Several representatives from the auto and battery making industries, along with government panel participants, are expected to join the symposium.
The symposium aims to gather key stakeholders in an event to share knowledge and information on the status of safety activities that can be linked to the use of Li-ion batteries in vehicles, the NHTSA said in a statement in its official website.
The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the West Building Atrium of the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters situated at New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC.
No attendance fee is required, but early registration is recommended since slots are limited. As a requirement, participants need to bring a government-issued photo ID for security purposes.
Issues regarding Li-ion battery’s safety became more public since November2011 when a Chevy Volt caught fire a few weeks after the NHTSA conducted a crash test. Earlier this year, the agency regulator conducted an investigation that declared electric vehicles are no more of a fire risk.
However, just earlier this month, another standard battery pack at a General Motor (GM) plant situated at Michigan burst into fire after an extreme stress testing. GM said that the said accident involved a battery that was being tested under high pressure. The fire reportedly left six workers seriously injured with $5 million worth of damages.
Now, to lessen the risk of fire after an electric vehicle was involved in a car accident, the NHTSA is doing everything possible to inform the public about road safety and everything that people has to know. Even a personal injury lawyer Los Angeles here is hoping for further similar public awareness programs to come so that people wouldn’t be like lost in the middle of nowhere due to insufficient knowledge.
