Under a new wave of scrutiny, Toyota and other Japanese brands have admitted to cheating on safety tests of their vehicles. The company previously apologized to consumers, through the voice of Akio Toyoda.
In January, the Japanese government launched an investigation into Toyota, concluding that the brand had defrauded safety tests of its models, in a case that allegedly did not affect production abroad.
The fraudulent tests included the use of insufficient or outdated crash test data, as well as incorrect testing for airbag inflation and damage to the rear seats in the event of a crash. It was also found that the engine power tests were fraudulent.
Toyota Motor Company has stopped production of the Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio, and Yaris Cross models in Japan, but stressed that the violation does not affect the safety of vehicles such as the Corolla and Lexus. However, fraud tests were detected in discontinued models.
As reported by the world press, Toyota President Akio Toyoda apologized for the fraud committed in certification tests for seven of the brand's models.
“We sincerely apologize,” Akio Toyoda told reporters, bowing and remaining in his position for several seconds. This approach is common in Japan at press conferences in which companies apologize for bad behavior, according to the Associated Press.
In addition to Toyota, other Japanese brands are under scrutiny
Also on Monday, Mazda Motor Company announced. It reported irregular certification tests similar to those conducted by Toyota and suspended production of two models, the Roadster and the Mazda 2. According to the company, incorrect engine control software was used in the tests.
Mazda also admitted to crash test violations for three discontinued models. However, none of the violations affect the safety of the vehicles.
Toyota and Mazda were also joined by the Japanese company Honda: the brand apologized on Monday for insufficient tests, such as noise levels and torque, on a series of models. Furthermore, it has ensured that the affected older models – Accord, Odyssey and Fit – are no longer in production, and that the safety of the vehicles has not been affected.
Problems in vehicle safety testing
As the Associated Press reported, certification problems began to appear two years ago at Toyota group companies: truck maker Hino Motors, Daihatsu Motor Co., which specializes in small models, and Toyota Industries Corp., which makes machinery and parts for cars.
Shinji Miyamoto, a Toyota executive who oversees customer satisfaction, said the company began analyzing its own tests in the wake of the problems faced by group companies.
The grandson of the company's founder pointed out that some certification rules may be very strict, noting that these tests vary from one country to another. But he stressed “repeatedly,” according to the press, that he does not tolerate violations: “We are not a perfect company.” “But if we see something wrong, we will take a step back and keep trying to fix it.”
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