Daihatsu will suspend shipments of all car models currently in production both in Japan and abroad, in the face of alleged manipulation of safety tests. This was announced by the Japanese car manufacturer, which is a subsidiary of Toyota, following the outcome of the report of an independent commission established at the beginning of the year to shed light on anomalies that emerged for the first time in April.
The investigation identified 174 new cases of misconduct on tests involving 25 vehicles, in addition to those previously reported, the oldest of which dates back to 1989, Daihatsu said, adding that the commission’s findings were reported to Tokyo Ministry of Transport.
The decision came after the minivehicle maker acknowledged earlier this year data manipulation in crash tests for six of its models, including those sold in Thailand and Malaysia, involving a total of 88,000 vehicles.
At a press conference held in Tokyo, Daihatsu president Soichiro Okudaira apologized for the scandal, admitting that he “betrayed the trust of his customers, recognizing that all the blame falls on his management.”
Toyota’s executive vice president, Hiroki Nakajima, is of the same opinion, regretting not having recognized Daihatsu’s potential production overload, pledging to provide “full support” for a review of the subsidiary’s operations. The Transportation Ministry said it will conduct an on-site inspection in Osaka Prefecture as early as Thursday.
Founded in 1907 and specializing in the production of internal combustion engines, the Osaka-based company introduced its first three-wheeled vehicle in 1931, before being acquired by Toyota in 1967.