Where is the "ingenuity"? Japan's top five automakers have been hit by another fraud scandal

In June 2024, Japan's five major car companies were exposed to a safety data fraud scandal, which caused widespread concern and questioning. The companies, which include Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Suzuki and Yamaha, have been found guilty of improper performance testing and other aspects of their vehicles. This incident not only questioned the "artisan spirit" of Japanese car companies, but also had a greater impact on the Japanese auto industry chain and the sales of Japanese car companies.

Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in the auto industry investigation found that the five car companies in the vehicle performance testing and other aspects of misconduct, involving a large number of models. Among them, Toyota has falsified data in pedestrian protection test and crash test; Honda Motor's misconduct in vehicle noise testing and engine testing; Mazda vehicles were found guilty of five test violations in two test categories; Suzuki had irregularities in brake tests; The Yamaha engine did not perform as required in the motorcycle noise test.

This incident has undoubtedly had a huge negative impact on both the Japanese auto industry and consumer confidence. The collective counterfeiting could have an impact on the entire Japanese auto industry. Other car companies may be implicated, consumers' overall impression of Japanese cars may deteriorate, lose trust in products, auto safety is one of the most concerned issues of consumers, and data fraud may lead consumers to doubt the safety of vehicles, and then affect the purchase decision. As a result, the market share and sales performance of automobiles have declined, which in turn affects the export and market competitiveness.

The credit crisis caused by the fraud may take a long time to repair.

Japanese car companies choose to falsify data, the first is undoubtedly driven by economic interests. In order to chase higher profits and lower quality standards, after all, it is much easier to modify the data than to spend a lot of manpower, material and financial resources to improve quality control. Especially with the rise of new energy vehicles, the advantages of Japanese car companies in the era of fuel vehicles are gradually disappearing. In this context, car companies may face greater competitive pressure, so choose to falsify data to maintain market competitiveness.

In addition, under the background of the monopoly of the chaebol, Japanese car companies such as Toyota and Honda have formed a tacit understanding to safeguard their own market share. This tacit understanding may make car companies choose to falsify data to protect their market position when facing competitive pressure. At the same time, due to the control of the chaebol, car companies may not be easy to carry out fierce competition, which may also lead to car companies in the lack of power in technology research and development and innovation, this climate may make car companies in the face of certification requirements, choose to falsified data to meet the relevant standards.

In short, the safety data fraud incident of Japan's five major car companies has brought a heavy blow to the Japanese auto industry, and also sounded the alarm for the global auto industry. Automobile as an important product related to people's life safety, its quality and safety must be guaranteed. Enterprises should be integrity-based, strictly abide by laws and regulations, strengthen quality management, and provide consumers with safe and reliable products. At the same time, the government and society should also strengthen supervision and supervision, and jointly maintain the order and fair competition environment of the automobile market. Only in this way can we promote the healthy development of the automobile industry and protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.