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U.S. NEWS Thursday 5 sepTember 2019

Carmakers to add alerts to prevent child heatstroke deaths

all of its four-door sedans, Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jer- way to avoid binding gov-
trucks and SUVs starting sey and Jan Schakowsky of ernment regulations.
with the 2019 model year. Illinois, a co-sponsor of the An alert every time a ve-
The system issues alerts if the bill, said the industry’s ac- hicle is turned off wouldn’t
rear doors were opened tion was a step in the right address nearly one-third of
before the start of a trip. direction, but history has the hot car deaths in which
Hyundai has pledged to shown that voluntary com- children get into a car on
make a similar system stan- mitments don’t necessarily their own and become
dard on its vehicles by 2022. bring meaningful action. trapped, the group said in
The auto alliance says the “Congress must be vigi- a statement.
agreement is a minimum lant and continue to pur- “In order for a system to
and doesn’t preclude au- sue legislation that requires be effective and compre-
tomakers from coming up these companies to take hensive, the system must
with more sophisticated so- the necessary steps to pro- be able to detect the pres-
lutions. tect children and holds the ence of a rear seat oc-
The U.S. House is consider- companies accountable,” cupant, not just infer that
ing a bill that would require they said in a statement. there might be one,” the
such alerts. Kids and Cars said that the group said.q
Two House Democrats, auto industry’s move is a

In this Sunday, May 19, 2019, file photo lines of unsold vehicles
sit at a dealership in Littleton, Colo.
Associated Press
By TOM KRISHER commitment underscores
AP Auto Writer how such innovations and
DETROIT (AP) — By the 2025 increased awareness can
model year, nearly all new help children right now,”
vehicles sold in the U.S. will David Schwietert, interim
come with electronic alerts CEO of the Alliance of
to remind people to not Automobile Manufactur-
leave children behind in ers, a trade group that in-
the back seats. cludes a dozen large car
Twenty automakers rep- companies. Members of
resenting 98% of new ve- Global Automakers, an as-
hicles sold have agreed to sociation of manufacturers
install reminders in an effort based outside the U.S., also
to stop heatstroke deaths. are taking part.
So far this year 39 children Automakers say the volun-
have died in the U.S. after tary agreement will get the
being left alone in cars dur- alerts installed faster than
ing hot weather. The advo- a government regulation,
cacy group Kids and Cars which takes four to eight
says a record 54 children years.
were killed last year. Only Tesla didn’t agree to
Vehicles would give drivers the reminders, but it is not a
audible and visual alerts member of either trade as-
to check back seats every sociation.
time they turn off the igni- Several automakers al-
tion. ready are offering such a
“Automakers have been feature.
exploring ways to address General Motors, for in-
this safety issue, and this stance, has a reminder on