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Fox-7 Austin
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday it began preliminary assessments of 17,198 Rivian Rivn.o electric distribution vans over seat belt concerns.
The probe focuses on the driver’s front outboard seatbelt anchorage system. The system uses steel blade cables to secure the belt to the seat frame.
According to the NHTSA Defect Investigation Office (ODI), six complaints from the vehicle owner describe a worn, broken or unlocked cable, with the driver at risk of not being able to withstand a crash or sudden stop.
Libian said he is trying to work with the NHTSA in the investigation.
Regulators said no reported crashes, fires, injuries or deaths related to potential defects. The NHTSA warned that weakened or isolated seat belt fixation could not meet the required load capacity standards and could create what was called “an unreasonable risk to vehicle safety.”
Investigators will investigate whether seat belt assembly integrity, installation method, and design or manufacturing defects contributed to the problem.
A preliminary evaluation is the first step in the NHTSA defect process. It leads to engineering analysis and, if guaranteed, could lead to a recall.
Reported by Akash Sriram of Bengaluru. Edited by Anil D’Silva
