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WASHINGTON – Major automakers announced Wednesday they have agreed to provide nearly all US vehicles with systems reminding motorists of passengers at the back, by the 2025 model year. to prevent the death of young children left behind in boiling cars.
The announcement of so-called rear seat recall systems comes as the US Congress debated the issue. In July, the Senate Committee on Commerce passed a bill voting in an out-of-the-box vote requiring manufacturers to install technology on new vehicles to alert outgoing parents to check whether children were at home. ;back.
Manufacturers of two trade groups representing almost all automakers said the companies were committed to including audible and visual vehicle alerts by 2025, but could benefit from an additional 12 months for vehicles on the road. be redesigned and could provide emergency motor vehicles.
The 20 manufacturers present account for nearly 98% of all vehicle sales in the United States.
The automakers include General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co., Volkswagen AG, Toyota Motor Corp., Hyundai Motor Co and Honda Motor Co.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said that it will eventually adopt recall technology on all vehicles in the world, but that the schedule varies by region.
Since 2016, GM has been using a system on some US vehicles that provides an audible alert and visual reminder on the vehicle's dashboard to search for a child before leaving.
Lawmakers said more than 800 children in parked vehicles had died of heat stroke in the United States over the past two decades.
The systems are usually used to alert the driver to the presence of a child if a rear door has been opened at the beginning of a trip. Some safety advocates want a more advanced system to detect the real presence of a child in the back seat.
US Senator Roger Wicker, a Republican who chairs the Trade Committee, said in an interview that the voluntary agreement makes legislation useless. Under the legislation under review, the NHTSA (National Road Safety Administration) would be required to draft regulations and car manufacturers would then have a minimum turnaround time of two years.
"This basically gives us everything we asked for and does it earlier," said Wicker, who added that the transportation department was considering using discretionary funds for a public information campaign. "It's a huge win."
It usually takes years for NHTSA to draft a regulation. For example, a proposal to force car manufacturers to send reminder notifications by e-mail has been pending for more than three years.
The Wicker Bill would also require states to use part of the road safety program funds to inform the public of the risks of leaving a child or passenger unsupervised in a vehicle, and to require the Department of Transportation to conduct a study. independent on the modernization of the existing car. Vehicles.
US Representative Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat who co-sponsored legislation, said earlier this year that many recent vehicles are warning drivers if they leave their key. "You should be warned if you leave a child in the car," she added.
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