8:48 am, December 21, 2023
Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu is suspending shipments of all its vehicles in and outside Japan amid a safety scandal.
Safety test irregularities earlier this year prompted an independent panel investigation, which found widespread and systematic problems, with improper testing of 64 models.
Citing the results of the panel, Toyota said its probe found 174 new cases of irregularities in safety tests and other procedures in 25 test categories, on top of the problems reported earlier.
Daihatsu president Soichiro Okudaira told a news conference yesterday: ‘We are sorry to have betrayed the trust of our customers.’
He acknowledged that the cheating on safety testing and procedures amounted to neglect of safety certificates.
‘We take it very seriously as the problem that has shaken the foundation of an automaker,’ he said.
Lawyer Makoto Kaiami, a member of the probe team who attended the news conference, said workers under pressure to meet management demands for tight development deadlines had resorted to cheating, and management should take the blame.
The issue first came to light in April when Daihatsu reported improper testing on the door lining. Problems in the side collision testing surfaced the following month.
The problems were found in 64 models and three engines of vehicles, including 22 models and an engine sold by Toyota, the company said in a statement.
The probe also found that the problems involved some models for Mazda and Subaru sold at home, as well as Toyota and Daihatsu models sold abroad.
Daihatsu specialises in small cars and trucks that are popular in Japan.
Toyota has expressed ‘sincere apologies’. The car giant said: ‘We believe in order to prevent recurrence, in addition to a review of certification operations, a fundamental reform is needed to revitalise Daihatsu as a company,’
Toyota said it will take a significant effort, including a review of management and business operations plus the organisation and its structure, as well as the mindset of employees.
It added that it will provide full support.
