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Mazda3 bug activates emergency brake system for no reason
Driver assists can help make our trips much safer, but integrating software decisions into the control of a vehicle could cause serious problems if the system glitches at the wrong time. According to Mazda, "Incorrect programming" in its Smart Braking System (SBS) can make fourth-generation Mazda3 vehicles to falsely detect an object in their path while driving and automatically apply the brakes while driving. The problem affects 35,390 2019 and 2020 model year cars in the US, but Mazda says it is not aware of any injuries or deaths as a result of the defect. If the issue occurs, the driver will notice because their car has suddenly stopped, and also as an alarm sounds and a message is displayed on the in-car warning screen. Some Reddit posters report experiencing situations of the system activating while driving with nothing around, and note that while the system can be disabled, it appears to re-enable itself every time the car starts.
South Korea will be first to OTA 3DTV this month
South Korea will beat Australia to free OTA 3DTV broadcasts as several broadcasters will try out the technology starting with KBS May 19 during the 2010 Colorful Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting. We're not sure if that's soccer, a (potentially rigged) Starcraft match or what (it's a track meet), but it will be broadcast live in 3D, while SBS will air World Cup 2010 action in June. If you happen to be in Seoul and own a 3DTV then channel no. 66 is the one to watch for, but even if you don't, roll by Cheonggyecheon Stream Square and peep the action on a 600-inch 3D screen. 3ality Digital, who has handled so many sporting events stateside is participating, we're just hoping Fox (home of the 2011 Super Bowl) is paying attention.
Netherlands' SBS seeking nominal yearly fees to pay for HD broadcasts
No one ever said the spoils of high-definition came free, and no one knows that better than Dutch commercial broadcaster SBS. The outfit is reportedly holding its hand out and covering its face while asking for payments between €2 to €3 per year, per subscriber, from cable operators in order to pay for HD broadcasts. That's according to Eric Eljon, MD of SBS Productions, who hopes to begin high-def simulcasts within a few months should a deal be reached. In The Netherlands today, there is no license fee at all, with the public broadcasting system paid for out of the general budget; additionally, there's currently no way to recoup the massive increase in cost when switching to HD via advertising alone. C'mon, cable carriers / consumers -- just think of the HD starved children.[Thanks, Wouter]
