Article: Boosting safety; Plan would mandate antilock brakes

The Bush administration has rejected a proposal by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require automakers to install systems that would directly measure the inflation of a vehicle's tires.

The idea was one of the few concrete recommendations to come out of hearings into the Firestone-Ford controversy over accidents involving sport-utility vehicles. One of the key elements in the crashes was said to be underinflated tires.

Tire-inflation measuring systems are costly and are now installed only a few high-priced vehicles. Auto industry lobbyists opposed the proposed NHTSA mandate claiming it would cost them -- and consumers - - about $1 billion annually for the devices.

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