May, 2014
The April 14, 2014 issue of Time magazine has a brief note about GM and faulty ignition switches. CEO Mary Barra stated in a Congressional hearing, “We will hold ourselves fully accountable.” This was about faulty ignition switches that “caused” 13 deaths. With a great deal if imagination I guess I could figure a way an ignition switch could cause death, but it would take some time.
In 2010, GM sold (not made) 8,389,769 vehicles representing a 2% increase from 2009. We will assume that sales continued to rise, but at a slightly more conservative rate (although there is evidence that the rate of sales increased during this time period). Progression analysis at a rate of 10% per year yields 2013 sales at 8,643,986 vehicles.
Given 13 deaths out of 8,643,986 possible ignition switch failures, the rate of failure is 1.5 x 10 -6. That is 1 in 664,922 vehicles.
For those not remembering their high school algebra, that is a .0000015% chance to have a failure of the ignition switch that would cause death.
Those are pretty fine tolerances to hold some one accountable for, in any industry. I never thought I’d be defending GM after the bailout fiasco, but daymnnn!
Sure am glad Congress is keeping a lid on transportation safety!
From your grumpy Uncle/Brother Dave.
Weary