step back and say thank you.

So Many To Thank...

2016 has been the year we talk a lot about autonomous vehicles. A lot has happened this year. Google created Waymo, a self-driving vehicle company under the Alphabet umbrella. MIT designed a mini city for testing, and GM is testing on public roads in Michigan. Self-driving Ubers (with a driver for emergencies) are being tested in Pittsburgh as I type this.

Playing By The Rules

A few days ago Uber expanded this testing to San Francisco, but with some changes. The cars used in California are EX90 SUVS, the result of a collaboration with Volvo, who does not have a permit for self-driving cars from...

Drowsy Driving is a popular subject on this blog. This is due to the fact that we want to inform as many people as possible about this dangerous problem. It's a very important issue, especially today. Congress recently suspended some safety regulations that could increase driver fatigue.

Drowsy Driving

Drowsy driving was responsible for 72,000 crashes, 44,000 injuries and 800 deaths in 2013, according to the NHTSA. This number is underestimated because there is no way to confirm what an accident is caused by.

According to an Australian study, being awake for 18 hours produced an impairment...

Rear View Safety is all about innovation.

We are very happy to announce the release of our new  MobileMule™ 5500 series. Packed with new features, including 4G capability, the 5500 series can also record onto a hard disk drive (sold separately) expandable to 2TB. Compatible with both Apple and Android apps, the 5500 series can connect to high-resolution cameras and monitors. The hard drive can be mirrored by SD backup. The future of MobileMule™ technology is here. The 5500 Mobile Mule series will take the place of the 4400 series, which is being phased out of production.

DVR's are perfect for...

Note: This post is from December, 7th, 2016

Exciting news today at Rear View Safety! Our first webinar is today. We are always looking for new ways to communicate and help our customers. Today’s webinar is a discussion on some of our new products, a few holiday gift ideas, and maybe even some surprises. The RVS-FDH120 Full HD Backup Camera System is one of my favorite new items. Who doesn’t love full HD? This heavy duty system also includes ultra-wide 120° viewing angle and 8 infra-red lights for perfect night vision.

The RVS-7700 Backup Camera System with GPS Navigation (3 Channel) is another...

I never learned to drive stick shift. When I turned 16 my brother tried to teach me in an empty parking lot. The first (and only!) lesson lasted about 20 minutes. I killed the car 100 times and we both got frustrated and stopped.  My parents wanted me to learn in case of an emergency that thankfully never came. I doubt I’ll ever learn. Now I don’t even own a car, rarely drive, and soon manual transmission may no longer even be an option.

According to Engadget, the end is near for 3 main reasons.

1. Growing Popularity of SUVs – Most SUVs automatic transmission.
2. Electric Vehicles - Gear boxes are...

The office is a little quieter this week. No, we’re not taking off work because of rainy weather, and I’m not working from home. A few members of our team are showing off our latest RV safety technology at The RVIA National RV Trade Show at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Here’s a video from last year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdGFQDZOUWw

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous. I would love to go to a show and talk about Rear View Safety and all the great things that we offer. I know it’s a lot of work, but I think I could (one day) be up for the challenge...

When I was younger I did a lot of stupid things. I’ve driven while eating soup, cereal, and even hot pockets. It’s absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable. I don’t drive a lot anymore, but I when I do I am 100% committed to the task at hand, driving!

3,179 people were killed, and 431,000 were injured in vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2014. Recently the NHTSA announced their 2^nd phase of voluntary guidelines to address distracted driving.

The first phase encouraged automakers to design less distracting devices or systems at the time of manufacture. This second phase encourages...

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. When I was growing up all 6 of us would pile into our SUV and travel to Kansas City from Topeka. It was about an hour drive, and I thought it was so cool that I could spend the day in a “big city.” The venue would often change, sometimes we would do Thanksgiving at my aunt and uncles, sometimes at my cousins’ house. One of my favorite parts of the day was after the meal, traveling downtown to watch The Plaza lights turn on. This is a must for Thanksgiving in Kansas City.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLXM7kZ034k

It was a wonderful experience with my...

Growing up in Kansas was loud. Sure, our family often traveled to the country or the lake for some peace and quiet, but for the most part it was pretty noisy. We lived by the highway, so the constant hum of traffic is something that I have trouble sleeping without.

Some places were louder than others. Excited teenagers would often rev their souped-up Hondas in the Golden Corral parking lot. A perfect Saturday night. I was across the street in the CD Trade Post/Taco Bell parking lot, learning how to skateboard. My yellow Subaru made a lot of noises, but none of them were impressive.

Of course, New...