The recall involving Takata airbags has been the largest recall in automotive history. So far, millions of vehicles have been recalled, with more expected before the recall is expected to be finished later this year. The airbags, which can explode with too much force, send deadly shrapnel flying through vehicles. This shrapnel has killed at least two dozen people worldwide and has caused hundreds of injuries. The recall has affected millions of vehicles across all manufacturers, from American brands like Ford and General Motors to imported brands like Honda and Toyota. Most manufacturers are working hard to get the airbags replaced. However, according to The Japan News, General Motors is trying to avoid the recall for the fourth year in a row.
General Motors petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to exempt it from recalls that were mandatory under an agreement made in 2015 between Takata and the government.
If the NHTSA requires that GM execute the recalls, the cost to repair more than 6 million trucks and SUVs will be $1.2 billion. This is more than half the profit the company posted in the most recent quarter.
The petition, which was posted Wednesday by the government, says that the airbags are unique to GM vehicles and there is no danger of exploding airbags. Takata said differently, including the airbags in an agreement it signed with the government.
The petition, which was filed in January, was just now posted in the Federal Register. Ever since GM began filing for exemption three years ago, the NHTSA has yet to make a ruling on whether the vehicles should be recalled.
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