In a recent development, Japan’s transport ministry has concluded that six cases of irregularities in vehicle certifications by Toyota Motor Corp. may not only violate domestic standards but also run afoul of United Nations (UN) vehicle regulations. These UN vehicle regulations are international safety and environmental standards adopted by 62 countries and regions, including Japan, South Korea, and Europe.
The transport ministry’s findings carry significant implications for Toyota’s global operations. Since Japan’s domestic regulations for cars align with the UN vehicle regulations, the identified irregularities could potentially bar the automaker from mass-producing the affected vehicles in Europe and other regions that adhere to these international standards.
The irregularities were discovered during a series of tests conducted by Toyota, including offset frontal collision tests, pedestrian head and leg protection performance tests, rear collision tests, and engine power tests. These tests are also part of the UN vehicle regulations, indicating that Toyota’s misconduct violates both domestic and international standards.
While Toyota has claimed to have conducted some tests under stricter conditions than the national requirements, the transport ministry has disputed this assertion, stating that it is impossible to determine whether the testing conditions were indeed more stringent in all cases.
The ministry’s findings come a week after it announced that five vehicle manufacturers, including Toyota, Mazda, Yamaha, Honda, and Suzuki, had engaged in misconduct over model certification, a requirement for mass production of automobiles and motorcycles.
The transport ministry plans to conduct its own tests on the 38 models involved in the scandal. If deviations from government standards are discovered, it could trigger recalls not only in Japan but also in other countries where these vehicles are sold.
The scandal has prompted some manufacturers to call for streamlining the vehicle certification system to ensure international competitiveness. However, the transport ministry is concerned that reducing domestic standards that align with UN regulations could lead to a loss of mutual recognition for domestic manufacturers, adversely affecting their overseas operations.
As the investigation continues, Toyota and the other affected automakers insist that the implicated models meet domestic standards and can be driven without issues. However, the potential violation of UN vehicle regulations raises concerns about the broader impact of these irregularities on Toyota’s global production and sales.