Ford ordered to pay $165M over delayed rearview camera recalls — NHTSA's 2nd largest fine ever

Core Viewpoint - Ford Motor has agreed to a $165 million civil penalty due to failure in timely recalling vehicles with defective rearview cameras, marking the second-largest penalty in NHTSA's history [1]. Group 1: Financial Penalty and Compliance - Ford will pay$65 million in cash, invest $45 million in advanced data analytics and a new testing facility, and$55 million will be held in abeyance contingent on compliance with the agreement [1]. - The consent order will last at least three years and requires Ford to conduct a thorough review of all recalls filed in the last three years [1]. Group 2: Investigation Background - The investigation was initiated by NHTSA in August 2021 after Ford recalled 620,246 vehicles in 2020 for rear camera issues to assess the timeliness of the recall [1]. - Ford expanded the recall in 2022 by adding approximately 24,000 vehicles [1]. Group 3: Obligations and Oversight - Ford is required to hold quarterly meetings with NHTSA and develop safety data analytics [2]. - The company must build an imaging test lab focusing on low-voltage electronics and invest in a vehicle identification number-based traceability system [2]. - NHTSA mandates Ford to review and potentially revise its recall decision-making process, including its ability to analyze data for identifying safety-related defects [2].