Transportation

Hongjie Dai and colleagues have developed a cheap, emissions-free device that uses a 1.5-volt battery to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen gas could be used to power fuel cells in zero-emissions vehicles."Using nickel and iron, which are cheap materials, we were able to make the electrocatalysts active enough to split water at room temperature with a single 1.5-volt battery," says Dai. By Mark Shwartz Stanford… more »

An event data recorder (EDR) is an electronic sensor installed in a motor vehicle that records certain technical information about a vehicle’s operational performance for a few seconds immediately prior to and during a crash. Although over 90% of all new cars and light trucks sold in the United States are equipped with them, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing that all new light vehicles have EDRs installed in the future. more »

Since 2007, there have been four major airline mergers. Baggage and reservation change fees collected by US airlines increased from about $1.4 billion in 2007 to $6 billion in 2012. Unlike prior recoveries when airline capacity growth undermined the ability to charge profitable fares, airlines since 2009 have restrained capacity growth even though demand for air travel has risen with the economic recovery. more »

GM CEO Mary Barra is testifying in front of the Senate's Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on the company's previous knowledge of the ignition switches' faulty technology that has been blamed for 13 vehicle deaths. A live feed of the hearing is on the Committee's website today, Wednesday, April 2. more »