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PRESS RELEASE

Ward's Announces Report on ABS Installation: No Growth in the ABS Market

17 February 1997

Automakers Put 'Brakes' On ABS Installation Growth, Says Ward's

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 17 -- Factory installation of anti-
lock brakes has stalled in U.S. domestic cars, raising a red flag for ABS
manufacturers, according to the Feb. 17 issue of Ward's Automotive Reports.
    An analysis shows that the overall ABS installation rate for '96 model
U.S. domestic cars held steady at about 57.8 percent -- the third model year
without a significant increase after several years of marked growth.
    "It's very troubling," says an executive at one leading ABS manufacturer.
"Right now, we don't know what we're going to do."
    Manufacturers blame the flat market in part on concerns about ABS
performance raised by such groups as the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety.  And it appears many consumers would rather spend money on CD players
and air conditioning than on ABS, the data indicate.
    ABS suppliers also point fingers at the automakers and their retailers,
saying manufacturers are limiting availability of ABS due to the way they
package the option.  And dealers are not stocking their lots with enough ABS-
equipped cars, making it difficult for consumers to get the device, they add.
Also, ABS is now optional on some vehicles where it previously was standard.
    The trend could mean trouble for future generations of safety-systems that
are based on ABS, say industry insiders.  Without a higher ABS penetration,
suppliers may not have as much opportunity to develop new offshoots that
better control steering and suspension systems to all but prevent drivers from
losing control of their vehicles.

SOURCE  Ward's

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CONTACT: Jeff Green at 810-799-2636, or Dave Zoia at 810-799-2617, both of Ward's;
or http://www.wardsauto.com