Takata’s review panel has finally released a report detailing a long list of recommend reforms as the company continues to struggle with recalls for defective airbag inflators.
Headed by former US transportation secretary Samuel Skinner, the inquiry concluded that Takata must work to establish a quality- and safety-focused corporate culture to minimize problems, identify potential issues and quickly resolve defects.
“It is unlikely that even the most Herculean isolated efforts to improve quality at Takata will succeed unless there’s an accompanying shift in Takata’s culture,” the report said, according to excerpts posted by Bloomberg. “Quality needs to be something you breathe every day.”
The panel calls for a new approach to data collection for performance tests, allowing Takata to perform research and analysis without first receiving incident reports from automakers. The experts also argue that quality-control managers should be granted the power to halt production.
“We understand that the quality of our operations needs to be beyond question,” chief executive Shigehisa Takada said in response to the report. “We are committed to earning back the trust of automakers and the driving public.”
The inflator problems have been blamed for at least 11 deaths. In all cases, the propellant appears to have exploded with too much force and sent shrapnel flying through the vehicle cabin.
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