"U.S. safety chief raps GM's 'flawed' culture on recalls", 15 Sep 2014

The top U.S. auto safety regulator [David Friedman, acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] harshly criticized General Motors Co for not promptly reporting and recalling cars now linked to at least 19 deaths and said he has been meeting with top global automakers to develop a "new normal" for safety recalls...GM earlier this year recalled 2.6 million vehicles because of the risk the switches could unexpectedly turn off engines during operation and disable airbags...Friedman said in the interview that his agency had started a program of "unprecedented oversight" with GM and other automakers...Friedman said GM had "a fundamentally flawed system and culture that was focused more on profits than on safety," but acknowledged the automaker has been overhauling its defect and recall reporting system under Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra...