From the fiery Ford Pinto cases of the 1970s to the recalls of the last few years involving General Motors ignition switches, Toyota unintended acceleration, and Takata airbags, the issue of automotive safety looms large for consumers and litigators. In their minds, a car either works or it doesn’t. When it doesn’t, the question becomes, who is at fault? Often, fingers point to the auto manufacturer and/or its suppliers. Why did Ford build a small car (the Pinto) with the fuel tank behind the rear axle? How did General Motors allow its Chevrolet Cobalts to leave the assembly line with ignition switches that could too easily turn to the “accessory” or “off” position, causing the vehicle to shut off while moving? What of Toyota, long a paragon of automotive safety and reliability, allowing a “sticky” throttle pedal? Are automakers doing nothing but producing defective vehicles?
In an article entitled “The Engineer’s Lament,” published in the May 4 issue of the New Yorker, writer Malcolm Gladwell suggests that the problem is (generally) not defective vehicles, but a disconnect between the engineer’s perspective and the public’s. As Gladwell describes it, “To the public, a car either is or isn’t faulty. To an engineer, imperfections and compromises are inevitable.”
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