Overview

• Government orders 800,000 additional vehicles immobilized under a “stop drive” mandate for defective Takata airbags, bringing the immobilization total to 1.7 million and the overall recall count to 2.5 million cars.
• Defective Takata airbags have caused 18 deaths and 25 injuries in France, with risks heightened by heat and humidity in mainland and overseas territories.
• Ministry of Transport will require manufacturers to maintain minimum stocks of replacement airbags, set strict deadlines for repairs and ensure courtesy vehicles or rental reimbursements for immobilized motorists.
• More than 200 models from at least 30 brands, including Citroën, BMW and Toyota, are affected by the nationwide recalls and immobilizations.
• Consumer group UFC-Que Choisir has called for a parliamentary inquiry into the response to the Takata scandal and the chain of accountability.