House panel releases auto safety proposals (response to Toyota's massive recalls)

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By KEN THOMAS

WASHINGTON (AP) -- New cars and trucks would be required to carry black boxes to record crash information and automakers would pay fees to help fund the government's auto safety agency under a series of proposals in Congress in response to Toyota's massive recalls.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday released a draft that could form the basis of legislation to strengthen vehicle safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Lawmakers have vowed to address auto safety after Toyota recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide and paid a record $16.4 million government fine for slowly responding to a recall.

The draft legislation, released by Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., would eliminate the cap on civil penalties an automaker could face and allow NHTSA to order an immediate recall if it finds an "imminent hazard of death or serious injury." It would also require new safety standards related to brake override systems, the prevention of pedals from getting trapped in floor mats and vehicle electronics.

Toyota has said it will install brake override systems in all future models and retroactively on some existing ones. The system automatically disengages the throttle if a driver presses on the brakes.


Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TOYOTA_RECALL?SITE=SCGRE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT