Consumer Reports will consult with outside experts when developing product testing protocols, rendering the staunchly independent organization slightly less so.

The policy change comes after Consumer Reports (CR) was forced to withdraw an article saying a bunch of car seats failed "disastrously."

It turned out CR's lab tested the side-impact crash test at 70 mph instead of the government standard 38 mph. The error was the lab thought the struck car had to be moving at 38 mph after the impact, which would only be possible if it was hit at 70 mph. Oops.

Consumer Reports: Expert. Independent. Non-profit. Hey, two out of three ain't bad. — BEN POPKEN

Consumer Reports to take more input on tests after car-seat error [AP] (Thanks to Molly!)

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