GM Drivers’ Claims Alleging Defective Airbag Software Fail

General Motors LLC shook off a proposed class action alleging a software defect prevented the airbag from deploying in certain types of crashes, because the plaintiffs didn’t plausibly allege that their vehicles had the purported defect.

Judge Jon S. Tigar of the US District Court for the Northern District of California gave the plaintiffs an opportunity to amend their complaint and correct pleading deficiencies, but he narrowed the scope of the suit to include only drivers from California.

Some 72 named plaintiffs—three from California and 69 from other states—sued the automaker. But the court said it won’t assert jurisdiction over ...