Japan’s Toyota vows to improve vehicle testing practices following major scandal

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota announced on Friday that it will enhance oversight of its vehicle certification process to prevent a recurrence of the recent scandal involving improper testing practices.

The automaker outlined several measures, including increased managerial involvement, assigning additional staff to certification tasks, and clarifying the responsibilities of key roles, such as the chief engineer. These steps were detailed in a report submitted to the Japanese government, which had reprimanded Toyota last month.

Toyota Motor Corp. recently admitted to a range of fraudulent testing practices, including the use of outdated or inadequate data for crash tests, incorrect testing of airbag deployment, and inaccuracies in engine power checks.

Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda, the grandson of the company’s founder, issued a public apology.

While the scandal has not compromised the safety of vehicles currently on the road, including popular models like the Corolla and Lexus luxury vehicles, it has been a significant embarrassment for Toyota, a company known for its strong focus on quality control.

In response to the scandal, Toyota has temporarily suspended production of certain models. Reports suggest that the scandal could reduce Toyota’s annual global production by approximately 500,000 vehicles, from its usual 11 million units sold worldwide.