The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Thursday announced an agreement with Ford Motor Co. that included a $165 million civil penalty.
The agency’s consent order followed an investigation that found the company failed to recall in a timely fashion vehicles with defective rearview cameras and didn’t provide accurate recall information.
“NHTSA is committed to ensuring manufacturers comply with the laws designed to keep our roads safe,” NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman said. “When manufacturers fail to prioritize the safety of the American public and meet their obligations under federal law, NHTSA will hold them accountable.”
On top of the $165 million civil penalty, the second largest in the agency’s history, Ford must build a safety data analytics infrastructure and a multimodal imaging test lab focusing on low-voltage electronics.
The company also must review its vehicle recalls of the past three years and its recall decision-making process.
According to the NHTSA, a third party will oversee all changes made to Ford’s recall process and make recommendations for further compliance with the NHTSA’s consent order.
Ford has sent more recalls in 2024 than any other U.S. automaker, with AutoInsurance.com recording 45 Ford recalls as of October.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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