Oct 27, 2019 9:00 AM

Danger for Pedestrians, a Tesla Profit, and More Car News This Week

The US government said pedestrian fatalities rose for a second consecutive year. But, hey, Tesla's back in the black, and promising record deliveries this quarter.

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If you’re a pedestrian—and who isn’t?—this week’s WIRED Transportation missives are decidedly grim. If you’re riding in a car, American roads are only getting safer. According to figures from the US Department of Transportation released this week, vehicle-related deaths fell by 2.4 percent last year. But 6,677 pedestrians died in 2018, a 3.4 percent increase from 2017. What’s to blame? Potential factors include a tick up in distracted driving, more gigantic SUVs and trucks on the road, and streets that are more designed to get traffic moving swiftly than people moving safely. On the last point: Some engineers are trying to build more fun, friendly, and maybe even safer crosswalks, but the federal government—the same one that put out those safety stats!—is not yet convinced that kind of street design works. At least one Iowa town is going ahead with a rainbow crosswalk anyway.

Also this week: We drove the Volvo’s performance brand’s new electric vehicle, and Tesla drove a pretty nice third quarter, with a real profit. It’s been a week; let’s get you caught up.

Headlines

Stories you might have missed from WIRED this week

A study of Uber tipping data suggests people aren’t great about tipping service workers on apps.
Why federal engineers have a big problem with rainbow crosswalks.
Federal data shows that American roads are getting safer—unless you’re walking.
Tesla built a Chinese factory in 168 working days! Here’s why the company’s plans in the country may prove existential.
A ride through western Sweden in Polestar’s first EV, which our reporter calls a “useful, family-friendly sedan.”
Why drone companies would love to fly your prescriptions to you.

Drivers of the Week

Courtesy of the University of Richmond

The bestest motorist of the week award goes to the 17 rats who participated in a University of Richmond study published in the journal Behavioural Brain Research. Researchers taught the rats how to operate copper car steering wheels built into plastic food containers on wheels. Is it adorable? Certainly yes. Does it make larger points about the elasticity of animal brains, and what happens when minds are challenged with increasingly complex tasks? Maybe yes!

Stat of the Week

$75 million

The price of the world’s biggest private jet, the new Gulfstream G700. The aircraft features five living areas, a six-seat dining area, a 10-foot galley, and—because you have to nap after that six-person dinner—a full master bedroom suite with a shower.

Required Reading

News from elsewhere on the internet

Indonesian investigators release their final report on the crash of Lion Air 610, which killed 189 people last year. They blame, in part, design oversights by Boeing as it built the 737-MAX, which is still grounded the world over.
Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer proposes the federal government spend $454 billion over the next 10 years to convince Americans to buy electric vehicles.
Bollinger Motors had said its all-electric pickup truck would cost less than $100,000. Turns out it’s $125,000. It’s cool, though!
Tokyo announces it will have (limited) self-driving vehicles on roads by the summer Olympics.
Elon Musk says he believes the company’s energy and solar businesses will one day be bigger than its automotive division.
Hop aboard Jaguar’s newest electric hypercar—but only if you’re playing Gran Turismo Sport on a PlayStation 4.
Apple might help pay to upgrade United Airlines’ San Francisco terminal.
Someone! Please fix this!

In the Rearview

Essential stories from WIRED’s canonHere’s how to design the perfect street intersection.