Via Reuters
Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc said on Tuesday it has hired a former General Motors Co engineer who oversaw an internal investigation of the defective ignition switch linked to at least 13 deaths.
Harley-Davidson Hires Ex-GM Engineer Who Helped Find Faulty Switch
May 7, 2014
1 min to read
Harley-Davidson said Jim Federico, 56, who GM said retired on Monday, will start as vice president of engineering on June 2, working at the company's Milwaukee headquarters.
"We've been talking to Jim about this position for some time," Harley-Davidson spokeswoman Maripat Blankenheim said.
Federico had been director of global vehicle integration at GM since September 2013.
According to GM documents made public last month by Congress, Federico had received reports from an engineer in the company's product investigations department trying to learn the root cause of airbag failures in GM vehicles. The effort to answer that question led to engineers finding the defective ignition switch. In 2012, Federico had been a "champion" of that probe, a term used to identify a senior executive who marshals internal resources.
GM said Monday that Federico's retirement was his choice and had nothing to do with the switch recall.
More Industry
Automakers Have More Tricks Up Their Sleeves
JD Power analysts see auto retail faring this year’s storms well through various means, though it acknowledges conditions are challenging to accurately predict.
Read More →
Insurance Rates Continue to Fall
Car insurance premiums have continued to decline so far this year, the overall national average settling at $138 per month in March, according to Insurify data.
Read More →
Black Book: Weekly Market Update
Last week's wholesale auction activity was stable, though buyers exercised selectivity as they focused on certain segments.
Read More →
Dealer Debrief: Safety, Supply & Partnership
In this week's Dealer Debrief, host Lauren Lawrence covers a new safety assessment, current inventory issues, and a new payables process for dealerships.
Read More →
Black Book: Weekly Market Update
Both conversions and values were up last week, though business was spotty depending on the segment in question.
Read More →
Stellantis Expands Charging Network
Five of its brands now have greater access to battery-electric vehicle charging through Tesla’s Supercharger network across North America.
Read More →
Safety Drives Insurance Rates
Sixteen out of the 20 cheapest vehicles to insure in 2026 are SUVs, according to CarInsurance.com, largely because of their safety features and lower repair costs.
Read More →
New-Vehicle Shoppers Get Some Relief
Overall conditions in February tipped slightly in consumers’ favor as prices stayed high, granting a reprieve of sorts just before the war on Iran commenced and started to reverse the welcome trend.
Read More →
Used Market Gains Speed
New-vehicle sales fell year-over-year for the fifth month in a row in February, making retail deliveries the slowest they’ve been since 2023, according to a CarGurus report.
Read More →
Auto Loan Defaults Measured Amid Inflation
According to LendingTree data, the average monthly auto loan payment was $540 in the fourth quarter, and the average credit score for those with a recorded default was 529.
Read More →