U.S. regulators said Monday they could expand their investigation into Takata Corp. air bag inflators beyond the current 11 automakers, amid questions about whether vehicle design played a role in the devices posing a deadly risk to the public.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) chief Mark Rosekind said his agency can add more auto manufacturers to the consent order that regulators announced with Takata in May. He said some car makers could also begin to move more quickly when they suspect a potential problem.
On Thursday, NHTSA expects to make a public case that it should coordinate the Takata recall to ensure that an estimated 23.4 million air bag inflators installed in 19.2 million U.S. vehicles from 11 automakers are properly replaced.