A few weeks ago, Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu reported that some cars received modifications in an effort to boost crash test safety ratings. It came to light after a whistleblower from the company reported the practice. The affected models all rode on the new Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA).
The cars that use the DNGA platform include the all-new Wigo and Vios, as well as the Raize, Avanza, and Veloz. When it was first reported, it was the Wigo and the Vios that were affected. However, more discrepancies were found following a company-wide investigation. The affected model is the Raize, along with the model it’s based on, the Daihatsu Rocky.
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This time around, the investigation uncovered improper test procedures for the side impact pole test. The test, dubbed UN R135-01, simulates a collision with a pole at 32kph angled at 75 degrees. UN R135-01 tests the driver and passenger side to see if the chassis is consistently rigid enough for both sides. You can also say it’s a test to see if the left-hand drive version is just as safe as the right-hand drive model in the home market. It might not sound like a big deal, but adapting a platform for both steering sides requires extensive re-engineering.
In Daihatsu’s case, the company skipped the passenger side test (or the driver’s side for LHD markets). Instead, the company extended the same result from the driver’s test to the other side of the vehicle. The model tested was a hybrid version of the Raize/Rocky, hence, Toyota has ordered a temporary stoppage of sales and importation for the Japan-built units.
That said, there is no stop sale order for units made in Indonesia where Philippine-spec models are sourced. For now, it’s just the hybrid model sales and importation that are suspended, and it remains to be seen if the 1.2-liter, 1.0-liter turbo, and left-hand drive models are affected.
The company-wide internal investigation that uncovered these discrepancies is ongoing.
