Ten automobile manufacturers were sued by consumers in the US, who have alleged that the risk posed by carbon monoxide poisoning was concealed in over five million vehicles armed with keyless ignitions, reportedly claiming 13 lives so far.
BMW, Daimler, Fiat Chrysler, Ford Motor, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen have been named defendants in the case, according to a report by Reuters.
A complaint filed in federal court in Los Angeles said carbon monoxide emission had been noticed when drivers leave their cars running and take electronic key fobs with them, 'under the mistaken belief that the engines will shut off'.
A keyless ignition helps a driver start a vehicle by administering an on-off button, doing away with key insertion, once a nearby electronic fob is detected by the vehicle.
Meanwhile, a probe by Scripps Washington Bureau has said at least 13 lives have been claimed and many injured by carbon monoxide poisoning related to keyless auto ignitions.
In what has been stated to be a mystery by The E.W. Scripps Company, Ray Harrington, professor of criminal justice, was reportedly found dead in his North Carolina condo in March 2012.
"Officials initially determined the professor died from natural causes, but several days later, an autopsy report corrected them, pointing to carbon monoxide poisoning. Harrington inadvertently left his car running in the garage, and deadly fumes seeped into his bedroom," the organization said in a statement.
