What you don’t know can run you overLast week, the <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/21/electric-cars-pedestrians-twice-rate-petrol-diesel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">media</a> reported on yet another <a href="https://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2024/05/01/jech-2024-221902" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">study</a> showing that electric vehicles (EVs) are involved in collisions with pedestrians at twice the rate of regular vehicles. Yet again, the undeniable fact that EVs are so quiet was cited as the reason. Research studies and journalists alike have been reporting on how treacherous EVs are since the early years of the century. Sales of EVs have been dropping continuously due to their higher cost and often lower reliability — in addition to worries about exploding batteries. But when car experts compare EVs to ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles, it’s none of these concerns that they express.The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is an independent non-profit institution which conducts research into vehicle crashes via research evaluation and education. It was founded by insurance associations representing 80 percent of the auto insurance market. The IIHS has been testing electric vehicles for over a decade — <a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/as-heavy-evs-proliferate-their-weight-may-be-a-drag-on-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here’s</a> what they have to say about EVs:<blockquote>When we first started testing electric vehicles in 2011, the question referred to fire risk. When damaged, lithium-ion batteries ignite, the fires can be extremely hard to put out. As a result, we have special procedures for EV testing, including monitoring the battery’s voltage and temperature and asking our local fire department to be on site.Fifty-five EV crash tests and zero fires later, I’m still worried about these batteries, but for a more mundane reason than their potential to burst into flames. My biggest concern is how heavy they are and what all that extra vehicle weight means for the safety of people on the road, specifically occupants of lighter vehicles as well as pedestrians and bicyclists [emphasis added].</blockquote>A <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w17170#:~:text=We%20show%20that%2C%20controlling%20for,pickup%20truck%2C%20or%20minivan)." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">study</a> conducted by the University of California back in 2011 estimated that for every 1,000-pound increase in vehicle weight, the chance of a fatality occurring in the event of a collision rises by almost 50 percent. There are countries that require a driver to acquire a truck driver’s license before driving a car weighing over 9,000 pounds. Is there more they could do to protect everyone not in that super-heavy electric vehicle in the event that an accident occurs?&nbsp;Quick to start, slow to stop?Turn back the clock to the 1970s and cars were pretty heavy too, averaging around 4,000 pounds. Since then, almost everything has become lighter as technology progressed. EVs are an exception, and many modern-day EVs weigh well over 6,000 pounds. The new GMC Hummer EV weighs a whopping 9,500 pounds.Semi-trailers, of course, are much heavier, and no one sensible is suggesting that they should be kept off the roads for that reason. However, semi-trailers have many wheels, while EVs have just four. That means less braking power per ton even if the power of the brakes were equal. However, that power <a href="https://jalopnik.com/heavy-ass-evs-are-going-to-kill-us-all-1848764045" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">isn’t</a> always equal.<blockquote>… it’s not clear that all EVs have braking performances that match their additional mass. If the extra weight leads to longer stopping distances, that will likely lead to an increase in pedestrian and cyclist deaths, which already have been on the rise in recent years.</blockquote>The following chart shows a sample of electric vehicles and their ICE equivalents, comparing them on braking distance:<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/aflds/image/upload/v1716887383/brake_comparisons_34417d7e1e.png"></figure>Moreover, the Hummer EV can go from 0 to 60 in just 3 seconds; in fact, the ability to gather speed fast is common to EVs. It’s safe to assume that at least some of those who invest in that kind of power will enjoy using it. <a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/vehicles-are-packing-more-horsepower-and-that-pushes-up-travel-speeds" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Research</a> has consistently shown that people driving cars with greater horsepower are more likely to exceed speed limits, and that younger people are more likely to buy EVs than older consumers. A combination of a massively heavy vehicle, a powerful engine, and a young and relatively inexperienced driver is already bad enough. For that, you need excellent brakes. Do EVs have them?&nbsp;Does saving fuel translate to saving lives?One of the advantages of driving an EV is its fuel-saving aspect. Forget the fact that electricity is also fuel and is made from other types of (polluting) fuel. EVs' so-called “clean energy” is little more than a gimmick for which destitute and desperate people in the developing world are <a href="https://frontline.news/post/child-slave-labor-in-producing-ev-batteries-raises-serious-questions-about-clean-green-technologies" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">paying</a> a stiff price. Here we’re referring to a specific property of EVs, namely regenerative braking.As the name suggests, regenerative braking is a process that involves regenerating the battery power expended, using the braking process. &nbsp;When a driver of an EV lifts his foot from the accelerator, the battery stops sending power to motor the car and instead, channels the kinetic energy (the car's forward motion) back to the battery where it's stored for the future. The car slows down and eventually stops. If you have a clear stretch of road ahead but the traffic light just turned red, then all you have to do, in many EVs, is take your foot off the accelerator pedal and the regenerative braking kicks in automatically, slowing you down to a halt.This is why driving an EV is sometimes referred to as one-pedal driving. Although EVs do have regular hydraulic brakes, they require use of a separate button or other control, and it’s obviously more cost-effective not to use them unless absolutely necessary. Regular brakes wear down and eventually need to be replaced, while using regenerative braking actually replenishes fuel. But there’s a <a href="https://www.tiresplus.com/blog/brakes/what-is-regenerative-braking-in-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">snag</a>:<blockquote>... Potentially less stopping power: While regenerative braking performs just fine in most braking situations where you gradually come to a stop, it may not provide the same level of stopping force that conventional brakes do. This means hybrid and EV drivers may have to press harder on the brakes to achieve the same effectiveness.</blockquote>Furthermore, drivers who become accustomed to using regenerative braking may become unaccustomed to hydraulic (or friction) braking. That split-second response to a child dashing out into the street involves more conscious thought and effort when it means a hand motion near the steering wheel or a foot motion that is infrequently executed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Less friction with the road, more friction with pedestriansHigher rates of collisions for EVs relate to urban driving conditions, unsurprisingly. The vast majority of articles discussing this phenomenon explain it as being the consequence of EVs being so quiet. What with all the background noise in city streets, the theory goes, people simply don’t hear an EV approaching.While this may well be true, and even the main factor, it is not the sole factor. Silence is not just a nice by-product of the experience of driving an electric vehicle. It’s actually one of the reasons why people enjoy driving them. Therefore, EV manufacturers endeavor to provide that silent, gliding feeling and to prevent anything from marring it.Anything — such as the noise made due to the friction of the tires on the road.The problem is that the friction of tires on the road is important, for a number of reasons, not least for swift and effective braking.As one <a href="https://www.recurrentauto.com/research/whats-so-special-about-used-ev-tires" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">article</a> describes,<blockquote>EV enthusiasts adore the serene silence that electric vehicles offer. Unfortunately, the absence of engine noise can seemingly amplify the sound of tires rolling on the road, disrupting the tranquility of the ride … To counteract this, tire manufacturers minimize road noise by incorporating acoustic dampers or foam within EV tires. However, while these noise-reducing materials contribute to a quieter ride, they might also make the tires stiffer [and EV tires are meant to be stiffer in general, due to their higher air pressure]. Striving for silence could potentially impact the tire’s traction capabilities by preventing the material from gripping the road as well... [emphasis added]</blockquote><a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hybrids-evs/sacrificing-braking-distance-for-hybrid-fuel-economy-a3970563268/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">According</a> to the CR Auto Test Center, several hybrid vehicles have a “significantly longer braking distance” than that of their ICE counterparts, due (among other factors such as those mentioned above) to their “low-rolling-resistance tires.”<blockquote>The requirements for a good EV tire can be at odds with one another. You want low rolling resistance to maximize range, but need traction in order to enjoy the performance of your zero-RPM torque. You want to buffer the sound of the tires on the road, but also ensure longevity.</blockquote>&nbsp;You really can't have it allIn fact, EVs are a mass of contradictions.&nbsp;You want to be “environmentally-friendly,” but your EV battery is made using rare metals dug out of African soil by poor Congolese kids whose water supply is now polluted. And when those rare metals run out, no one knows how to replace them.You want to save money on fuel, but for many buyers it will take years for your investment in an EV to balance out the savings on fuel, and if your battery dies in the meantime, you may never break even.You want a nice, smooth, uneventful drive, but if you have to stop suddenly, it might not be as seamless as it should be.You want to protect the planet, but not at the expense of the humans inhabiting it (let’s hope).Isn’t there anything that can be done?&nbsp;Are there electronic ways to overcome all these issues?Most decision-makers operate according to the belief that more technology equals better. EVs are undoubtedly more advanced in many ways, but they bring with them a whole new set of problems that have yet to be solved. For the most part, efforts to solve them revolve around yet more technology and taking people out of the equation as far as possible. Computers do everything better, right?Accordingly, in 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that nearly all new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. will be required to have AEB (automatic emergency braking) systems installed by 2029. While many cars already have an automatic braking system, the new regulations will require the system to be able to stop the car without touching the vehicle in front at speeds of up to 50 mph, and avoid a crash even if the driver doesn't brake hard enough when driving at speeds of up to 62mph.Their <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/us-require-new-cars-have-emergency-braking-systems-by-2029-2024-04-29/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claim</a> is that this will “save at least 360 lives annually and prevent at least 24,000 injuries.”Automatic features in cars are enthusiastically welcomed by some while reviled by others. If automatic braking was proven to save lives, it would be hard to make a case for allowing drivers to opt out on the grounds that they enjoy the experience of controlling their vehicle too much to sacrifice it for the greater good.However, the jury appears still to be out on AEB, for a number of reasons (unrelated to the joy of driving). Just a few years ago, the AAA released a report which presented depressing findings on AEB pedestrian detection systems:<blockquote><ul><li>If an adult was encountered crossing the road in daylight with the test vehicle traveling at 20 mph, a collision with the pedestrian was avoided only 40 percent of the time.</li><li>If the test vehicles came across a child darting into traffic from in between two cars, with the test vehicle traveling at 20 mph, a collision occurred 89 percent of the time; at 30 mph, none of the test vehicles avoided a collision…</li><li>The pedestrian detection systems proved to be ineffective when encountering an adult crossing the road at night.</li></ul></blockquote><a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-safety/automatic-emergency-braking-guide-a1780056935/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Consumer Reports</a> concludes that,<blockquote>It’s important to remember that AEB isn’t foolproof and that today’s AEB systems can’t prevent all collisions. Even high-speed AEV systems can only slow a car down in some cases, mitigating a crash rather than preventing it.</blockquote>&nbsp;Blind cars and cars with minds of their ownFurthermore, any electronic system is only as good as the data it is fed, and if the data are incomplete or missing, the system fails:<blockquote>And studies show that AEB with pedestrian detection can’t always see pedestrians and cyclists at night or in turns. “It’s important to remember these systems are using cameras and sensors that can get dirty, blinded by sunlight, or obscured in the rain,” [one auto expert stresses].“Never rely on these systems to work perfectly, and always stay vigilant” [emphasis added].</blockquote>The problem here is that urging drivers to “stay vigilant” while simultaneously giving them a tool that is supposed to override their decision-making process is often contradictory. Do automatic systems automatically make drivers less vigilant?There have also been well-documented cases in which the AEB kicked in for no apparent reason, often causing drivers to panic. One <a href="https://www.mgevs.com/threads/emergency-braking-on-level-crossing-with-no-nearby-cars.11355/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report</a> relates to a car whose AEB system decided to make an automatic stop on a railroad crossing, which so traumatized the driver that she got rid of the car.&nbsp;Not all problems can be saved by the bellSometimes, it's the low-tech solutions which work best. Perhaps that's why articles focusing on the downsides of EVs cite almost exclusively their noiselessness, as if that were the critical problem.This problem is also the easiest to fix, as anyone knows after being startled by a clanging bell in a city center, only to look up and see an electric train heading their way.The other issues with EVs — inadequate brakes, pollution farmed out to the developing world, hidden costs, tremendously heavy and therefore dangerous loads — are far more intractable.Many drivers of ICE vehicles are also frustrated at paying heavy taxes on gasoline to cover the costs of road repairs, while far heavier and more destructive EVs avoid paying this tax even though they are probably causing much more damage to roads. This has led some to propose taxing drivers per mile driven, rather than taxing their choice of fuel.At the end of the day, many consumers are making choices based on their own self-interest, regardless of the consequences of those around them, as one comment on an auto website noted:<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/aflds/image/upload/v1716887494/brake_comment_c73da2a1b5.png"></figure>

accident.jpg

Climate Change

EVs are great at getting up speed, but less great at cutting it

Why are EVs really so dangerous for pedestrians?

<h2>Move over book burning, hello de-platforming?</h2>Closed out of your Facebook or Instagram account? Maybe your website suddenly disappeared, or your YouTube channel was demonetized or deleted? Perhaps you lost access to thousands of hours of posts and videos you produced, and your years of work were gone in an instant? That's de-platforming; the modern version of book burning, a “punishment” for going against the mainstream narrative. And, the censorship doesn't stop with social media, it includes PayPal accounts and more.<h3>Getting up again</h3>How do individuals who went afoul of the globalists, who didn't keep quiet and let others do their thinking for them, respond when they find themselves de-platformed by social media companies and other services? Here's what London Real's Brian Rose, Americas Frontline Doctor founder Dr. Simone Gold, and independent researcher James Roguski did to pick themselves up and continue their work despite the heavy-handed censorship they experienced.Brian RoseWhen London Real YouTuber Brian Rose publicly began trying to understand COVID-19 and its countermeasures, he soon found his entire life seemingly deleted from the internet by the social media giants.&nbsp;Not only did he lose all his years of work, amounting to thousands of videos which he had uploaded to the internet. He also lost access to his Paypal account, and more, because in his search for the truth about the pandemic; his counter-narrative interviews with David Icke were too dangerous for the globalists to allow. &nbsp;In his below documentary, Rose&nbsp;recounts his experiences and how he ultimately started a channel of his own. He explains that he was wholly unprepared for what happened on May 3, 2020, even though he knew that many would want to stop the interview (@about 3:36):<blockquote>Over the past few weeks, our entire world has been transformed. Everything we took for granted has now been taken away and our freedoms have been replaced with fear. All those rights we fought centuries for have been handed over without a second thought.&nbsp;We all process fear in different ways. I cope by immersing myself in my work and today my job is to ask questions. One million people will be watching and they all want answers.&nbsp;Countless others are trying to stop this from happening. At any moment they can walk through that door or lock this broadcast. I'm scared but I don't know what else to do. I prepared my whole life for a moment like This. But nothing would prepare me for what happened next. . .</blockquote>&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH THE MOVIE THAT YouTube DOES NOT Want YOU TO SEE (and SHARE IT Far And Wide ) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LondonReal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LondonReal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeWillNotBeSilenced?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeWillNotBeSilenced</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopCensorship?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopCensorship</a> <a href="https://t.co/txcVpjPDWz">https://t.co/txcVpjPDWz</a>— Brian Rose, Founder &amp; Host of London Real (@LondonRealTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/LondonRealTV/status/1796285778517221575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Dr. Simone GoldDr. Simone Gold, founder of <a href="https://www.aflds.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">America's Frontline Doctors</a>, was one of the first doctors to understand that how she was being told to treat COVID patients wasn't normal. Very alarmed at what was taking place she, along with other doctors, held the “<a href="https://www.whitecoatsummit.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">White Coat Summit</a>” on July 27, 2020, as well as a press conference on the Supreme Court steps. As she tweeted below, the press conference went viral, garnering millions of views before Big Tech and Big Media took the video down.She concluded by explaining their purpose and the result:<blockquote>Our fight was to show America the propaganda vs the truth, and then we were censored.</blockquote>&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our press conference in front of the Supreme Court on July 27th, 2020 was a turning point in the fight against COVID Tyranny. After 20 million views in 8 hours, Big Tech colluded to wipe the video from online platforms. We knew in this moment that we would win the fight. <a href="https://t.co/9CP0Ogpnfp">pic.twitter.com/9CP0Ogpnfp</a>— Dr. Simone Gold (@drsimonegold) <a href="https://twitter.com/drsimonegold/status/1610416861723729921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Dr. Gold continues to <a href="https://aflds.org/about-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">advance</a> the mission of America's Frontline Doctors, to protect medical freedom and civil liberties.'James RoguskiIndependent researcher James Roguski who, <a href="http://jamesroguski.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according</a> to his website, has been calling out lies and propaganda for decades, found years of work gone when the company that hosted most of his websites terminated his account for what they said were “terms of service” violations. It did not deter him from continuing his work, either.<blockquote>They deleted many of my websites, but they ignited my passion to burn even brighter. I now have most of my work on Substack.&nbsp;</blockquote>Roguski is interested in building a holistic alternative to the WHO and <a href="https://jamesroguski.substack.com/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recruits</a> others to join him.<blockquote>The old system is crumbling, and I intend to help speed its demise, but we must build its replacement quickly.If you are fed up with the government, hospital, medical, pharmaceutical, media, industrial complex and would like to help , then feel free to contact me directly anytime.</blockquote>&nbsp;The information contained in this article is for educational and information purposes only and is not intended as health, medical, financial or legal advice. Always consult a physician, lawyer or other qualified professional regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition, health objectives, or legal issues.&nbsp;Related articles:<ul><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/covid-sceptics-won-out-globalists-fear-an-increasingly-disbelieving-public" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">'COVID skeptics won out' — Globalists fear an increasingly disbelieving public</a></li><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/colorado-governor-signs-off-on-bill-establishing-state-ministry-of-truth-students-atarget-of-new-law">Colorado governor signs off on bill establishing state 'ministry of truth'? Students a target of new law</a></li></ul>

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Censorship

Globalism

How three individuals got up again after being de-platformed

Who's afraid of Big Bad Tech? 

A British vigilante group known as the “Blade Runners” is receiving widespread support from British taxpayers as it continues to destroy climate surveillance cameras across London.<h2>The ULEZ mandate</h2>By order of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the city is peppered with ultra-low emission zones (ULEZs), areas accessible only to low-emission vehicles. Cars that do not meet the city’s environmental standards are charged £12.50 ($16) for entering the ULEZ. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras positioned around the zones read license plates and check them against the vehicles’ make and model in real time. If a vehicle does not meet the environmental threshold, a fine is levied against the car owner.&nbsp;The ULEZ climate mandate has drawn heavy&nbsp;<a href="https://frontline.news/post/london-hundreds-protest-against-climate-mandates">protests</a> from residents, including&nbsp;<a href="https://frontline.news/post/british-veteran-launches-hunger-strike-as-unrest-grows-over-climate-mandates">hunger strikes</a> and refusals to pay fines. Taxpayers have also taken to disabling the ANPR surveillance cameras which Transport for London (TfL), the city’s transportation department, said will be used both for climate and law enforcement.<h2>Taxpayers cheer the ‘Blade Runners’</h2>Since the climate restrictions were expanded last year, the Blade Runners have taken to disabling and destroying hundreds of cameras. Between April and September 2023, Metropolitan Police recorded 200 reports of cameras being stolen and 595 reports of cameras being vandalized.TfL began placing black boxes around ULEZ camera wirings to protect them from being cut, but taxpayers found other ways to disable the cameras — like removing them completely.<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"> MUST SEE: Blade Runners topple THREE ULEZ cameras in a coordinated strike… The people are fighting back! <a href="https://t.co/Yvr2Xr7Lun">pic.twitter.com/Yvr2Xr7Lun</a>— David Morgan #StayFree (@david_r_morgan) <a href="https://twitter.com/david_r_morgan/status/1802726912050995623?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In response, the city&nbsp;<a href="https://frontline.news/post/london-taxpayers-attack-surveillance-vans-in-continued-revolt">deployed</a> mobile surveillance vans mounted with ANPR cameras across London in the hopes of evading attacks, but Blade Runners soon began targeting those as well. Some surveillance vans have been spotted covered in graffiti with their tires slashed, while others have been completely covered in tarp.Last month, 21 cameras were destroyed in the hours after Sadiq Khan was re-elected mayor of London, the&nbsp;Daily Mail&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13538797/Moment-Blade-Runner-uses-power-tool-cut-ULEZ-camera-traffic-light-latest-attack-Sadiq-Khans-hated-scheme.html">reported</a>. Last weekend, Blade Runners used power tools to topple a ULEZ camera and traffic lights to the delight of some fellow taxpayers. In a video that was posted to social media, passing cars can be heard honking in support.The video received over 37,000 likes. Comments on the post were largely supportive, with users writing that, “When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty,” and “Fair play to them, it's a complete scam that does nothing.”Blade Runner Matt Hardy told the&nbsp;Daily Mail&nbsp;that the Blade Runners are “people pissed off about the tyranny reigning over us and getting out and doing things about it – real votes, real boys here.”<h2>‘These cameras are not about the climate. They are about control’</h2>British actor and influencer Laurence Fox said this week he was just given back his electronic devices by police after being arrested earlier this year for cheering on the Blade Runners:<blockquote>These cameras are not about the climate. They are about control. They are the primary infrastructure for all sorts of things that ideologues like the midget dictator [Sadiq Khan] would like to impose upon us.I can now finally say the word ‘Bladerunners’ again. One of the ridiculous restrictions on free speech imposed by the police.It’s a dreadful shame to see so many of these cameras dying suddenly. I’m not at all thrilled about it. Just because I am smiling like a Cheshire Cat, it doesn’t mean that I am over the moon that these scameras continue to topple in high winds.&nbsp;Vive la résistance!</blockquote><div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">POLICE UPDATE Following 6 coppers bursting into my house earlier this year to arrest me for saying how pleased I was that the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULEZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ULEZ</a> scam was meeting such robust resistance, this morning the <a href="https://twitter.com/metpoliceuk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@metpoliceuk</a> were ordered by the magistrate to hand back all my devices, including my…— Laurence Fox (@LozzaFox) <a href="https://twitter.com/LozzaFox/status/1803030521095622912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> &nbsp;

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Pushback_Resistance

‘Pissed off about the tyranny reigning over us’

British taxpayers cheer vigilante group destroying climate cams

Fisker is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the electric vehicle (EV) company announced Tuesday.<h2>‘Like other companies in the electric vehicle industry’</h2>“Fisker has made incredible progress since our founding, bringing the Ocean SUV to market twice as fast as expected in the auto industry and making good on our promises to deliver the most sustainable vehicle in the world,” a spokesperson <a href="https://assets.ctfassets.net/cghen8gr8e1n/6W19OiEBJDVIFVEmo4feHA/df902c5cb2b067251a300efb0b35f611/Fisker-Filing-FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a>.The California-based company added it is not the only EV maker that has been struggling to stay in business.“We are proud of our achievements, and we have put thousands of Fisker Ocean SUVs in customers’ hands in both North American [sic] and Europe. But like other companies in the electric vehicle industry, we have faced various market and macroeconomic headwinds that have impacted our ability to operate efficiently. After evaluating all options for our business, we determined that proceeding with a sale of our assets under Chapter 11 is the most viable path forward for the company.”Fisker’s collapse is the latest indication that the EV industry is folding due to sinking demand. Other EV industry players are also cutting their losses as they jump ship.<h2>Hertz</h2>In March, Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr&nbsp;<a href="https://www.motorfinanceonline.com/news/hertz-ceo-resigns-amid-ev-investment-setback/#:~:text=Scherr's%20departure%20coincides%20with%20Hertz's,electric%20vehicle%20(EV)%20rentals">resigned</a> after his bet on EVs cost the car rental giant its biggest quarterly loss since 2020. Hertz had been praised by the Biden administration for its ambition to convert 25% of its fleet to EVs by the end of this year. In January, however, the company announced it would instead be selling its 20,000 EVs — including Teslas — at heavily discounted prices and replacing them with gas-powered cars.<h2>Mercedes-Benz</h2>Mercedes-Benz also recently had to give up its ambition to only sell electric cars by 2030. Instead, EVs are expected to make up only 50% of the German carmaker’s sales over the next decade.<h2>Apple</h2>In February, Apple abandoned its multi-billion dollar effort to create an electric car. Despite being a decade in the works and employing 2,000 people, Project Titan was axed due to falling consumer demand.<h2>Aston Martin</h2>A lack of consumer demand is also partly to blame for Aston Martin&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13138123/Aston-Martin-puts-brakes-new-electric-supercar-2026-bosses-say-drivers-want-engines-throaty-roar.html">placing</a> its battery-operated “supercar” on hold until 2026.“Demand, certainly at an Aston Martin price point, is not what we thought it was going to be two years ago,” said Aston Martin Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll.&nbsp;<h2>Ford</h2>In December, Ford slashed production of its flagship EV at its assembly plant in Dearborn, Michigan by half. The automaker cut the monthly production quote for the all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck from 3,200 units to 1,600 units per month.<h2>Biden administration continues to force EV production</h2>Nevertheless, the Biden administration in March issued new climate mandates aimed at forcing more EV production. The new rules from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contain tight emissions standards that will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-electric-vehicles-emissions-limits-climate-biden-e6d581324af51294048df24269b5d20a">require</a> 56% of new vehicle sales to be fully electric by 2032, with an additional 13% required to be hybrids.

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US News

Biden administration continues to force EV production

Electric car company files bankruptcy as EV market folds

For the last two years, British authorities have been testing AI-powered emotion recognition cameras on travelers in train stations, according to recently disclosed documents.<h2>What can the cameras see?</h2>In each of eight train stations around the UK, five to seven cameras or sensors scan the passing crowds. Using AI software from Amazon, the cameras use object recognition algorithms to spot criminal activity, trespassing, weapons, wet floors, overcrowding, and overstuffed trash cans.&nbsp;They can also alert authorities when passengers engage in “unusual behavior,” such as shouting, running, smoking, or skateboarding.&nbsp;A combination of existing cameras and newly installed smart cameras are being used for the surveillance project. All are equipped with Amazon’s Rekognition surveillance system.<h2>Emotional recognition</h2>Through a combination of facial and behavioral analyses, the Rekognition software allows officials to also <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-ai-cameras-emotions-uk-train-passengers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">analyze visitors’ emotions</a>. Internal documents note that the cameras can detect whether a passenger is “happy, sad [or] angry.” They can also recognize passenger satisfaction, which “could be utilized to maximum advertising and retail revenue.”<h2>Anti-social behavior</h2>Authorities can also detect passengers who exhibit “anti-social behaviour,” which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/asb/asb/antisocial-behaviour/what-is-antisocial-behaviour/">according</a> to London’s Metropolitan Police Service means “behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to persons not of the same household as the person.”<h2>Social distancing, face masks, and demographics</h2>Other&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24757655-usecases_dpas_review_managed_stations?responsive=1&amp;title=1">use cases</a> for the surveillance cameras include detecting whether passengers are keeping to social distancing rules and wearing face masks. The cameras can also scan for demographics by identifying people’s age profiles and “socio-economic classification,” which the documents note can create “revenue opportunities for better targeted advertising and product placement.”<h2>‘Quite a concerning step’</h2>The documents were obtained by Big Brother Watch, a civil rights and government watchdog group, in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Network Rail, a body within the Department of Transportation which manages most of the country’s train network, has been overseeing the surveillance project.&nbsp;“The rollout and normalization of AI surveillance in these public spaces, without much consultation and conversation, is quite a concerning step,” Jake Hurfurt, head of research and investigations at Big Brother Watch,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-ai-cameras-emotions-uk-train-passengers/">told</a> Wired.As of now, the surveillance systems do not use facial recognition technology, which analyzes faces and matches them against facial images stored in certain databases.

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