U.S. auto safety regulators have decided to postpone a potential recall of nearly 50 million air bag inflators, opting instead for further investigation after the automotive industry raised concerns about the universality of the defect, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The agency’s decision, announced on Dec. 18, is vastly different from its earlier stance. In July, the NHTSA had maintained that the inflators manufactured by ARC Automotive Inc., a Tennessee-based company, were defective and posed a danger to the public, warranting a recall.
According to the NHTSA, the inflators in question are installed in about 49 million vehicles across 13 manufacturers. The agency has linked these inflators to at least seven injuries and two deaths in the United States and Canada since 2009….