Jan 10, 2018

Ford accused of cheating emissions tests

People test out new Ford F-Series Super Duty trucks in the parking lot of Sports Authority Field in Denver. Photo: Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Ford is being sued for allegedly rigging at least 500,000 diesel pickup trucks to beat emissions tests, according to Bloomberg. Drivers claim that the F-250 and F-350 Super Duty models emit nitrogen oxide pollutants at 50 times the legal limit — despite Ford marketing the trucks as “the cleanest super diesel ever.”

Why it matters: Ford joins a list of at least four car companies accused of cheating on U.S. emissions tests. The lawsuit could threaten the automaker's plans to introduce a diesel engine in its smaller F-150 truck, which the company claims could outperform competitors with a fuel economy of 30 mpg.
What Ford's saying: “All Ford vehicles, including those with diesel engines, comply with all U.S. EPA and CARB emissions regulations. Ford vehicles do not have defeat devices. We will defend ourselves against these baseless claims," Daniel Barbosa, a spokesman for Ford, told Bloomberg in a statement.

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Jonathan Swan, Alayna Treene

Scoop: New White House personnel chief tells Cabinet liaisons to target Never Trumpers

McEntee, shown with White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, walks on the South Lawn of the White House Jan. 9. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Johnny McEntee called in White House liaisons from cabinet agencies for an introductory meeting Thursday, in which he asked them to identify political appointees across the U.S. government who are believed to be anti-Trump, three sources familiar with the meeting tell Axios.

Behind the scenes: McEntee, a 29-year-old former body man to Trump who was fired in 2018 by then-Chief of Staff John Kelly but recently rehired — and promoted to head the presidential personnel office — foreshadowed sweeping personnel changes across government.

Go deeper1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Ina Fried

How art can help us understand AI

Photo: Ina Fried/Axios

Activists and journalists have been telling us for years that we are handing too much of our human autonomy over to machines and algorithms. Now artists have a showcase in the heart of Silicon Valley to highlight concerns around facial recognition, algorithmic bias and automation.

Why it matters: Art and technology have been partners for millennia, as Steve Jobs liked to remind us. But the opening of "Uncanny Valley: Being Human in the Age of AI" tomorrow at the de Young Museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park puts art in the role of technology's questioner, challenger — and sometimes prosecutor.

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Kendall Baker

The Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury fight is the rematch of the century

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

The weekend's biggest sporting event is Wilder-Fury II, which despite its name is not an action movie sequel starring Jean-Claude Van Damme but, rather, a boxing match starring arguably the two best heavyweights in the world.

The backdrop: In their first meeting in December 2018, Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury put on a memorable show at Staples Center, with Fury surviving a brutal right hand in the 12th round to earn a split-decision draw.

Go deeper3 hours ago - Sports