The societal cost in lives lost and injuries sustained from electronic defects, such as occupant size algorithm misclassification and ignition switch failure, was studied. In addition, the societal cost of ineffective production restraint systems in frontal and angled-frontal crashes was evaluated. Fatalities due to electronic defects were compared to the total fatalities from frontal and angled-frontal crashes.

Accident statistics show that, from 2001 to 2013, there were only 50 electronic algorithm defect deaths annually compared to 10,676 deaths annually from frontal and angled-frontal crashes involving vehicles that met the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208 test requirements. Our research indicates that many more deaths would have been prevented in a single year than electronic defects caused in 20 years if certain features of passive restraint systems proposed in the 1970’s had been implemented. The same trend applies to injury mitigation.

The research question explored here is:​ Should “WE” prioritize identifying and repairing:​

• algorithm defects that cause only 50 of the 10,676 fatalities annually, or
• ineffective production restraints systems in vehicles compliant with FMVSS 208 test requirements that cause 10,626 of the 10,676 fatalities annually.

Since NHTSA cannot specify design requirements, a simple solution is to substitute for the right and left angled barrier test a compartment angled at 20º to the right and then 20º degrees to the left on a sled simulating a 30 mph crash.