Why GM Keeps Swerving From Apology to Aggression in Recall Crisis
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In the face of a spreading defect-liability crisis, General Motors can’t seem to get its story straight. The company is struggling to clarify whether it wants to apologize to consumers, mollify regulators, or shout down plaintiffs’ attorneys.
The automaker agreed on Friday to submit to unusually close and ongoing federal scrutiny in the wake of a massive recall of almost 2.6 million small cars. “We have learned a great deal from this recall,” GM Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra said in response to the announcement, which included news of a $35 million fine. “We will now focus on the goal of becoming an industry leader in safety. We will emerge from this situation a stronger company.”