- nhtsa is launching an app called safercar for android and ios that lets owners input their vehicle information to get notifications when recalls are issued.
- the app also lets users enter details of equipment they own such as car seats, tires, and jack stands, and get notifications when recalls are issued for those as well.
- nhtsa said that a quarter of vehicles on the road have unrepaired recalls, and the agency sees the app as another way to reach consumers who are unaware of recalls.
the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) is launching an app to make recall notices find their way to owners much, much quicker. with the safercar app, owners will be able to input details of their vehicle and any equipment they own such as tires or jack stands and will be notified if any recall is issued for that vehicle or equipment.
inputting vehicle information will be as easy as scanning your vehicle identification number (vin). currently, to find out about a recall, owners have to either go to the nhtsa website and look up their car or have to wait until an automaker mails them a notice in the mail.
when the app sends you a notice of the recall, it will also tell you where the closest dealerships are located so that an appointment can be made to get the fix done quickly. with one in four vehicles on the road having unrepaired recalls, nhtsa sees this as another way to reach consumers. "in today's world, smartphones are the tool of choice for many tasks—and the updated safercar app is a new safety tool at the public’s disposal," nhtsa deputy administrator james owens said in a statement.