Daihatsu Motor, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor, has announced an immediate suspension of all vehicle shipments. This drastic action follows an admission of extensive cheating on safety tests for a majority of its models in production.
A third-party investigative team, appointed in May, uncovered falsified tests affecting 64 vehicle models and three engines. This revelation, announced on December 20, extends the scope of the scandal far beyond initial estimates. The team, under Makoto Kaiami’s direction, cited pressure on engineers and a history of dishonest practices dating back 34 years.
Concurrent with the announcement, the transport ministry scheduled a comprehensive search of Daihatsu’s offices for December 21. Soichiro Okudaira, Daihatsu’s President, plans to address the media later today, joined by executives from Toyota, which acquired Daihatsu in 2016.
The investigative report details 174 instances of test manipulation, spanning collision safety to emissions assessments. The scandal touches both current and discontinued Daihatsu models, along with vehicles manufactured for Toyota and Mazda Motor.
Daihatsu’s unethical practices first surfaced in April and May when the company admitted to cheating in side-collision tests involving four models for international markets and two for domestic sales, affecting 167,000 vehicles. Notably, this included the Raize SUV hybrid and two models under Toyota’s brand.
The controversy emerged after a whistleblower’s disclosure. At an April news conference, Okudaira alluded to the extreme pressure on teams to pass safety tests initially.
Following these initial revelations, Daihatsu’s headquarters underwent a search by the transport ministry in late May. This newest scandal delivers another blow to the Toyota group, still grappling with previous falsified emissions and fuel economy tests at Hino Motors and a related issue at Toyota Industries, a machinery maker.
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