Keeping the part number is perfectly normal, so long as there is a REVISION change, and QA signed off on disposition of the earlier revision (use up existing, cease and scrap out, etc.).
Stating the part number is unchanged is uneducated journalist fear-mongering in its’ insinuation.
Not enough facts here.
(retired Military-Industrial Complex mechanical engineer)
GM part numbers never used to have a suffix. A whole new P/N was required for significantly functionally different parts.