SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Analysis by Edmunds.com assures consumers that despite recent new car recall headlines, recalls were much more of a concern in decades past. More recalls are the result of more vigilant drivers and automakers, Edmunds.com says.

“Recall numbers have been remarkably high since the mid-90s when car technology really began getting complicated, but this year they’ve been far more publicized,” said Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Ray Zhou, PhD. “Thanks to recent headlines this year, drivers are more alert to any potential safety issues and more likely to report any potential flaws and perhaps even pay closer attention to recall news.”

Through early June, the industry has issued 81 recalls, in line with the recent average of 164 per year. The number of vehicles affected by the recalls this year – just over 10 million to date – suggests that the year-end total may be slightly higher than the 10-year average, 18.1 million vehicles per year.

“The level of vehicle recall activity simply doesn’t suggest any greater reasons for concern by consumers,” said Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing at Edmunds.com. “In fact, automakers as a whole have become increasingly diligent, not only about safety and reliability but also about reporting problems with their vehicles, and, in many cases, recalling them more quickly than in the past.”