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Wall Street Journal features Constantine Cannon Client on NHTSA's Failure in Drafting a Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Program

Posted  April 9, 2021

This week, the Wall Street Journal published a thoughtful article about the current status of the Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Program.  To help explain why the program is so necessary, the Journal focused on Constantine Cannon’s client, Kim Gwang-Ho, an engine engineer who told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about a serious safety defect in Hyundai and Kia car engines, ultimately resulting in the recall of these unsafe cars from U.S. roads.

Mr. Kim came to NHTSA in 2016, only months after Congress created the automotive whistleblower program.  The Department of Transportation is responsible for drafting regulations to implement the program, and Congress had dictated a deadline to do so—that deadline passed years ago.  The Journal article quotes Senator Blumenthal castigating the Department for failing to draft these necessary regulations, which will help frame how the program works and how whistleblowers are ultimately rewarded for bringing forward important safety information.

Some congresspeople are done waiting for NHTSA.  Senators Blumenthal and Markey recently called on NHTSA and Transportation Secretary Buttigieg to immediately draft the needed regulations.  Five and a half years after the law was passed, it is time to put the regulations in place to facilitate more whistleblowers like Mr. Kim coming forward.

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