Renewed interest in auto safety in Washington

Read Micheline Maynard's report in today's NYT here about two bills, one from the House, one from the Senate, that aim to improve auto safety, in part by grating the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration greater power to order recalls. An excerpt of the story follows:

Congress took the first steps Thursday toward a wide-ranging auto safety bill that would require devices like black boxes and brake override systems, and strengthen federal regulators’ enforcement powers.

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The bills are Congress’ first serious look at auto safety in a decade, since lawmakers passed reforms after accidents involving Firestone tires on the Ford Explorer.

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Under the House version, automobiles would be required to contain brake override systems that would stop vehicles even if the throttle was open.

The measure would require event data recorders, also called “black boxes,” that would record information that takes place 60 seconds before a crash and 15 seconds after.