Auto Manufacturers To Install Child Passenger Alerts For Motorists To Avoid Hot Car Deaths

Automotive brands released a statement on Wednesday claiming they have agreed to equip vehicles in the United States with systems set to remind the motorists there are passengers in the back seat.

The objective of the system is reducing the instances children or infants are forgotten in the car by adults. This has led to deaths because of heat exposure, especially during the summer.

The manufacturers set a target date for 2025 to push for the eradication of child deaths within hot vehicles.

Congress had been debating the issue since July. The Senate passed by voice vote legislation to require automakers to install the same system.

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky who co-sponsored the legislation noted that most newer model vehicles alert the drivers when they leave the keys in the ignition.

So, it should not be so hard to come up with a system that alerts the driver when passengers are still in the backseat during their exit.

Congress claims that more than 800 children in the United States left in parked vehicles have died over the past 20 years.

The automakers from two trade groups representing nearly all carmakers claimed the companies are committing to including both audible and visual alerts on the vehicles by the 2025 model period.

The 20 automakers taking part in the initiative represent almost 98% of the vehicle sales in America. They include Ford Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, Volkswagen and General Motors.

Hold outs like Fiat Chrysler claimed they would eventually adopt the reminder technology on all of their vehicles in the world, though the timing according to the region would vary.

General Motors installed a similar system on some of its cars in 2016. It sent an audio alert and a visual reminder on the dash to check for a child in the vehicle before exiting.

Some systems from other brands already warn the motorists of the presence of a child should the rear door be opened. However, some safety advocates want a more advanced system that is capable of detecting whether there is a child in the backseat or not.

US Senator Roger Wicker, a Republican that chairs the Commerce Committee claimed in an interview the agreement made by the auto manufacturers makes the legislation unnecessary.

He stated the agreement in its present form gave congress everything they were asking for and with a faster turnaround.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is during this time also doubling its investment during the heatstroke awareness campaign dubbed ‘Where’s Baby.’