The Ford Pinto Thomas Donaldson & Al Gini, Case Studies in BE , 4th edt. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New erse!, "##$, pp. %'(%"4
" a)* "#'+ tra*ic accident r)tier pe Hi*hwa! --, ln*/ Goshen, 0ndiana. S)rorile )d! 1i 2!nn 2!nn Ulrich 3"+, "$ ani 1i veri1oara lor Donna Ulrich 3"+ ani sta5iona) pe 1osea 6n 7ord)l lor Pinto, model "#'-. A) 8ost i9:ite din spate de c/tre )n van, care circ)la c) min ; mile pe or/. Re9ervor)l de :en9in/, a8lat 6n spatele ma1inii, s(a spart, ma1ina a e
)d*e Harold Sta88eldt a e)ri)l)i c/ 7ord poate 8i condamnat/ n)mai dac/ se poate dovedi c/ 7ord se 8ace vinovat/ de ?nesocotirea clar/, con1tient/ 1i ne>)sti8ica:il/ a s)8erin5ei ce poate s/ re9)lte 3din ac5i)nile sale, aceast/ nesocotire implicnd o a:atere s):stan5ial/ de la standardele de cond)it/ accepta:ile@. )ri)l a respins ac)9a5ia. 7ra9a cheie as)pra c/reia s(a p)rtat :/t/lia dintre ac)9are 1i ap/rare a 8ost ?standarde accepta:ile@. Se poate sp)ne c/ 7ord a ales 6n mod deli:erat 1i cinic pro8it)l 6n da)na si*)ran5ei 6n proiectarea 1i plasament)l re9ervor)l)i Bn timp ce Cl=hart o)nt! prosec)tor Eichael osentino 1i chie8 7ord attorne! ames Neal se l)pta) dramatic as)pra acestei chesti)ni, tot medi)l american de a8aceri a1tepta c) s)8let)l la *)r/ verdict)l, care p)tea s/ ai:/ )rm/ri 8oarte drastice as)pra corporate responsi:ilit! and prod)ct lia:ilit! li a:ilit!.. Antecedentele procesului s)nt semni8icative. ontroversele privind Pinto a) 6ncep)t )n an mai devreme. Bn "#'', Ear= Dowie, *eneral mana*er al revistei Mother Jones p):licase )n articol, intit)lat Pinto Madness, 6n care ac)9a 7ord de 8apt)l c/ p)sese 6n
circ)la5ie o ma1in/ nesi*)r/, 6n care s)te de oameni s)8eriser/ 6n mod in)til ars)ri mortale sa) 8oarte *rave, c) )rm/ri irepara:ile. Bn articol se a8irma c/ F s): presi)nea conc)ren5ei , 7ord lansase model)l Pinto 6n mare *ra:/ F in*inerii de la 7ord constataser/ 6n timp)l testelor premer*/toare prod)c5iei de serie c/ re9ervor)l, plasat 6n spate, era ea p)s/ la p)nct 6n moment)l descoperirii acest)i nea>)ns, o8icialii de la 7ord a) decis ca ma1ina s/ intre 6n prod)c5ie c) acest de8ect, de1i 7ord de5inea patent)l )n)i tip de re9ervor m)lt mai si*)r, 8olosit la model)l apri F 6n )rm/torii + ani, 7ord 8/c)se )n lo::! e
2a cteva s/pt/mni, 7ord emite )n com)nicat de pres/, re8erind)(se la date statistice total di8erite F Dowie s)s5ine c/ peste - de oameni mor an)al din ca)9a incendiilor a)toI potrivit National Hi*hwa! Tra88ic Sa8et! Administration 3NHTSA, 7ord de5ine %4J din ma1inile de pe 1oselele americane, dar 4%J din accidentele mortale din ca)9a eoas/ pt societate. Benefits
Cconomii "+ de mor5i ar1i, "+ r/niri prin ars)ri *rave, %" de vehic)le arse ostM)nitate L %. pe mort, L $'. pe r6nit, L ' pe vehic)l Kene8ici) total "+ 3L%. O "+ 3L$'. O %" 3L' L 4#.; mil Costs
n9/ri "" mil. ma1ini, ".; mil li*ht tr)c=s ost )nitate L"" pe ma1in/, L"" pe tr)c= Total cost "" mil 3L"" O ".; mil 3L"" L"-' mil. 1971 Costs Componente
7)t)re prod)ctivit! losses Direct 0ndirect Eedical costs
L"-%. 4".-
Hospital Qther Propert! dama*e 0ns)rance Administration 2e*al and co)rt Cmplo!er losses ictims pain and s)88erin* 7)neral Assets 3lost cons)mtion Eiscellaneo)s TQTA2 PCR 7ATA20T
' 4%; "; 4' - " ". # ; % L%.
F Dowie n) a re)1it s/ a8le c)m s(a sta:ilit s)ma de L". pt pain and s)88erin*. Bn realitate, n) 7ord, ci *)vern)l 8ederal sta:ilise aceast/ ci8r/, iar anali9a cost(:ene8icii reali9at/ de 7ord s(a :a9at pe ea. F Bn pl)s, Dowie o:iectea9/ c/ n) a) 8ost l)ate 6n calc)l dect decesel, dar persoanele c) ars)ri *rave, r/mase 6n via5/, s)nt e)dec/tore1ti sa) a )nor aran>amente 6n a8ara tri:)nal)l)i. Bn cele din )rm/, 7ord a decis s/ n) mai a>)n*/ la tri:)nal c) nici )n ca9 de incendi), pt c/ >)ra5ii s)nt prea sentimentali 1i se 6nmoaie cnd v/d 8oto*ra8iile c) tr)p)ri car:oni9ate. 7ord a pre8erat s/ aran>e9e l)cr)rile 1i s/ pl/teasc/ s)me considera:ile, n)mai pt c/ acestea era) oric)m mai mici dect modi8icarea liniei de asam:lare. "- martie "#+ Cl=hart o)nt! >)r! 8o)nd 7ord not *)ilt! o8 criminal homicide in the Ulrich case. Bn pledoaria 8inal/, 7ord attorne! Neal preci9ea9/ F 7ord p)tea s/ stea deoparte de pia5a a)tomo:ilelor mici, o:5innd pro8it)ri mai mari din vn9area de a)to mari. 7ord s(a avent)rat pe pia5a a)to mici pt a contracare import)rile, pt a crea loc)ri de m)nc/ 6n America 1i pt a(1i satis8ace ac5ionarii. F Pinto coresp)ndea t)t)ror standardelor 8ederale, 8iind compara:il/ c) toate s):compactele din "#'F 0n*inerii 7ord a) considerat c/ este o ma1in/ :)n/, si*)r/, c)mp/rnd(o pt ei 1i 8amiliile lor F 7ord a 8/c)t tot ceea ce era posi:il 1i necesar pt a retra*e Pinto d)p/ ce i s(a ordonat de c/tre NHTSA F Hi*hwa! -- era *re1it proiectat/, iar 8etele sta5iona) 6n moment)l 6n care a) 8ost lovite din spate de c/tre )n van de peste " ton/, c) cel p)5in ; mph, condi5ii 6n care orice alt/ ma1in/ ar 8i p/5it e
Prosec)tor osentino 1i(a sl/:it ca9)l din moment)l 6n care >)d*e Sta88eldt n) a admis ca pro:e 6n proces o serie de doc)mente ale 7ord, anterioare an)l)i "+'-, care dovedea) c/ in*inerii de la 7ord era) con1tien5i la vremea respectiv/ de risc)rile re9ervor)l)i adoptat pt a c1ti*a spa5i) 6n port:a*a> 1i pt a economisi :ani, prec)m 1i de 8apt)l c/ re9ervor)l apri era m)lt mai si*)r. Richard Cpstein, pro8essor o8 law at the Universit! o8 hica*o arat/ c/ )n proces penal n) avea nici o 1ans/ de c1ti* din partea ac)9/rii, deoarece ac)9area ar 8i tre:)it s/ pro:e9e o inten5ie criminal/ din partea 7ord. Eai m)lt s)cces ar 8i av)t )n proces civil. Analo*ie cineva tra*e c) p)1ca 6ntr(o c/prioar/, dar nimere1te )n alt vn/tor, neinten5ionatI n) poate 8i ac)9at penal, dar este dator s/ pl/teasc/ da)ne, sta:ilite de )n proces civil. Qr, pe ln*/ 8apt)l c/ e *re) de atri:)it o inten5ionalitate )nei corpora5ii, 6n ca9)l de 8a5/ n) se poate sp)ne c/ 7ord a procedat c) inten5ii criminale. Bn orice ind)strie se 8ac compromis)ri 6ntre cost)ri 1i sec)ritatea prod)s)l)i. 7ord p)tea s/ constr)iasc/ )n tanc, dar cine l(ar 8i c)mp/rat 0ar ac)9area 1i penali9area )nor o8iciali de la 7ord n) se p)tea 8ace, din lips/ de pro:e. Proiectant)l 1e8 a declarat c/ preoc)parea sa a 8ost s/ disp)n/ re9ervor)l ct mai departe de pasa*eri, ceea ce a 1i 8/c)t. Pe de alt/ parte, m)l5i dintre salaria5ii de la 7ord a) c)mp/rat 1i 8olosit Pinto. Nici )n proces civil n) ar 8i av)t 1anse mari de c1ti*, deoarece calc)lele 8/c)te de 7ord era) standard 1i era) aplicate acelea1i 8orm)le 6n 6ntrea*a ind)strie. VELASQUEZ, 6th edn,
p.$($"
THE FORD P!TO "ASE The sc#nd#l #nd the tri#l
Qn A)*)st ", "#'+, a tra*ic a)tomo:ile accident occ)rred on U.S. Hi*hwa! -- near Goshen, 0ndiana. Sisters )d! and 2!nn Ulrich 3a*es "+ and "$, respectivel! and their co)sin Donna Ulrich 3a*e "+ were str)c= 8rom the rear in their "#'- 7ord Pinto :! a van. The *as tan= o8 the Pinto r)pr)red, the car :)rst into 8lames and the three teen(a*ers were :)rned to death. S):se)entl! an Cl=hart o)nt! *rand >)r! ret)rned a criminal homicide char*e a*ainst 7ord, the 8irst ever a*ainst an American corporation. D)rin* the 8ollowin* %(wee= trial, )d*e Harold R. Sta88eld advised the >)r! that 7ord sho)ld :e convicted o8 rec=less homicide i8 it were shown that the compan! had en*a*ed in @plain, conscio)s and )n>)sti8ia:le disre*ard o8 harm that mi*ht res)lt 38rom its actions and the disre*ard involves a s):stantial deviation 8rom accepta:le standards o8 cond)ct. The =e! phrase aro)nd which the trial hin*ed, o8 co)rse, is @accepta:le standards. Did 7ord =nowin*l! and rec=lessl! choose pro8it over sa8et! in the desi*n and placement o8 the Pintos *as tan= Cl=hart o)nt! prosec)tor Eichael A. osentino and chie8 7ord attorne! ames 7. Neal :attled dramaticall! over this iss)e in a r)ral 0ndiana co)rtho)se. Eeanwhile, American :)siness an
0n "#'' the ma*a9ine Mother Jones :ro=e a stor! :! Ear= Dowie, *eneral mana*er o8 Mother Jones :)siness operations, acc)sin* 7ord o8 =nowin*l! p)ttin* on the road an )nsa8e car V the Pinto V in which h)ndreds o8 people have needlessl! s)88ered :)rn deaths and even more have :een scarred and dis8i*)red d)e to :)rns. 0n his article @Pinto Eadness Dowie char*es that
7i*htin* stron* competition 8rom 8or the l)crative small(car mar=et, the 7ord Eotor ompan! r)shed the Pinto into prod)ction in m)ch less than the )s)al time. 7ord en*ineers discovered in pre(prod)ction crash tests that rear(end collisions wo)ld r)pt)re the Pintos 8)el s!stem e)red i8 the car had not :)rst into 8lames. The 8i*)re co)ld :e as hi*h as #. K)rnin* Pintos have :ecome s)ch an em:arrassment to 7ord that its advertisin* a*enc!, . alter Thomson, dropped a line 8rom the endin* o8 a radio spot that read @Pinto leaves !o) with that warm 8eelin*. 7ord =nows that the Pinto is a 8iretrap, !et it has paid o)t millions to settle dama*e s)its o)t o8 co)rt, and it is prepared to spen millions more lo::!in* a*ainst sa8et! standards. ith a hal8 million cars rollin* o88 the assem:l! lines each !ear, Pinto is the :i**est(sellin* s):compact in America, and the compan!s operatin* pro8it on the car is 8antastic. 7inall!, in "#'', new Pinto models have incorporated a 8ew minor
alterations necessar! to meet that 8ederal standard 7ord mana*ed to hold o88 8or ei*ht !ears. h! did the compan! dela! so lon* ma=in* these minimal, ine
The Ford&s de'ense
Several wee=s a8ter Dowies press con8erence, 7ord iss)ed a news release, co)nterin* points made in the Mother Jones article. Their statistical st)dies si*ni8icantl! con8licted with each other. 7or e
!e( ch#r)es #)#inst Ford Mother Jones, on the other hand, presents a di88erent view o8 the sit)ation. 08 7ord was so
concerned a:o)t rear(impact sa8et!, wh! did it dela! the 8ederal *overnments attempts to impose standards Dowie *ives the 8ollowin* answer The partic)lar re*)lation involved here was 7ederal Eotor ehicle Sa8et! Standard -". 7ord pic=ed portions o8 Standard %" 8or stron* opposition wa! :ac= in "#$+ when the Pinto was still in the :l)eprint sta*e. The intent o8 -", and the - series that 8olloed it, was to protect drivers and passen*ers a8ter a crash occ)rs. itho)t )estion the worst post(crash ha9ard is 8ire. Standard -" ori*inall! proposed that all cars sho)ld :e a:le to withstand a 8i
hen the standard was proposed, 7ord en*ineers p)lled their crash(test res)lts o)t o8 their 8iles. The 8ront ends o8 most cars were no pro:lem V with minor alterations the!
co)ld stand the impact witho)t losin* 8)el. @e were alread! wor=in* on the 8ront end, 7ord en*ineer Dic= Wim:le admitted. @e =new we co)ld meet the test on the 8ront end. K)t with the Pinto partic)larl!, a % mph rear(end standard meant redesihnin* the entire rear end o8 the car. ith the Pinto sched)led 8or prod)ction in A)*)st "#', and with L% million worth o8 tools in place, adoption o8 this standard wo)ld have created a minor 8inancial disaster. So Standard -" was tar*eted 8or dela!, and with some assistance 8rom its ind)str! associates, 7ord s)cceeded :e!ond its wildest e)st :ehind the rear :)mper.
Dr. 2eslie Kall, the retired sa8et! chie8 8or the NASA manned space pro*ram and a 8o)nder o8 the 0nternational Societ! o8 Relia:ilit! Cn*ineers @The release to prod)ction o8 the Pinto was the most reprehensi:le decision in the histor! o8 American en*ineerin*. Kall can name more than 4 C)ropean and apanese models in the Pinto price and wei*ht ran*e with sa8er *as(tan= positionin*. 2os An*eles a)to sa8et! e
The cruci#l point* # c%nic#l cost+ene'it #n#l%sis
Perhaps the most intri*)in* and controversial is the cost(:ene8it anal!sis st)d! that 7ord did entitled @7atalities Associated with rash(0nd)ced 7)el 2ea=a*e and 7ires, released :! . . Cchlod, Director o8 A)tomotive Sa8et! 8or 7ord. This st)d! apparentl! convinced 7ord and was intended to convince the 8ederal *overnment that a technical improvement costin* L"" per car which wo)ld have prevented *as tan=s 8rom r)pt)rin* so easil! was not cost(e88ective 8or societ!. The costs and :ene8its are :ro=en down in the 8ollowin* wa! Benefits
Savin*s
"+ :)rn deaths, "+ serio)s :)rn in>)ries, %," :)rned vehicles Unit ost L%, per death, L$', per in>)r!, L' per vehicle Total Kene8it "+ 3L%, O "+ 3L$', O %," 3L' L4#.; million Costs
Sales Unit ost Total ost
"" million cars, ".; million li*ht tr)c=s L"" per car, L"" per tr)c= "",, 3L"" O ",;, 3L"" L"-' million
The most controversial aspect proved to :e the wa! 7ords acco)ntants determined the total cost o8 a h)man li8e as a:o)t L%,.
Component
7)t)re Prod)ctivit! 2osses Direct 0ndirect Eedical osts Hospital Qther Propert! Dama*e 0ns)rance Administration 2e*al and o)rt Cmplo!er 2osses ictims Pain and S)88erin* 7)neral Assets 32ost ons)mption Eiscellaneo)s TQTA2 PCR 7ATA20T
1971 Costs
L"-%, 4",- ' 4%; ",; 4,' -, ", ", # ;, % L%,'%;
Mother Jones reports it co)ld not 8ind an:od! who) co)ld e
8or @pain and s)88erin had :een arrived at.
Altho)*h 7ord does not mention this point in its News Release de8ense, it mi*ht have replied that it was the 8ederal *overnment, not 7ord, that set the 8i*)re 8or a :)rn death. 7ord simpl! carried o)t a cost(:ene8it anal!sis :ased on that 8i*)re. Mother Jones, however, in addition to insin)atin* that there was ind)str!(a*enc! 3NHTSA coll)sion, ar*)es taht the L%, 8i*)re was arrived at )nder intense press)re 8rom the a)to ind)str! to )se cost(:ene8it anal!sis in determinin* re*)lations. :)rn in>)ries @All independent e)r! trials and o)t(o8(co)rt settlements, especiall! the latter. Mother Jones )otes Al Schlechter in 7ords ashin*ton o88ice as sa!in* @ ell never *o to a >)r! a*ain. Not in a 8ire case. )ries are >)st too sentimental. The! see those charred remains and 8or*et the evidence. No sir, well settle. 0nstead o8 ma=in* the L"" improvement, installin* the L;.+ :ladder, or even *ivin* the cons)mer the ri*ht to choose the additional cost 8or added sa8et!, 7ord contin)ed to dela! the 8ederal *overnment 8or ei*ht !ears in esta:lishin* mandator! rear(impact standards. 0n the meantime tho)sands o8 people were :)rnin* to death and tens o8 tho)sands more were :ein* :adl! :)rned and dis8i*)red 8or li8e, tra*edies man! o8 which co)ld have :een prevented 8or onl! a sli*ht cost per vehicle. 7)rthermore, the dela! also meant that millions o8 new )nsa8e vehicles went on the road, vehicles that will :e crashin*, lea=in* 8)el and incineratin* people well into the "#+s. Un8ort)natel!, Dowie claims, the Pinto is not an isolated case o8 corporate malpractice in the a)to ind)str!. Neither is 7ord a lone sinner. There pro:a:l! isnt a car on the road witho)t a sa8et! ha9ard =nown to its man)8act)rer. 7)rthermore, cost(val)in* h)man li8e is not )sed :! 7ord alone. 7ord was >)st the onl! compan! careless eno)*h to let s)ch an
Mother Jones also )estions 7ords estimate o8
em:arrassin* calc)lation slip into p):lic records. The process o8 will8)ll! tradin* lives 8or pro8its is :)ilt into corporate capitalism.
