GOP rep.: 2014 a ‘bad year’ for car safety

Although car safety has been increasing for years and there are new technologies coming into play as we speak, 2014 has been marked by a large number of automotive recalls that have affected safety systems that many of us take for granted.

One of the biggest issues has been a recall of millions of vehicles due to malfunctioning airbags. This is a huge problem that has resulted in injuries and possible deaths – investigations are ongoing:

2014 has been a “bad year for auto safety,” a House Republican from Michigan said on Wednesday, citing widespread recalls that have impacted multiple car brands this year.

“I’m from the auto state, and I’m sorry to say it’s been a bad year for auto safety,” Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said. “The latest danger for drivers? Malfunctioning air bags that can shoot shrapnel through the air and make a bad accident worse.”

Upton is the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The panel was holding a hearing Wednesday on the recall of defective airbags that were manufactured by Japanese auto part manufacturer Takata.

Upton said he is concerned about the way the recall of the faulty airbags have been handled by both the manufacturer and federal regulators who are supposed to ensure the safety of the U.S. auto industry.

“Drivers are being told their vehicle is subject to a recall but there are not enough parts to fix it, and if they do get a replacement, that airbag may be subject to the same safety failure in the future because we still don’t know if the root problem has been addressed,” Upton said.

“Even though millions of Takata air bags have inflated properly, saving lives and avoiding serious injuries in hundreds of thousands of accidents, any failure of an air bag to perform as designed in an automobile accident is incompatible with Takata’s standards for highest quality assurance,” Shimizu told the House panel.

“We are deeply sorry and anguished about each of the reported instances in which a Takata air bag has not performed as designed and a driver or passenger has suffered personal injuries or death,” Shimizu said. “Our sincerest condolences go out to all those who have suffered in these accidents and to their families.”

Takata’s initial recall of its airbags limited the scope of its notice to areas of the country where weather conditions are humid, which has been blamed for problems with the parts. The company has resisted calls from federal officials for a nationwide recall, but Schostek said Honda is issuing a wider notification for drivers on its own. “We understand that Takata has not identified or acknowledged any defect of the driver airbag inflaters,” he said. “We want to inform you that Honda is going to expand our existing regional safety improvement campaign on affected driver airbag inflaters to a national campaign.”  GOP rep.: 2014 a ‘bad year’ for car safety | TheHill