Automakers pledged to equip nearly all new cars with reminders to check the rear seats for children, a move that one safety advocate says doesn't go far enough to prevent dozens of children who die each year from heatstroke after being left in vehicles.
Under a voluntary agreement, essentially all new autos by the 2025 model year will at a minimum provide drivers with visual and audible rear-seat reminder alerts after turning the vehicle off, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers announced Wednesday.
"Automakers have been exploring ways to address this safety issue and this commitment underscores how such innovations and increased awareness can help children right now," said Alliance Interim President and CEO David Schwietert. "Automakers have come together to develop a pathway forward, which not only incorporates existing systems, but also supports new, innovative approaches."