WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cars or trucks subject to industry recalls would have to be repaired before the vehicles could be registered under a new bill introduced in the U.S. Senate on Monday.
The legislation, sponsored by Democratic Senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, is the latest congressional response to the deadly defects in General Motors Corp's ignition switches and Takata Corp's air bag inflaters, which have prompted millions of recalls.
The lawmakers said the Repairing Every Car to Avoid Lost Lives, or RECALL Act, is intended to address the millions of vehicles that are still not fixed despite the recalls.
In 2014, the U.S. auto industry recalled some 64 million vehicles, but the lawmakers said studies show that about one-third of recalled vehicles were still not repaired after 18 months.
If approved, the legislation would direct state authorities to notify vehicle owners of the needed repairs when state registration notices were sent out. Repairs would be required before a vehicle's registration could be approved or renewed.
The bill drew immediate support from Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co Ltd.
"Our goal is to achieve a 100 percent repair rate for every recall in order to prevent injuries and save lives, and this legislation will help achieve that," said Rick Schostek, executive vice president of Honda North America Inc.