Fed want safety data kept secret?

Although it seems like President Bush has issues meeting with the auto industry, his government is working hard to protect carmakers from themselves.

NHTSA recently proposed that potentially important safety information, such as consumer complaints, warranty claims and information on vehicles involved in deaths and injuries should be kept confidential. They stated that releasing this type of information could result in "substantial competitive harm." Are you kidding me?

Current market conditions unfortunately force automakers to get the latest, greatest vehicles to market quickly in an effort to remain competitive and stay financially viable. This announcement proves what is really important... money. If automakers were truly concerned about consumer issues, maybe they would consistently build vehicles that didn't have to be recalled multiple times, often in reaction to the above mentioned customer complaints, warranty issues or accidents. But if that were the case, what would the folks at NHTSA have left to do?

[Source: Detroit News]