US official: Auto safety agency under review after controversial recalls

A senior Obama administration official says the "safety culture" of the federal agency that oversees auto recalls is being reviewed.

The agency has been criticized for not acting aggressively enough regarding recalls of millions of vehicles with defective air bags or faulty ignition switches.

The official says a team is examining risk management and the safety posture in general at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The official also says that further action is possible involving air bag inflators made by Takata Corp. The inflators can rupture, ejecting shrapnel in a crash. Recalls have been limited to vehicles registered in regions with high humidity, but millions more could be affected if recalls are extended nationwide.

The official requested not to be named as a condition of briefing reporters.