Wheels: Oh, Those Traffic Circles

Rotaries are often frustrating. They are meant to cut accidents, but that’s not always the effect.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story August 25, 2020 The Wheels newsletter is delivered monthly. The next one will appear on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Peter Klaunzer/EPA, via Shutterstock   Wheels All About Roundabouts Rotaries, traffic circles or however you know them, they’re often frustrating for American motorists. They are designed to lessen accidents, but that’s not always the effect. By Paul Stenquist Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT RM Sotheby's/EPA, via Shutterstock   Wheels Steering Wheels’ Past, Present and (Autonomous) Future Today, they’re wired and heated, laden with controls. Soon, they could be reserved only for classic cars. By Stephen Williams Ben Sklar for The New York Times   Wheels ‘Motorcycle of Tomorrow’ Is Heavy on Flair and Light on the Environment Pineapple “leather,” flax seed instead of plastic: Tarform, based in Brooklyn, aims to set a standard with its retro-futuristic cafe racer. By Susan Carpenter     The Great Gotham Vroom Boom of 2020 New Yorkers have historically been lukewarm on car ownership. Then came the you-know-what. By Foster Kamer Bryn Lennon/Getty Images   Lewis Hamilton Is Demanding Change The only Black driver in Formula 1 history says the sport has been too slow to increase diversity. “We’ve not changed anything.” By Luke Smith Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Christina Brinkerhoff   Wheels Driving Across the Globe to Fight Child Trafficking Renée Brinkerhoff has been on a quest, on almost every continent, to use racing “as a platform to do something about” a global scourge. Next stop, Antarctica. By Mercedes Lilienthal NEWS Daimler to Settle U.S. Emissions Charges for $2.2 Billion The agreement is a small fraction of the sum that Volkswagen paid after admitting to emissions cheating in 2015. By Jack Ewing Ford, Struggling in a Changing Industry, Replaces Its C.E.O. Jim Hackett, who failed to impress Wall Street, will be replaced by James Farley, an auto industry veteran who started his career at Toyota. By Neal E. Boudette Electric Vehicle Makers Find a Back Door to Wall Street Special purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs, are helping them and other fledgling companies raise money and gain coveted stock listings. By Neal E. Boudette and Kate Kelly Star Technologist Who Crossed Google Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison Anthony Levandowski, a onetime star Silicon Valley engineer of self-driving cars, had pleaded guilty to stealing trade secrets. By Kate Conger Tesla Turns a Profit in a Pandemic-Squeezed Quarter The result was achieved “despite tremendous difficulties,” said the chief executive, Elon Musk, including a plant shutdown and lower sales. By Neal E. Boudette, Peter Eavis and Matt Phillips wheels Letting Your Insurer Ride Shotgun, for a Discounted Rate Most big car insurers offer apps that monitor your driving, and one start-up requires it. The trade-off in privacy is a premium that could be substantially cheaper for safe drivers. By Paul Stenquist Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Wheels from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018