Today’s Big Story

Car Bloat

How big trucks and SUVs gobbled up the entire auto industry

Have you heard the term “car bloat”? It refers to the trend of modern cars becoming unnecessarily larger, heavier and more feature-laden than they arguably need to be—often at the expense of efficiency, performance and sometimes even safety.

Of course, it didn’t happen all at once. It has creeped up on us. Smaller, more affordable and manageable cars were continually replaced by SUVs of increasing size. Today, anyone searching for anything smaller than a compact SUV will probably come up dry. Ford killed its sedan production in North America a number of years ago. GM took a little longer, but eventually, with the Chevy Malibu leaving the lineup in 2024, it got there as well.

The decisions, the companies argue, were a reflection of shifting customer preferences. Four in five cars sold in the United States last year were either SUVs or pickup trucks. That’s a far cry from the 1990s, when that number was closer to 25 percent of all sales. Americans just aren’t that into sedans anymore, preferring higher riding vehicles that confer a sense of safety and dominance over the road. Small cars were out; big ones—and often really big ones—were in.

But these huge, hulking autos are dangerous. Some even call them a “public health hazard”. Vehicles with extra-tall hoods and blunt front ends are more likely to cause fatalities, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. There have been numerous studies and investigations examining how tall, flat-nosed trucks and SUVs are more likely to cause serious injury and death than smaller, shorter vehicles. Larger front ends mean pedestrians are more likely to suffer deadly blows to the head and torso. Higher clearances mean victims are more likely to get trapped underneath a speeding SUV instead of pushed onto the hood or off to the side. And front blind zones associated with large trucks and SUVs have contributed to the injury and death of hundreds of children across the country, studies have shown.

As Americans flocked to these dangerously tall and heavy vehicles, the pedestrian death rate soared: between 2013 and 2022, pedestrian fatalities increased 57%, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports. In 2022, 88% of pedestrian deaths occurred in single-vehicle crashes.

When confronted with these statistics, automakers usually point to the increasing use of technology in vehicles—cameras, sensors, blind-spot detection, automatic braking—to help reduce pedestrian deaths. But rarely do they address the role that vehicle design plays in crash fatalities. That’s because big trucks and SUVs are not only popular but also better moneymakers than smaller vehicles. SUVs have a profit margin that’s 10–20 percent higher than smaller cars because they command a higher price while costing only slightly more to manufacture.

Trump’s Unprecedented Police Takeover

Policing and military experts are perplexed since crime is down

In his first term, President Donald Trump was known to spin alternative realities. In his second, he’s making everyone live in them. Trump conjured his most dystopian vision yet of a crime-ridden American inner city to justify his emergency federal takeover of Washington, D.C.’s police department and to order National Guard troops onto the streets. “Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people,” Trump said in the White House Briefing Room on Monday.

The move has already caused confusion among federal agents tasked with tackling local crime and police experts. For one, they note, crime is at its lowest level in decades in the nation’s capital. In early January, federal prosecutors in Washington released a press bulletin with the subject line: “Violent crime in D.C. hits 30 year low.” And since then, it has plummeted 26%, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. The gap between Trump’s sulfurous rhetoric and day-to-day life in most of Washington certainly undercuts his dubious claims of a crisis. But Trump has made a habit of using the capital as a stage for his military flexing. Or as Intelligencer put it: “Inventing Emergencies Is Trump’s Superpower.”

Despite insisting that the U.S. is rebounding from calamity under his watch, Trump is harnessing emergency powers unlike any of his predecessors. Using the military in policing roles is a device familiar from totalitarian states, where the first act of a dictator is usually to send troops onto the streets of the capital. Members of the National Capital Region congressional delegation, all Democrats, warned Monday of “a soft launch of authoritarianism” after Trump’s announcement. But recent polls show many Americans are skeptical about the use of troops on American soil … and for good reason.

Are These the World’s Best Headphones?

They’re built like custom knives and packed with tech

I’ve always wanted to try out a pair of those custom-molded in-ear monitors, like the ones signers wear on stage. Especially since they’re no longer used just for performances. Audiophiles get their own, swearing by the wired earphones’ hi-fi sound and other specs that I don’t even understand.

Case in point: Noble Audio’s new IEMs, dubbed the Kronos, constructed from CNC-machined titanium and finished with titanium damascus faceplates. Gear Patrol says they’re the Texas-based hi-fi maker’s newest flagship in-ears and boast a nine-driver array paired with a six-way crossover system. (Does that mean anything to you?) What I do know is that they’re expensive. Like, really expensive.

The company says that the Kronos was built to “satisfy audiophiles, collectors, and enthusiasts alike.” And they might be the only ones willing to drop $4,500 for the headphones. Then again, reviewers have given them glowing reviews for their rich sound and lightweight, ergonomic fit that’s been specifically designed for comfort when listening for long periods. And while many top-tier IEMs demand powerful, specialized gear, these can be powered by a variety of sources—from smartphones and digital audio players to portable headphone amplifiers.

The Long Read

Being courteous can be challenging in these fractious times, but politeness is much better for your well-being

Stay true to your standards.