A spate of deaths, which have claimed as many as six lives around the world, have triggered a recall of millions of cars using airbags supplied by the Japanese company Takata. Toyota and Nissan are recalling nearly 6.5-million vehicles around the world, while Honda, which is the worst affected, is still counting the final numbers of cars it will have to bring in for remedial work. At least 27,000 cars in Ireland are affected, with that number set to rise significantly over the coming days.
The problem behind the recall is a faulty airbag assembly, which can prove fatal. According to the safety experts at the US National Highway Traffic Safety Authority (NHTSA), the Takata airbags suffer from water getting in past the outer seals and messing with the electronics. Those electronics control the way the airbag deploys and, crucially, the explosive charges that pop the bag out and inflate it. When the water damages the electronics, they instruct the explosives to go off with more force than is necessary, shattering the airbag mechanism and turning what should be a big, inflating pillow into a cloud of flying shrapnel. Six deaths around the world have so far been confirmed as caused by the airbags, with the latest victim a 35-year-old father of two who crashed his Accord in Huston, Texas in January.
The case is set to go far beyond that of a mere recall and repair job though. Takata has been coming under fire for more than a year now, facing accusations that it knew of the faults in the airbags more than a decade ago, and that its senior management hushed up the problem and tried to cover it up. The NHTSA is currently investigating Takata's actions in the US, and it's possible that charges will be filed against the firm in a federal court. If those proceedings go ahead, it's likely that Takata may face similar charges in Europe.
In defence of his company, Takata's Chairman and CEO, Shigehisa Takada, released a statement that says: "as Takata's Chairman, I know we can and must do more. Therefore, today, I am announcing several important steps the Company will take, beginning immediately, to demonstrate our commitment to public safety. These steps will provide increased assurances to the public, to our customers, and to the responsible government agencies that Takata will not rest until we have resolved all issues relating to the performance of our airbag products."
So far, no deaths or injuries have been reported in Europe or Ireland, and it seems, given that the locations of all of the deaths so far have been in high-heat and high-humidity areas such as Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, that humidity and dampness may be exacerbating factors. Irish customers will be contacted in the coming weeks, and it's likely that other car makers, which have been supplied by Takata, including BMW, Chrysler, Ford and Mazda will also have to issue recall notices.