The number of vehicles affected by safety defect vehicle recalls has  increased dramatically since 2011 (see fig. Auto Recall Information Use Varies, and Most Consumers in Focus Groups Preferred Electronic Recall Notifications in Addition to Mail

		Consumers in Our Focus Groups Primarily Considered Safety Risk and Convenience when Using Auto Recall Information to Make Repair Decisions

As part of our focus group discussion sessions, consumers selected  safety risk and convenience as the two most influential factors they  considered when using auto recall information to decide whether to  complete repairs. Auto  manufacturers are primarily responsible for providing auto recall  information to the public and others, including NHTSA and auto dealers. Most Consumers in Our Focus Groups Prefer to Receive Recall Notification by Electronic Means in Addition to Mail

Although the vast majority of consumers who participated in our focus  group discussion sessions reported a preference to receive auto recall  notification by mail, most preferred to receive notifications by at least one  additional electronic means such as e-mail, phone calls, and text  messages. As we discuss later in this report, in September 2016, NHTSA issued a  Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes to require auto  manufacturers to notify consumers about auto recalls by electronic means  in addition to First-Class Mail. Most Consumers in Focus Groups Found the Auto Recall Areas of NHTSA.gov Generally Easy to Use, but Some Experienced Difficulties

		Usability Testing with Consumers Found the Auto Recall Areas of NHTSA’s Website Generally Easy to Use

In late 2016, NHTSA launched its redesigned NHTSA.gov website,  including the auto recall areas consumers assessed during our testing  sessions. Specifically, during each testing session we asked participants to  perform tasks using the primary means NHTSA.gov provides for  consumers to access information about auto recalls affecting their  vehicles:  searching for auto recalls using their vehicle’s VIN;  searching for auto recalls using their vehicle’s year, make, and model;  and  locating NHTSA’s auto recall notification e-mail subscription service. Recall Search Using Vehicle Year, Make, and Model  Some consumers’ vehicle year, make, and model searches were  hampered by the information required to conduct an accurate search, as  the content on the website is not always in plain language. However, some consumers found that they did not know  enough information about their specific vehicles to feel confident that they  were searching for the correct vehicle. Without establishing a completion date for its website  consolidation effort, the website usability difficulties we identified may  persist and limit the effectiveness of NHTSA’s primary means of providing  consumers with safety recall information about their vehicles on  NHTSA.gov. However, only 7 consumers actually received such  notifications—suggesting a gap between industry notification practices  and notification preferences for these consumers. Although NHTSA plans to conduct  a website usability study with consumers after consolidating its websites,  it has not determined a completion date for this effort—an essential step  for organizations to effectively guide their information technology efforts. (Recommendation 1)
The Administrator of NHTSA should, while the agency continues its  website consolidation effort, take interim steps to improve the usability of  the auto recall areas of NHTSA.gov by addressing the website usability  difficulties we identified. The report addresses the  following objectives: (1) How do consumers and industry stakeholders  use publicly available auto recall information? To evaluate how easy or difficult consumers find the auto recall areas of  NHTSA.gov to use, we reviewed various website usability resources to  understand federal and industry key website usability practices for making  websites easy to use, such as focusing on design and how easily users  can find information. To corroborate the results of usability testing sessions we conducted with  the consumers in our focus groups, we requested that five website  usability professionals from GSA’s Federal User Experience Community  conduct an independent evaluation of the auto recall areas of NHTSA.gov  against federal and industry key website usability practices (described  above).
Why GAO Did This Study

The number of vehicles affected by safety defect recalls increased sharply in recent years—from nearly 13 million in 2011 to over 51 million in 2016. Once a defect is identified, auto manufacturers are required to send written notification to vehicle owners by mail. NHTSA also aims to enhance awareness of auto recalls by providing information on its website, NHTSA.gov .
The Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act includes a provision requiring GAO to study the use of publicly available safety recall information. This report addresses: (1) how consumers and industry stakeholders use such information and (2) how easy to use do consumers find the auto recall areas of NHTSA.gov, among other objectives. To understand consumers' use of auto recall information and to test website usability, GAO conducted 12 focus groups with 94 consumers who had a recall. Focus groups were held in six locations selected for population and geographic variation. GAO identified key website usability practices and requested an evaluation by website usability professionals. GAO reviewed statutes, regulations, and NHTSA documents, and interviewed industry stakeholders—including 10 manufacturers selected based on sales market share and other factors.

What GAO Found

Consumers, manufacturers, and auto dealers use publicly available auto recall information differently. For example, the 94 consumers in 12 focus groups that GAO conducted used this information to decide whether to repair their vehicles. These consumers overwhelmingly cited safety risk and convenience as the two most influential factors they considered. Most consumers reported a preference for receiving recall notification by at least one electronic means, such as by e-mail or text message, in addition to mail. However, only 7 of 94 consumers reported receiving electronic notifications, suggesting a gap between the industry's auto recall notification practices and consumers' preferences. (See fig.). In response to a mandate in law, in September 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a proposed rule that, if finalized, would require manufacturers to notify consumers about auto recalls by electronic means in addition to mail.
Most consumers in GAO's focus group website usability tests found the auto recall areas of NHTSA's website—NHTSA.gov—easy to use; however, some consumers experienced difficulties when asked to complete auto recall related tasks. For example, when consumers attempted to search for recalls affecting their specific vehicles, some found the search results confusing, leading them to question the accuracy of the results. Similarly, some consumers were hampered in searching for recalls by their vehicles' year, make, and model because the website did not always display model options using plain language. GAO found that the auto recall areas of NHTSA.gov do not always reflect federal and industry key website usability practices, and that an independent evaluation conducted by website usability professionals at GAO's request identified similar issues. NHTSA is in the process of consolidating its websites and plans to conduct a website usability study of NHTSA.gov with consumers after the consolidation is complete. However, the agency has not determined a completion date for the consolidation effort—an essential step for organizations to effectively guide their information technology efforts. Without establishing a completion date and taking interim steps to improve the usability of NHTSA.gov, consumers will likely continue to experience difficulties, which may limit the effectiveness of the website's primary means of providing consumers with information about recalls affecting their vehicles.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that NHTSA determine a completion date for its website consolidation effort and take interim steps to improve the usability of NHTSA.gov by addressing the website usability difficulties GAO identified. The Department of Transportation concurred with the recommendations.