Audi Blamed in A4 Crash

A jury has blamed Audi for injuries sustained during an A4 Quattro crash. It's a sad story. An 11-year-old boy was sitting behind his father, the driver, when the car was struck from behind. The force of the impact caused the driver's seat-back to collapse and the two occupants hit heads. The boy suffered partial blindness and permanent brain damage:

"The jury ruled the design and manufacturing of the A4 Quattro was defective and caused the seat-back to collapse, striking and injuring the boy."

The family was awarded $124.5 million, even though Audi insists:

1. The seats worked as designed to absorb the crash energy
2. The seats met federal safety standards.

The case has brought into question the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) seat-back tests. Many say they are outdated and the Center for Auto Safety is petitioning NHTSA to make updates.