Leroy N. Soetoro
2014-03-18 21:18:09 UTC
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-gm-appoints-recall-safety-
chief-20140318,0,7384798.story#axzz2wKbmLo7g
Beset by criticism that it did not move quickly enough to fix an ignition
switch problem linked to 12 fatal crashes, General Motors on Tuesday named
a vehicle safety chief charged with identifying and resolving product
safety issues.
Jeff Boyer, who has held a range of engineering and safety positions at
GM, will become vice president of global vehicle safety and will oversee
the development of GM vehicle safety systems, safety performance and
recalls.
The move comes after the automaker recalled more than 3 million cars in
the last month, including 1.5 million Monday, to fix a variety of problems
with ignition switches, air bags and wiring.
This new role elevates and integrates our safety process under a single
leader so we can set a new standard for customer safety with more rigorous
accountability, said Mary Barra, GMs chief executive. If there are any
obstacles in his way, Jeff has the authority to clear them. If he needs
any additional resources, he will get them.
Boyer will provide regular and frequent updates on vehicle safety to
Barra, senior management and the GM board of directors.
Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers in the
vehicles they drive, said Boyer. Todays GM is committed to this, and
Im ready to take on this assignment.
The appointment comes as GM faces numerous probes into years of delays in
fixing the ignition issue.
GM issued recalls only last month more than a decade after first
learning of the ignition issue, the automaker has acknowledged. The faulty
switch could shut off the car while driving, disabling safety systems such
as air bags and antilock brakes. GM says the issue is connected to 12
deaths, but an analysis by an independent safety group said it could
account for as many as 303 fatalities.
Appointing a safety chief is consistent Mary Barras aggressive efforts to
resolve the recall crisis, said Stephanie Brinley, an analyst at IHS
Automotive.
Boyer seems to be a good choice for this position considering his past
experience in quality and safety, Brinley said. Ensuring that he has
access to the top leadership of the corporation gives his position
credibility.
Barra, who became GMs chief executive in January, has ordered a top-to-
bottom safety review.
GM released a video of Barra's comments to GM employees Monday, in which
she outlined the challenges facing the automaker and assessed the gravity
of the company's mistakes.
These are serious developments that shouldn't surprise anyone, Barra
told employees. After all, something went wrong with our process in this
instance, and terrible things happened.
As a member of the GM family and as a mom with a family of my own this
really hits home for me, Barra said.
Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and GM have come
under heavy fire from lawmakers and safety advocates for not acting
sooner. The Department of Justice and committees in the U.S. House and
Senate have opened investigations in the matter. GM will probably face at
least a $35-million civil fine.
The tab could be much higher, said Brian Johnson, an analyst with
Barclays, nothing there is the potential for $2 billion to $3 billion for
plaintiff settlements and/or federal fines.
The weeks ahead will see congressional hearings, as well as fresh attacks
from creative tort lawyers in multiple jurisdictions, Johnson said. The
continued negative headlines are likely to weigh heavily on the stock.
He said the moves by Barra demonstrate that GM is trying to dig deep to
the root of the problem to develop a more engineering-driven focus on
products than had characterized GM in the past.
But in the short term, that wont help the owners of many of the recalled
vehicles. Drivers of cars with the ignition problem won't be able to get
their cars fixed for months. Production of the replacement part won't
start until next month, and it will take until October to produce all the
new switches needed to fix the recalled cars, GM officials said.
The ignition switch problem affects 1.6 million cars globally. The models
include 2003-07 Saturn Ions, 2006-07 Chevrolet HHRs, 2006-07 Pontiac
Solstices, 2006-07 Saturn Sky models, and 2005-07 Chevrolet Cobalt and
Pontiac G5 models. The cars all share the same ignition component; none of
them remains in production.
Previously Boyer was responsible for the certification of GM vehicle
safety and crashworthiness. He holds a bachelor of science in electrical
engineering from Kettering University and a master of business
administration from Michigan State University.
--
Barack Obama, reelected by the dumbest voters in the history of the United
States of America.
Eric Holder, racist black murdering United States Attorney General, still
has his job.
Nancy Pelosi, Democrat criminal, accessory before and after the fact to
improper vetting of Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama, a confirmed
felon using SSAN 042-68-4425, belonging to a dead man.
Obama ignored the brutal killing of an American diplomat in Benghazi, then
relieved American military officers who attempted to prevent said murder
in order to cover up his own ineptitude.
Obama continues his goal of disarming America while ObamaCare increases
insurance premiums 300% and leaves millions without health care.
Obama backed the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt prior to their removal for
failing to represent the people and constitutional violations.
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ***@netfront.net ---
chief-20140318,0,7384798.story#axzz2wKbmLo7g
Beset by criticism that it did not move quickly enough to fix an ignition
switch problem linked to 12 fatal crashes, General Motors on Tuesday named
a vehicle safety chief charged with identifying and resolving product
safety issues.
Jeff Boyer, who has held a range of engineering and safety positions at
GM, will become vice president of global vehicle safety and will oversee
the development of GM vehicle safety systems, safety performance and
recalls.
The move comes after the automaker recalled more than 3 million cars in
the last month, including 1.5 million Monday, to fix a variety of problems
with ignition switches, air bags and wiring.
This new role elevates and integrates our safety process under a single
leader so we can set a new standard for customer safety with more rigorous
accountability, said Mary Barra, GMs chief executive. If there are any
obstacles in his way, Jeff has the authority to clear them. If he needs
any additional resources, he will get them.
Boyer will provide regular and frequent updates on vehicle safety to
Barra, senior management and the GM board of directors.
Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers in the
vehicles they drive, said Boyer. Todays GM is committed to this, and
Im ready to take on this assignment.
The appointment comes as GM faces numerous probes into years of delays in
fixing the ignition issue.
GM issued recalls only last month more than a decade after first
learning of the ignition issue, the automaker has acknowledged. The faulty
switch could shut off the car while driving, disabling safety systems such
as air bags and antilock brakes. GM says the issue is connected to 12
deaths, but an analysis by an independent safety group said it could
account for as many as 303 fatalities.
Appointing a safety chief is consistent Mary Barras aggressive efforts to
resolve the recall crisis, said Stephanie Brinley, an analyst at IHS
Automotive.
Boyer seems to be a good choice for this position considering his past
experience in quality and safety, Brinley said. Ensuring that he has
access to the top leadership of the corporation gives his position
credibility.
Barra, who became GMs chief executive in January, has ordered a top-to-
bottom safety review.
GM released a video of Barra's comments to GM employees Monday, in which
she outlined the challenges facing the automaker and assessed the gravity
of the company's mistakes.
These are serious developments that shouldn't surprise anyone, Barra
told employees. After all, something went wrong with our process in this
instance, and terrible things happened.
As a member of the GM family and as a mom with a family of my own this
really hits home for me, Barra said.
Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and GM have come
under heavy fire from lawmakers and safety advocates for not acting
sooner. The Department of Justice and committees in the U.S. House and
Senate have opened investigations in the matter. GM will probably face at
least a $35-million civil fine.
The tab could be much higher, said Brian Johnson, an analyst with
Barclays, nothing there is the potential for $2 billion to $3 billion for
plaintiff settlements and/or federal fines.
The weeks ahead will see congressional hearings, as well as fresh attacks
from creative tort lawyers in multiple jurisdictions, Johnson said. The
continued negative headlines are likely to weigh heavily on the stock.
He said the moves by Barra demonstrate that GM is trying to dig deep to
the root of the problem to develop a more engineering-driven focus on
products than had characterized GM in the past.
But in the short term, that wont help the owners of many of the recalled
vehicles. Drivers of cars with the ignition problem won't be able to get
their cars fixed for months. Production of the replacement part won't
start until next month, and it will take until October to produce all the
new switches needed to fix the recalled cars, GM officials said.
The ignition switch problem affects 1.6 million cars globally. The models
include 2003-07 Saturn Ions, 2006-07 Chevrolet HHRs, 2006-07 Pontiac
Solstices, 2006-07 Saturn Sky models, and 2005-07 Chevrolet Cobalt and
Pontiac G5 models. The cars all share the same ignition component; none of
them remains in production.
Previously Boyer was responsible for the certification of GM vehicle
safety and crashworthiness. He holds a bachelor of science in electrical
engineering from Kettering University and a master of business
administration from Michigan State University.
--
Barack Obama, reelected by the dumbest voters in the history of the United
States of America.
Eric Holder, racist black murdering United States Attorney General, still
has his job.
Nancy Pelosi, Democrat criminal, accessory before and after the fact to
improper vetting of Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama, a confirmed
felon using SSAN 042-68-4425, belonging to a dead man.
Obama ignored the brutal killing of an American diplomat in Benghazi, then
relieved American military officers who attempted to prevent said murder
in order to cover up his own ineptitude.
Obama continues his goal of disarming America while ObamaCare increases
insurance premiums 300% and leaves millions without health care.
Obama backed the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt prior to their removal for
failing to represent the people and constitutional violations.
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ***@netfront.net ---