Two-thirds of US vehicles with Takata air bags still not fixed

Bloomberg

Nearly two-thirds of the US vehicles containing defective air bag inflators made by Takata Corp. remain unrepaired as automakers have made varying degrees of progress addressing the largest auto recall in US history.
As of mid-September, 20 million vehicles containing defective Takata air bag inflators still haven’t been fixed, 64 percent of the 31.5 million vehicles containing the defective parts, according to a progress report by John Buretta, the independent monitor overseeing the recalls and a former US prosecutor.
In total, 43 million inflators have been recalled to date and 25 million still need replacements, as some vehicles have two defective air bags.
The recalls are set to swell to about 65 million inflators by the end of 2018 under a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plan to replace the parts in phases, scheduling the riskiest parts for repair first.
The defective inflators can explode in a crash, showering vehicle occupants with metal shards. The parts have been linked to 13 deaths in the US and hundreds of injuries.
Mounting liabilities from the recalls pushed Takata to file for bankruptcy in June.
The report concluded that the auto industry as a whole is beginning to make “meaningful progress” developing effective strategies for the recalls while noting “there remains much room for improvement”. It did not identify which automakers were the leaders or laggards.
According to the report, repair rates for the 19 automakers affected by the recalls “vary widely”, reflecting “uneven historical efforts” to alert customers and take other steps to complete the campaigns.
“Recalling these inflators requires a substantial dedication of resources and planning by vehicle manufacturers to ensure that recall efforts remain effective on a national scale”, the report said.

American drivers boost fuel use on stronger economy
Bloomberg

American drivers took gasoline consumption to a new high as the US economy strengthens and adds jobs.
Demand for the motor fuel rose to the highest level on record for the month of October, the American Petroleum Institute said in a monthly report. Consumption of distillate fuel, however, declined.
“The economy continues to grow as fuel demand remains strong and more people find work,” said API Director of Statistics Hazem Arafa. “Unemployment went down last month and gas prices remain relatively low benefiting American businesses and workers.”
In addition to a strengthening economy, it helps that gasoline prices dropped. The nationwide average price for a gallon at the pump was $2.556, after touching $2.674 in September, the highest level this year, according to data from Heathrow, Florida-based AAA, a national federation of motor clubs.
Total deliveries of petroleum products, a measure of demand, rose to 19.9 million barrels a day, the API said. That’s 1.1 percent higher than a year ago.
Gasoline deliveries rose 2.7 percent to 9.3 million barrels a day. Demand for distillate fell 3.1 percent to the lowest level for the month since 2011.