Toyota apologizes as Japanese car testing scandal widens

Toyota Motor Corporation on Monday admitted to cheating on various certification and safety tests for seven models of car sold in Japan, three of which are still in production.

Chairman Akio Toyoda apologized at a press conference in Tokyo, offering a customary low bow as he did so.
HIs comments were based on the findings of an internal Toyota review, launched as the Japanese government announced its own investigation at the beginning of the year. That probe is ongoing and affects multiple car manufacturers.

“We are not a perfect company. But if we see anything wrong, we will take a step back and keep trying to correct it,” Toyoda said.
The issue does not affect the non-Japanese market for Toyota. However, it is providing a stern test for Japanese car companies in their lucrative and symbolically important home market.

Only China and the US currently manufacture more cars than Japan, although China makes more than Japan and the US combined these days.

Toyota said in a press release that seven models were affected in all.
“The model certification applications in question involve inadequate data in pedestrian and occupant protection tests for three production models,” the Corolla Fielder — a station wagon version of the world’s most popular sedan, Toyota Corolla, the hybrid Corolla Axio, and the compact SUV called the Yaris Cross.

For four models discontinued in 2014 — the Crown, Isis, Sienta and an older version of the luxury Lexus RX — there were “errors in crash tests and other test methods,” the company said.

However, Toyota also asserted that while the cars did not undergo the proper certification and testing procedures, “we can confirm that there are no performance issues that contravene laws and regulations.” In other words, the company claims the cars would have passed all properly required checks.
“Therefore, there is no need to stop using the affected vehicles,” Toyota said. “However, considering these findings, we have taken action to temporarily halt shipments and sales of three models currently produced in Japan, effective today.”

The company said it would continue to cooperate with Japanese investigators and “expedite appropriate measures, including conducting testing in the present of witnesses.”
“Again, we extend our sincere apologies to our customers and stakeholders,” the statement concluded.

Source: DW News