GreenergyDaily

Apr. 3, 2026

Federal regulators are weighing a ban on air-bag components from an obscure Chinese supplier after finding the parts were to blame for 10 deaths in a dozen crashes over the past three years.

“Our initial investigation into the use of illegal Chinese air bags in auto shops has revealed a disturbing trend: these substandard parts are killing American families,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that it is escalating its investigation into air-bag inflaters from China-based Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety Technology, also known as DTN Airbag. Parts of the air bags exploded during crashes, sending large metal shards into drivers’ bodies. Inflaters contain hazardous chemicals that ignite and rapidly fill an air bag with gas during a crash.

On Thursday, the auto-safety regulator said that it believes DTN’s inflaters are defective, and is considering a ban on the sale of them in the U.S.