U.S. extends oversight of Fiat Chrysler safety practices for additional year

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. auto safety regulators said Friday they were extending oversight of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV for an additional year, requiring the Italian-American automaker to submit to monthly meetings and early disclosures of potential vehicle issues. In July 2015, Fiat Chrysler agreed to a $105 million settlement with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for mishandling nearly two dozen recall campaigns covering 11 million vehicles. It also agreed to monitoring by former U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement on Friday that NHTSA's decision to extend the requirements was not based on the company's performance to date, but rather to "facilitate continued communication," citing a letter from the agency. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)