In a shocking turn of events, two major Japanese automakers, Toyota and Mazda, have been embroiled in a safety scandal involving irregularities in certification tests. The revelations came to light when Japan's transport ministry ordered domestic automakers to run internal investigations following the discovery of similar issues at Toyota's Daihatsu subsidiary last year.
Toyota, the world's largest carmaker by sales volume, admitted to providing incorrect or manipulated data for safety certification tests. The findings do not affect the safety of vehicles already on the road but have led to the suspension of production for three models: Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio, and Yaris Cross.
Mazda also confessed to falsifying test results in its engine control software and crash tests. The automaker halted shipments of two models, the Roadster RF sports car and the Mazda2 hatchback. Mazda assured customers that their vehicles are safe to drive despite these irregularities.
Honda, another Japanese automaker, also acknowledged submitting incorrect data for noise and output tests on some discontinued models. The safety of these vehicles is not affected as they are no longer in production.
Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda apologized to customers and car enthusiasts for neglecting the certification process and mass producing cars without proper precautions. He expressed deep regret for the oversight, which has shaken up the Japanese car industry.
The transport ministry is expected to inspect Honda, Mazda, and Suzuki over similar issues. The findings come at a time when Toyota is dealing with recalls of older vehicles due to faulty airbag inflators made by Takata. The scandal has raised concerns about the reliability and safety of Japanese cars.
