Toyota suspends sales of Yaris model after safety test problem (updated)
08/05/2023 09:24
(Adds details, quotes throughout)
BANGKOK, May 8 (Reuters) - Japanese carmaker Toyota
Motor Corp 7203.T has stopped sales of its Yaris Ativ, a
senior official said on Monday, after its affiliate Daihatsu
rigged part of the door in side-collision safety tests.
Speaking at a press conference in Bangkok, Toyota's CEO for
the Asia region, Masahiko Maeda, said the problem may have
occurred due to pressure during the development of the Ativ
model, adding that the vehicles customers were using were safe.
"If development had been carried out under appropriate
conditions, this kind of problem would of course not have
happened," Maeda said.
"I think the fact that it still happened, means there was
some kind of pressure at the development site," he said, adding
that the vehicle's relatively large size may have posed a
challenge to the development.
Toyota and Daihatsu 6023.T disclosed last month they were
investigating how part of the door in side-collision safety
tests carried out for some 88,000 small cars, most of which were
Ativs, had been changed for the purpose of side-on crash safety
testing.
Thailand is Toyota's fourth-biggest global centre by
production volume after Japan, the U.S. and China. It produced
some 659,000 vehicles, including models of its luxury brand
Lexus, in the country last year.
(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Writing by Daniel Leussink;
Editing by Martin Petty and Louise Heavens)
((chayut.setboonsarng@tr.com, @ChayutSet; +66854849033;))