“Variability in vehicle makes and models is an additional factor indicated by the testing results thus far,” said CEO Shigehisa Takata.
Takata held a meeting in Michigan today with engineers from its automaker customers to update them on the testing of its deadly airbag-inflator safety defects.
Engineers were also provided with a presentation from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute, which is providing independent research to determine the root cause of the airbag inflator failures.
Since 2008, automakers have recalled 17 million vehicles with Takata air bags that can rupture when they deploy.
During a U.S. Senate haring last year Tkata said, “Our best current judgment is that the root causes of these inflator ruptures likely involve a combination of three factors: (1) the age of the unit; (2) persistent exposure over time to conditions of high absolute humidity; and (3) potential production issues, which we have worked to identify and address.”
Takata has since then increased the production of airbag replacement kits in support of its numerous recalls and safety campaigns on the inflators that on deployment send shrapnel into a vehicles interior. Takata has increased production capacity to 450,000 replacement kits per month, up from 350,000 in December, and expects to be producing approximately 900,000 kits per month by September 2015.
The Company claims that newer inflators and those not exposed to prolonged humidity and heat are safe. Takata also is working with other suppliers to further increase the availability of replacement kits for its automotive customers.
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Takata operates 56 plants in 20 countries and has more than 36,000 global employees worldwide.
