U.S. fines GM $35M for lapses on ignition-switch defect

The Department of Transportation on Friday fined General Motors $35 million for the automaker’s failure to respond for more than a decade to a defect that is linked to at least 13 deaths.

The New York Times reports the automaker also will change its internal safety practices in addition to paying the civil suit.

The defect, which affected more than 2.5 million GM, Chevrolet and Saturn models, caused the ignition switch to unexpectedly turn off the car.

Read more from the New York Times.