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5 min readWhy It’s So Hard to Crack Down on Deadly Counterfeit Air-Bag Parts
The spring selling season ended with a thud for the U.S. housing market, the Federal Reserve named a new set of external advisors including Mark Andreessen and Walmart’s former CEO, and a Manhattan high-rise scare is raising questions about the office-to-apartment conversion boom. But the most alarming development in Thursday’s news cycle involves a problem that has quietly killed at least 10 people in the U.S. since 2023: counterfeit airbag parts that regulators are struggling to track and remove from the road.
The Counterfeit Airbag Problem
Airbags have saved tens of thousands of lives, but a dangerous gray market for replacement parts is creating a deadly blind spot. The issue centers on airbag components that appear to originate from a Chinese manufacturer known as DTN Airbag. Federal safety officials have tied these parts to at least 10 deaths in the U.S. since 2023. The affected vehicles are a narrow segment: cars that have been in accidents severe enough to deploy their airbags. To safely get back on the road, those vehicles need functioning replacement airbags — and that is where the problem begins.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:00) **Episode Introduction & Host Welcome** - Alex Osselov introduces the PM edition of What's News, previewing stories on counterfeit airbags, US-Iran tensions, and a Manhattan high-rise scare.
- 2 (01:10) **Housing Market Data: Existing Home Sales Fall** - The National Association of Realtors reports a 2.4% drop in June existing home sales, worse than expected, due to higher mortgage rates and record prices.
- 3 (01:34) **Fed Names External Advisors for Reform Task Forces** - The Federal Reserve appoints over a dozen advisors, including former Walmart CEO Doug McMillan and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, to lead five task forces examining operations, inflation, and communications.
- 4 (02:06) **NHTSA Warns Robo-Taxis Pose Danger to Emergency Scenes** - The federal safety regulator says robo-taxis have driven into active emergency scenes, blocking ambulances and failing to recognize traffic cones, flashing lights, and smoke.
- 5 (02:55) **Counterfeit Airbag Parts Linked to at Least 10 Deaths** - WSJ reporter Ryan Felton explains the difficulty of cracking down on counterfeit airbag parts from a Chinese manufacturer, D TN Airbag, which have been tied to fatalities since 2023.
- 6 (06:25) **Court Evidence in Charlie Kirk Killing Case** - Prosecutors play tape testimony from Lance Twiggs, former roommate of suspect Tyler Robinson, who said Robinson sent messages taking responsibility for Kirk's death.
- 7 (07:00) **US-Iran Tensions and Oil Market Impact** - The largest escalation since last month's peace deal leaves the ceasefire framework in limbo, with global oil prices falling despite low US stockpiles and potential supply risks.
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Show Notes
P.M. Edition for July 9. Federal safety officials have linked air-bags with counterfeit parts to at least 10 deaths in the U.S. since 2023. WSJ autos reporter Ryan Felton discusses why fixing the problem is so difficult, and what you can do about it. Plus, the Manhattan high-rise that was at risk of partial collapse earlier this week was one of a growing number of office-to-apartment conversions. We hear from Journal reporter Rebecca Picciotto about why it’s a reality-check moment for developers and investors. And U.S. existing home sales end the crucial spring season on a sour note, with a sharp decrease in June. Alex Ossola hosts.
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