Case A : Ford Pinto

Ford Pinto was a subcompact vehicle that Ford Motor Company manufactured from 1970-1980. The Pinto caught on with consumers, and sales of the vehicle were high. However, serious problems quickly arose regarding the design of the Pinto. The gas tank on the vehicles was placed directly behind the rear axle instead of above it, with only nine inches of space between the gas tank and axle. Bolts were also placed close to the gas tank, increasing the risk that they could puncture the tank in an accident. Additionally, the fuel filler pipe design created a high probability that the pipe would disconnect from the tank and cause gasoline to spill out in rear-end collisions. Ford designed the gas tank with hopes of creating additional trunk space.

Ford knew of the potential vulnerability of the Ford Pinto design but did not change the design due to the costs involved. In deciding whether to institute a recall, Ford instituted a cost-benefit analysis.

Ford justified that making the design change would cost approximately $11 per vehicle. At 11 million vehicles and 1.5 million trucks, the estimated costs would approximate $137 million. Ford estimated that making the design change would result in 180 fewer burn deaths, 180 fewer serious burn injuries, and 2,100 fewer burned vehicles. At an estimate of $200,000 per death, $67,000 per injury, and $700 per vehicle, Ford calculated that the societal benefits of the design change would equal $49.5 millionmuch less than the costs of making the change.

Ref: https://danielsethics.mgt.unm.edu/pdf/ford-motor-case.pdf

Which type of ethical theory does it appear Ford applied in its decision not to rectify the design of the Ford Pinto?

1.What would the decision have been if applying a deontological ethical perspective?

2.What would Ford do applying relativism?

3.And what about virtue ethics?

You may check out from a search of the case, e.g. below, to look into the arguments.

https://philosophia.uncg.edu/phi361-matteson/module-1-why-does-business-need-ethics/case-the-ford-pinto/