Daihatsu's Decades-Long Safety Test Cheating Halts Production

Questions over Toyota's oversight arise as factories remain closed and potential recalls loom.

Daihatsu Motor Co., a subsidiary of Toyota, has been found to have faked safety tests for decades, leading to a halt in production of its entire lineup.
The cheating involved skipping mandatory safety tests, copying data from one side of cars to the other, and using timers to ensure airbags went off in tests.
No major accidents have been reported in connection with the cheating, but the scandal has raised serious questions about oversight at Daihatsu and Toyota.
Japanese regulators have approved five of Daihatsu's models after additional testing, but the company's factories will remain closed as it waits on suppliers.
The scandal, which began after a whistleblower came forward last year, has led to questions about the leadership of Chairman Akio Toyoda, the former CEO and grandson of Toyota's founder.