Federal government may seek more authority on vehicle safety
U.S. government vehicle safety regulators may seek greater authority to investigate defects in cars and trucks. The question arises after Toyota's recall of more than 8 million vehicles for safety problems. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration chief David Strickland says the agency will take a "hard look" at the power it has to set safety standards for automakers. He says the current authority, acquired in the 1960s and 1970s, may not be enough to oversee the technology used in modern vehicles. Strickland says the government may also require automakers to include brake override systems, a fix intended to prevent the type of runaway car incidents that some Toyota drivers have described.
Sue Linfante
