Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda expressed his sincere apologies on Monday for the extensive cheating on certification tests that occurred with seven of the company’s vehicle models. In response to this grave misconduct, Toyota has taken the decision to temporarily halt production of three of the affected models.
Toyota, the leading automaker in Japan, has come under scrutiny for conducting faulty testing. The investigation revealed several issues, including the use of inadequate or outdated data in collision tests, incorrect testing of airbag inflation and rear-seat damage in crashes, and falsified engine power tests. These revelations raise concerns about the accuracy and reliability of Toyota’s testing procedures.
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Toyota Motor Corp., which is headquartered in Toyota city, central Japan, has temporarily halted production of the Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio, and Yaris Cross in Japan due to faulty tests. These issues were discovered not only on current models but also on discontinued ones.
According to the company, the safety of the vehicles currently on the roads, such as the Corolla subcompact and Lexus luxury vehicles, remains unaffected by the reported misconduct.
“We deeply apologize,” said Toyoda, bowing deeply during a news conference held in Tokyo.
In January, the Japanese government initiated an investigation into Toyota. It is important to note that the latest issues do not relate to Toyota’s overseas production.
In a similar development on Monday, Mazda Motor Corp., a Japanese competitor, also revealed irregular certification testing and decided to suspend production of two of its models, the Roadster and Mazda 2. The company admitted that the tests were conducted using incorrect engine control software.
Mazda, which is headquartered in the southwestern city of Hiroshima, has also admitted to violating crash test regulations on three models that are no longer in production. These violations, however, do not compromise the safety of the vehicles.
Honda Motor Co., headquartered in Tokyo, issued a formal apology on Monday for conducting improper tests on various models, including the Accord, Odyssey, and Fit. These tests, which were conducted on older versions of the vehicles that are no longer in production, involved noise levels and torque. However, the company assured customers that the safety of these vehicles is not compromised.
Around two years ago, issues with certifications arose at various Toyota group companies. This included Hino Motors, a truck manufacturer, as well as Daihatsu Motor Co., renowned for its production of small models, and Toyota Industries Corp., which focuses on machinery and auto parts.
According to Shinji Miyamoto, a Toyota executive responsible for customer satisfaction, Toyota initiated an investigation into its own tests after the issues arose at the group companies.
Toyoda, the grandson of the company’s founder, expressed concerns about the strictness of some certification rules, pointing out the variations in tests across different regions. However, he emphasized that he did not support or endorse any violations.
“We may not be a flawless company, but we are committed to acknowledging our mistakes and continuously striving to make amends,” Toyoda stated.
