13 of GM Models for 1990 to Get Air Bags

Driver-side air bags will be standard in 13 models of General Motors Corp.’s 1990 cars, costing the auto maker at least $500 per car, the company’s president said Tuesday.

Robert Stempel refused to disclose what the device would cost consumers, but said the company has spent nearly $1 billion in research, design, development and labor costs.

The cost per car could drop if consumers want the air bags on more models.

The federal government requires all cars made in the United States after Sept. 1 to have a passive restraint system for front-seat riders. That could involve air bags or automatic seat belts.

An exemption in the law allows auto makers who put air bags on the driver’s side to equip the passenger’s side with a manual lap-and-shoulder belt system until Sept. 1, 1993.

The company said about 500,000 1990 cars, or less than 15% of GM’s car fleet, would have the systems as standard equipment. Included are:

* Buick Reatta and Riviera.

* Cadillac Allante, DeVille, Eldorado, Fleetwood and Seville.

* Chevrolet Camaro and Corvette.

* Geo Metro Convertible, later in the model year, and Storm.

* Oldsmobile Toronado.

* Pontiac Firebird.

All other GM cars will have automatic seat belts for front-seat passengers.

All of Chrysler Corp.’s U.S.-made cars for the 1990 model year will have driver-side air bags and manual lap-shoulder belts as standard equipment. The U.S.-made cars compose 90% of Chrysler’s automobile fleet.

Ford Motor Co. has said that about 1 million of its 1990 model cars, or about half of its car fleet, will have driver-side air bags.

Auto industry observers expect higher prices for 1990 cars, partly because of the passive-restraint law.