Toyota chief Koji Sato apologized for flawed testing at Toyota Industries Corp., involving certification testing and inspections for diesel engines. The apology came before Chairman Akio Toyoda s announcement of a global vision for Toyota Motor Corp. group. The company acknowledged the need for better communication, education about compliance, and understanding of evolving auto industry technology. The recent scandal raises concerns about oversight and worker pressure to cut corners. Production halt affects 7,000 vehicles monthly in Japan and 36,000 globally, excluding North America, including Land Cruiser and Hilux SUVs.
False results were found for certification testing and other sampling inspections for diesel engines made by Toyota Industries which claimed that the products met standards when they actually didn t.