CARS.COM — Automakers would have to expand recall notifications to include email, phone calls or other electronic means under a rule proposed today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that aims to spur more owners to get repairs done.
"Far too often, people say they are unaware of open recalls on their vehicles," said NHTSA spokesman Bryan Thomas in a statement, who emphasized the administration's goal of 100 percent recall completion. "This proposed rule would require automakers to add modern tools to the way they communicate to owners about open recalls."
Related: J.D. Power Study Reveals Dismal Recall Completion Rates
Carmakers still would have to issue the notices via mail and the rule allows them to pick the electronic channel or channels they find most effective. Many are trying such alternatives now, at least in major recalls such as the Takata airbag campaign, and in comments ahead of the proposal, expressed preferences or reservations about particular methods.
"We have been successful in leveraging multiple communication channels, including digital, to reach and motivate owners to get recall repairs completed. We use analytics to guide us as to which channels are most effective with different customer segments in driving repairs," said GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson. "As we now all live in a digital world, it makes complete sense that we broaden our communications to include digital channels."
Among the "electronic means" NHTSA offered as options in the proposal: "electronic mail, text messages, radio or television notifications, vehicle infotainment console messages, over-the-air alerts [to connected cars], social media or targeted online campaigns, phone calls, including automated phone calls, or other real-time means."
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group representing a dozen major auto companies, also expressed support for the rule in a statement: "Primary notification by mail is still the gold standard, but automakers support supplemental outreach and are already doing it in many ways." It also lauded the flexibility. "A range of tools is important because people like to get information in different ways. Some people place a high priority on emails, while others view emails as least effective because they get jumbled in with junk mail. Some people love social media notices, while others shun social media and want phone calls."
The automakers would file their proposed electronic notices with NHTSA, as they do now with the mailings, and under the proposal, they would not have to conform to a template as the mail notices do. It attempts to offer some flexibility by medium. For example, a character-limited Twitter notice could include a link to more information.
However, NHTSA says that it retains the authority to give a thumbs up or thumbs down on compliance for the notices, and to require additional efforts.
The goal is to better prod owners to get cars fixed. J.D. Power and Associates research released in July found 45 million vehicles recalled between 2013 and 2015 remain on the road unfixed. It also found that recall rates decline sharply for older vehicles: The recall completion rate for 2013-to-2017 model-year vehicles is 73 percent versus 44 percent for vehicles built from 2003 to 2007.
While automakers and others have voiced worry that collecting personal information for electronic notices potentially could step on privacy or consumer regulations, many carmakers already are trying such alternatives for some situations.
Honda, hard-hit by the Takata airbag inflator problems, has already created a separate website for its recalls and is using automated and direct phone calls (which it says have been most effective), text messages, targeted advertising, Facebook and Twitter.
That is for a major recall, however, and there could be a risk that multiplying messages for lesser recalls might make owners tune out.
The proposal today begins a 60-day comment period before a final rule. In the meantime, however, NHTSA already offers its own email recall notices by model - you can sign up here. You can also check on open recalls for your specific car by its vehicle identification number here.
from Cars.com News http://ift.tt/2bXkCs4
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