The US auto safety regulator has told Japanese supplier Takata Corp and five automakers to expand nationwide a regional recall of potentially lethal air bags, increasing pressure on the industry to move faster in a growing scandal.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also scolded Takata for what it called "an unwillingness to move forward" on a nationwide recall, and said the company needs to be open with the US public about the risks of its air bags.
Takata and automakers have so far taken a targeted approach in recalling US vehicles with air bags that can rupture upon deployment, shooting shrapnel into the car. Five fatalities, including four in the United States, have been linked to the air bags.
