Mexican Media Brands
Panel: Did Takata Put Profit Before Safety?
Takata Corp.'s suspension of certain safety audits between 2009 and 2011 may have contributed to the recall of some 34 million of the company's airbag inflators in the U.S., according to a report by the U.S.
#regulations #economics
Share
Takata Corp.'s suspension of certain safety audits between 2009 and 2011 may have contributed to the recall of some 34 million of the company's airbag inflators in the U.S., according to a report by the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee.
The committee is staging a hearing on Tuesday about Takata's response to the recall crisis.
Monday's report by the Democratic minority on the panel points to company e-mails it says show "Takata may have prioritized profit over safety by halting global safety audits for financial reasons."
Eleven car and truckmakers are replacing Takata airbag inflators whose propellant may explode and spray metal shrapnel into the passenger compartment. The defect has been linked to eight fatalities and more than 100 injuries.
Takata disputes the accuracy of the report. In an oddly phrased statement, the company says e-mail references to suspended global audits "relate to the safe handling by employees of pyrotechnic materials. They were not, as the report implies, related to product quality or safety."
RELATED CONTENT
-
BMW Granted License to Test Self-Driving Cars in Shanghai
BMW AG has become the first foreign carmaker to win permission to test autonomous vehicles on public roads in China, according to the Shanghai Daily.
-
Bill on Self-Driving Cars Stalls in Senate
Congressional efforts to make it easier to develop self-driving cars in the U.S. have stalled in the Senate despite strong bipartisan support.
-
Self-Driving Chevy Bolt Ticketed for Driving Too Close to Pedestrian
Police in San Francisco ticketed the backup driver in a self-driving Chevrolet Bolt for allowing the car to drive too close to a pedestrian in a crosswalk in San Francisco.