Rush-hour traffic passes through Washington, US, December 20, 2016. (Photo: REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) first demanded a voluntary recall in May, but ARC rejected it.

The agency issued an initial decision on Tuesday and set a public meeting for Oct. 5 in a rare move to compel a recall. If successful in forcing a recall, the callback would be one of the largest on record.

The inflators that NHTSA is seeking to have recalled have been used in vehicles from 2000 through early 2018 produced by 12 automakers, including General Motors, Toyota Motor, Kia, and Mercedes-Benz.