General Motors To Remain Under Oversight of U.S. Safety Regulators

Last May, General Motors agreed to a consent order from federal safety regulators over its decision on waiting too long recall 2.6 million vehicles with faulty ignition switches. Part of the order was to disclose detailed safety issues and meet with officials from NHTSA monthly. This could be extended up to three years. Well after a year of being under scrutiny, NHTSA has decided to extend it one more year.

The Detroit News obtained a letter from NHTSA to GM dated on May 14th. The letter, written by Timothy H. Goodman (a lawyer for NHTSA) to GM North America general counsel Lucy Clark Dougherty said the agency would be extending the order. Now this isn't because NHTSA is disappointed in how GM handling recalls now. But "to continue the dialogue those requirements have facilitated on important safety issues," as the agency has seen this to be a productive tool.

"GM learned a hard lesson last year. We expect to see the improvements they've made continue and that their new approaches are applied to every GM safety issue and every recall. Today's action will help keep them on the right track," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a statement.

Source: The Detroit News