When General Motors appointed Kenneth Feinberg as its so-called "compensation czar," it was clear the automaker hoped to have Feinberg determine damages to victims of the ignition-switch debacle, pay, and move on.

But as Detroit News business columnist Daniel Howes writes today, things are not working out that way:

Howes says if the death count gets a lot larger, that may hurt GM's credibility. And, ultimately, all of the car companies could be impacted by GM's action.

"You're already seeing companies starting to beef up their compliance and safety organizations and change the way recalls are reported up the chain to senior management. All of that can be directly attributed to General Motors and the ignition-switch recall," Howes says.

* Listen to our interview with Daniel Howes above.

Copyright 2021 Michigan Radio. To see more, visit Michigan Radio.