Honda fined record US$70 million for under-reporting injuries

Southfield, Michigan

HONDA Motor Co agreed to pay a record US$70 million in fines and submit to stricter oversight for failing to tell the US government about warranty claims and more than 1,700 injuries and deaths linked to potential defects in its cars.

Carmakers are required to report such information under a 14-year-old US law, and Honda's violations may have hampered the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) ability to quickly identify vehicle flaws.