Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu is taking a significant step by suspending shipments of all its vehicles in the wake of a safety scandal investigation. The probe revealed issues with 64 models, including 22 under the Toyota brand. While Daihatsu had previously admitted to rigging side-collision safety tests for 88,000 small cars in April, the latest findings indicate a more extensive and prolonged problem than initially acknowledged. This also poses a potential threat to the automakers' longstanding reputation for quality and safety.
During the investigation led by an independent third-party committee, Daihatsu obtained information hinting at procedural irregularities in certain models. Responding to this, Daihatsu initiated in-house technical verifications and actual vehicle testing to ensure compliance with legal safety and environmental standards.
In the conclusive phase of the investigation, it was revealed that a different airbag control unit (ECU) was employed for airbag tests in specific Daihatsu, Subaru, Toyota, and Mazda models. While technical verification affirmed the airbag's adherence to occupant protection standards, the side collision test for Daihatsu Cast and Toyota Pixis Joy raised concerns about compliance with the "Safety Performance Standard for Occupant Evacuation (Unlocking)."
The misconduct exposed in the investigation encompassed false reports on headrest impact tests and test speed discrepancies for certain models. The prevalence of such misconduct surged notably after 2014, with one discontinued Daihatsu vehicle dating back to 1989. The third-party investigation committee clarified that Toyota was not directly responsible for the misconduct, attributing it to Daihatsu's pursuit of self-imposed expectations.
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Daihatsu states it is committed to addressing the situation transparently with authorities, taking guided actions, and conducting a comprehensive investigation into potential similar cases to prioritise customer safety. On the other hand, Toyota has pledged full cooperation with these investigative measures.
