Car-testing scandal in Japan

Car-testing scandal in Japan

Context: Toyota, Mazda, Suzuki and Yamaha were found to have submitted incorrect or manipulated test data in the vehicle certification test.
• It comes just months after China overtook Japan to become the world’s largest car exporter, partly due to booming sales of electric vehicles (EVs).
• Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu admitted to widespread manipulation of tests, including engine and crash performance, dating back to the
late 1980s, affecting 64 models.
• Daihatsu halted all production in Japan for several months as a result of the inquiry. The carmaker said the cheating involved the use of inadequate or outdated data in collision tests.
• However, The issue does not affect Toyota’s overseas production. The Japanese Transport Ministry also ordered other automakers and parts suppliers to review test results from the previous decade.
• In April 2024, Japan’s Transport Ministry verified that all Daihatsu production vehicles met official safety standards and lifted the ban on shipments.
• Other car makers also found similar issues with the manipulation of certification.
• It erodes the trust of vehicle users and shakes the very foundation of the vehicle certification system.
• India now has its vehicle crash certification system, Bharat NCAP.

Dieselgate:

• Earlier in 2015, Dieselgate was the largest and most expensive auto disgrace in history.
• Volkswagen (VW) was found to have violated the US Clean Air Act by intentionally programming diesel engines to activate their emissions controls only during laboratory testing.
• Faulty vehicles emitted up to 40 times more NOx during normal driving.
• VW was then investigated in multiple other countries and received billion-dollar fines from governments and compensation claims from owners, costing VW over $30 billion in fines and compensation.