Toyota Apologizes for Certification Cheating; Mazda and Honda Also Admit Fault

Toyota, Mazda, and Honda have halted production of several models, issuing apologies for cheating on vehicle certification tests.

Impact on Toyota's Manufacturing

On Monday, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda apologized for the extensive falsification of certification tests for seven vehicle models, as the manufacturer ceased producing three of those models.

AP News reports that the widespread fraudulent testing at Japan's leading carmaker included inadequate or obsolete data in collision tests, improper testing of airbag inflation, and rear-seat damage in collisions. Additionally, engine power testing was discovered to be fabricated.

Safety of Existing Vehicles Reassured

According to the manufacturer, the Corolla subcompact and Lexus luxury cars on the road are safe despite the error. "We sincerely apologize," Toyoda said to the reporters, bowing down and maintaining the pose for a few seconds.

The nationwide manufacturing of the Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio, and Yaris Cross has been halted by Toyota Motor Corp., headquartered in Toyota City, central Japan. Discontinued models were also found to have misleading tests.

Two years ago, certification issues began to show up at Toyota group companies, including Hino Motors, which makes trucks; Daihatsu Motor Co., which makes small cars; and Toyota Industries Corp., which makes tools and auto parts.

Following the problems at the group companies, Shinji Miyamoto, a Toyota official in charge of customer satisfaction, said that Toyota started to investigate its tests.

For a car company that has built its reputation for decades on meticulous assembly lines and a corporate culture that encourages employees to create "ever-better cars," the apparent breakdown of testing procedures at Toyota and its affiliated entities is a shame.

"We are not a perfect company. But if we see anything wrong, we will take a step back and keep trying to correct it," added Toyoda.

At a period when model variants were expanding, Toyoda speculated that the manufacturer may have been in a rush to complete the testing and altered them.

Mazda and Honda Follow Suit with Apologies

Mazda Motor Corp., a Japanese competitor of Toyota, ceased production of the Roadster and Mazda 2 on Monday after disclosing similar irregular certification testing. The company said the tests employed incorrect engine control software.

Tokyo-based Honda Motor Co. also apologized Monday for faulty noise and torque tests on several models, as per Yahoo Finance. According to Honda, older Accord, Odyssey, and Fit models that were impacted are no longer being manufactured, and vehicle safety is unaffected.

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