WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. 6, 2000 - Ford Motor Company today announced new initiatives that will provide improved analysis of tire safety data and will ensure governments around the world receive consistent information on safety actions.

Ford Chief Executive Officer Jac Nasser announced the company's plans today during testimony before a joint hearing by the House Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade & Consumer Protection and the House Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations.

"While this is clearly a tire issue and not a vehicle issue, we feel a responsibility to do our best to prevent a situation like this from ever happening again," added Nasser.

First, Ford will work with the tire industry to develop and implement an "early warning system" to detect the first signs of tire defects on vehicles already on the road. "This new system will require that tire manufacturers provide comprehensive real world data on a timely basis," said Nasser. "We're confident the tire industry will work closely with us on this issue."

Second, Ford is committing to advise U.S. safety authorities of safety actions the company takes in overseas markets, and vice versa. "From now on, when we know of a safety action, so will the world, even if some customers are totally unaffected," said Nasser. This commitment by Ford will begin immediately.