Daihatsu reports measures to prevent recurrence of testing fraud

Daihatsu President Soichiro Okudaira submitted a report to transport minister Tetsuo Saito on Friday detailing measures to prevent any recurrence of vehicle safety testing fraud at the automaker.

The measures include extending vehicle development periods by 40% and ensuring a sevenfold boost in the number of personnel involved with safety tests by June. Also included is the promotion of personnel exchanges among divisions to create an open atmosphere across the company.

“We want to implement recurrence prevention measures firmly and make the company capable of doing its job properly,” Okudaira told the minister.

The transport ministry had ordered Daihatsu on Jan. 16 to improve its practices under the road transport vehicle law, telling the Toyota unit to report prevention measures within a month.

Toyota plans to reshuffle Daihatsu’s management, with an announcement expected next week.

On Friday, Daihatsu officials said that its Kyushu subsidiary will resume production of 10 models, including the Mira e:S at its plant in Nakatsu, Oita Prefecture, on Feb. 26 after the ministry confirmed the models’ safety.

The 10 models include three that Daihatsu supplies to Toyota, including the Pixis Epoch.