Stellantis Rolls Out Emergency Vehicle Feature for Millions of Jeeps and Rams
» Posted January 17, 2022 • Resources | Share This Post
Some 4 million Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Fiat and Alfa Romeo vehicles are getting a new emergency feature through and over the air software update. The cars will soon be able to receive alerts when they near an emergency vehicle with its flashers lit, the Detroit Free Press reports.
The move is meant to reduce the risk of crashes involving stopped emergency vehicles. It spawned from a brainstorming meeting in which a Stellantis employee described a near collision, Mamatha Chamarthi, who runs Stellantis’ software business and product management, told the Free Press.
“An employee was driving with her kids,” Chamarthi told the news outlet. “It was noisy in the vehicle. She didn’t hear an approaching emergency vehicle and was nearly involved in an accident.”
More than 60 emergency response workers were killed in accidents last year, according to data compiled by the Emergency Responder Safety Institute. A University of Minnesota study found that alerts like those being offered in Stellantis vehicles can reduce the risk of a crash by as much as 90 percent.
Other Risks for Stellantis Owners and Lessors
Although the new safety feature is a welcomed update, Steallantis and other major auto manufacturers continue to have a hard time ensuring that the cars they put on the road are actually safe to drive. Those companies recall millions of vehicles every year, citing an array of defects that increase the risk of an accident.
Last year, for example, Steallantis, recalled half a million Ram pickup trucks because of a wheel defect. The company told federal regulators at the time that the recalled trucks could experience “wheel separation,” putting drivers, passengers and others on the road at risk.
That announcement came after Stellantis separately recalled 20,000 Ram trucks that it said are at risk of engine fires.
How the California Lemon Law Protects Owners, Lessors
The good news for many car owners in California is that you do not need to wait for a recall to have faulty and defective vehicles fixed.
The California lemon law requires auto manufacturers to do various repairs on cars while they are under warranty. The law also forces manufacturers to buy back - or replace, in some cases - covered vehicles that they are not able or refuse to fix.
There is no specific number of repair requests or attempts that must happen before the buyback requirement kicks in. A Los Angeles lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you understand your rights and options.
Let a Los Angeles Lemon Law Attorney Help You With Your Case
If you are a car owner who has been stuck with a lemon or is haggling with a manufacturer over repairs, you do not have to go it alone. Our Los Angeles lemon law attorneys fight for car owners and lessors in L.A. and across the state.
Our offices are conveniently located in L.A., San Diego and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a Los Angeles lemon law attorney.
