Toyota’s Japan HQ raided
Officials from Japan’s transport ministry have started reviewing materials and conducting interviews after raiding the headquarters of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in regard to vehicle certifications.
The low-key morning raid on June 4 came as questions started to emerge about whether the issues being investigated are meaningful, and whether the regulations that were broken are properly formulated and enforced, reports the Japan Times.
Questions are also being asked about the implications of complex standards at a time when Japan’s carmakers face intense challenges globally.
On June 3, Toyota reported it had submitted false data in pedestrian protection tests and had improperly modified vehicles used in crash tests.
The company has halted shipments of its Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio and Yaris Cross models, which were improperly tested. It is continuing its investigation into other possible testing failures.
Toyota emphasises its cars are safe and have been adequately tested. No vehicles have been recalled due to the recent questions about certification.
Toyota’s chairman, Akio Toyoda, has expressed hope the government and companies embroiled in the scandal can work together to ensure the proper testing of vehicles.
Honda, Mazda, Yamaha and Suzuki also admitted this week to various testing errors and falsifications. Admissions by the marques include rewriting engine-control software and making false entries in test reports.
A total of 38 models from the five companies were covered in the disclosures. Shipments have been halted for six models currently in production, including Toyota’s three.
Toyota said in some instances, its engineers had made safety test conditions more extreme than those required by regulators.
During Monday’s news conference, Toyoda spoke of a gap between regulatory standards and front-line workers in terms of ensuring safety.
Toshihiro Mibe, Honda’s CEO, noted that in a self-certification environment companies took the lead in conducting tests and the government checks the work.
This week’s revelations by Japan’s largest carmakers are the latest in a series of related failures. In December, the offices of Daihatsu, which is owned by Toyota, were raided by government officials after it was revealed the manufacturer had falsified collision-safety test records dating back to the 1980s, including passenger safety tests such as those relating to the deployment of airbags.
