Hurry Up and Recall the Air Bags

Published in Ryūkyū Shimpō
(Japan) on 9 December 2014
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Thomas S. Evans. Edited by Helaine Schweitzer.
Issues involving human safety require a swift response. When it’s an issue that threatens people’s lives, procrastination is even more unacceptable. The defect in Takata Corporation’s air bags is growing more serious; outrage in the U.S. is growing stronger. Even though Takata has not declared a nationwide recall in the U.S., such a recall is unavoidable given the circumstances. And in addition to the U.S., Takata needs to expedite a worldwide recall, including in Japan.

Takata is the second largest manufacturer of air bags in the world, controlling 20 percent of the market. The problem with the air bags is that metallic shards from the gas-release device may break off and explode when the air bag deploys, potentially causing injury to passengers.

There has been a succession of recalls since 2008, and as of Dec. 4, 2014, approximately 2,790,000 recall notifications have been issued. Worldwide, the number of such notifications has grown to at least 13.3 million. In the U.S. and Malaysia, six people have reportedly died from incidents related to the air bag’s malfunction.

The precise cause is unclear, but it seems that the air bag malfunction is more likely to occur in high humidity, and five car manufacturers including Honda and Mazda have until now limited its recall notices to areas in the U.S. such as the South, where there is a particularly humid climate. However, in November, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asked that the recall be extended nationwide.

Unfortunately, the supply of replacement parts has not kept pace with the demand, and Takata has not yet issued any statement regarding new parts. On Dec. 3, 2014, the U.S. House of Representatives conducted a public hearing in which Takata was strongly criticized by congressional representatives who contended that Takata was refusing the requests of the U.S. authorities and exposing citizens to danger. “How many people would need to die before you would be willing to do a nationwide recall?” Congressman Billy Long asked the Takata representative.

Honda has declared a nationwide recall in the United States. By labeling it an “investigative recall,” Honda can independently recall vehicles without ascertaining the cause of the defect, and it has begun collaborating with parts suppliers other than Takata in order to supply replacements. Honda probably concluded that if it waited for Takata’s support, Honda would be unable to avoid damage to its reputation.

In Japan, Toyota has already taken the bold step of initiating a pre-emptive recall. Issuing a recall when the cause of a defect is still unknown is extremely rare in Japan. Such an unprecedentedly quick response is commendable.

Takata has expressed its intention to cooperate fully with U.S. authorities and Honda, but it still hasn’t issued a nationwide recall. Takata seems to be claiming that there is no scientific basis for a recall when the cause remains unknown, but this is a matter of life and death. There’s no going back from such procrastination. Considering the danger, Takata ought to put its full power behind taking care of this problem now, before it gets any worse.


<社説>エアバッグ回収 全世界での対応を急げ
2014年12月9日

 人の安全に関する問題は急を要する。まして生命に関わるような問題なら、遅滞は許されない。
 自動車部品大手タカタ製エアバッグの欠陥問題が深刻化している。米国内の反発はむしろ強まっている。同社はリコール(無料の回収・修理)の全米への拡大を明言していないが、拡大は免れない情勢だ。これにとどまらず、日本を含む全世界での対応を急ぐべきだ。
 タカタはエアバッグで約2割の世界シェアを持つ世界第2位のメーカーだ。問題は、このエアバッグが作動する時に破裂してガス発生装置の金属片が飛び散り、乗員がけがをする恐れがあるというものだ。
 2008年以降、リコールが相次ぎ、ことし12月4日までのリコール届け出数は国内で計約279万台、全世界では少なくとも1330万台に拡大した。米国とマレーシアで計6人が関連事故で死亡したと報じられている。
 詳細な原因は不明だが、湿度が高い環境で問題が起きやすいとして、ホンダやマツダなど自動車メーカー5社は、米国では南部などの高温多湿地域に限定してリコールを実施してきた。だが米道路交通安全局は11月、リコールを全米規模に拡大するよう求めた。
 だが交換部品の供給は追い付いていないのが現状で、タカタは対応を明言しなかった。すると12月3日の米上院の公聴会では議員から「米当局の要求を拒絶し、国民を危険にさらしている」「一体、何人が命を落とすことになるのか」と集中砲火を浴びた。
 ホンダはリコールを全米に拡大すると表明した。不具合の原因が分からなくても自主的に自動車を回収する「調査リコール」という手法だ。タカタ以外の日欧の部品メーカーからも交換部品を調達することにした。タカタの対応を待っていては自社への悪影響を避けられないと判断したのだろう。
 さらにトヨタも国内で予防的措置としてのリコールに踏み切った。原因が分からない段階でのリコールは日本では極めて異例だ。前例にこだわらぬ素早い対応は高く評価できる。
 タカタはホンダや米当局に全面協力する姿勢を示したが、全米での回収は明言していない。原因不明の段階では科学的根拠がないという主張のようだが、事は命に関わる。後手に回っては取り返しがつかない。緊急性に鑑み、早期収拾に全力を挙げてもらいたい。
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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