The price of safety

General Motors (GM) has so far recalled 2.6m cars because of a defect in its ignition switch  that causes the key to shift on its own from the "run" position to the "accessory" or "off position", even while the car is at full speed linked to at least a dozen deaths in road crashes. Faults with ignition switches in some GM models, including the Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Ion, were first reported more than 10 years ago. But the company only began recalling vehicles in February this year.

General Motors chief executive Mary Barra said that cost considerations may have discouraged an immediate replacement of the faulty switches.