General Motors has been allowed to delay a large recall of Takata airbag inflators in order to prove the devices are safe.

U.S regulators agreed to the move on Monday, oddly, allowing for long-term testing of the inflators in older trucks and SUVs.

According to The Detroit News, GM and its third-party research firm have been given until September 2017 to understand the lifecycle of the affected parts. NHTSA said public monthly status updates from GM were a prerequisite to granting an extension.

GM was forced to recall 2.5 million vehicles in May to replace faulty inflators, but the company contends the Takata inflators installed in its vehicles are safer than those fingered for the death of 11 Americans. GM claims inflators for its trucks and SUVs were uniquely made with greater venting, machined steel end caps, and were "installed in a way that minimizes exposure to moisture."

Yes, those are the company's actual words.

If proven true the recall could be stopped, allowing the company to avoid an $870 million hit if the company doesn't have to replace 6.8 million Takata airbags in full-size trucks and SUVs.

The recall involves almost everything based on the GMT900 platform from 2007 to 2012, including Chevy's Silverado, Tahoe and Suburban; GMC's Sierra and Yukon; and the Cadillac Escalade.