Carbon monoxide emitted when a driver forgets to push an on-off button that shuts off an engine in cars that run on keyless ignition is killing people. Instead of using a key to start an engine, a keyless ignition uses a push button. Many individuals are used to using a key and this makes it easy to forget to press the button. Consumer safety advocates assert that keyless ignition is deadly as it exposes individuals to carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a “silent killer “since its colorless, odorless and virtually undetectable until it’s too late. Many other people narrowly escape death, spend significant time, and some have been left with permanent brain damage.
Lawsuits filed by families who have lost their loved ones claim that automakers have marketed their vehicles as safe and reliable when they had actual knowledge of the dangerous carbon monoxide poisoning consequences of cars that lack automatic shut-off.
Unintended Vehicle Rolling
Unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning isn’t the only problem with the keyless ignition. When using a key, the driver has to ‘park’ the vehicle before the engine can be turned off. But that is not the case with keyless systems. The driver can accidentally hit the button while is still in neutral or drive mode and while the car will suddenly stop, it can start rolling, injuring or killing the driver, passengers and other individuals on the road.
Warnings Don’t Work Well
Since 2011, the federal government has been conducting investigations on the need of for an external warning to be placed on cars that have keyless ignitions. But what’s even more tragic than the loss of life caused by keyless ignitions, is that manufacturers are yet to be required to fix these systems and prevent further deaths.
To see what happens when an individual removes the key fob and leaves the car running, Channel 2 Action News tested more than a dozen of the most popular cars. They found that some cars emitted a low interior sound while most of them had a dashboard display that shows that the key fob has been removed. However, if one left the vehicle, it becomes almost impossible to hear that warning or see that display. Few vehicles made an exterior noise.