Japanese
carmaker Suzuki is the latest automotive company to be caught in an improper
fuel economy testing issue, following similar admissions by Mitsubishi last
month.
Deutsche Welle, 18 May 2016
Suzuki admitted
to "discrepancies" in its fuel economy and emissions testing, after
media reports surfaced on Wednesday saying an internal audit uncovered
irregularities in the company's methods.
"Some
discrepancies were found in the automobile emission and fuel-efficiency testing
process between the testing method required by the government and the one
Suzuki employed," the company said in a statement.
Sixteen
models and about two million cars are affected, but Suzuki said all the
vehicles in question were only sold within Japan. The carmaker also denied
actively rigging the results of testing.
"Any
wrongdoing, such as manipulation of fuel efficiency data, were not found,"
Suzuki said. Company chairman Osamu Suzuki visited the transport ministry to
discuss the issue.
The
ministry urged the country’s carmakers to launch internal reviews, after rival
Mitsubishi reported in April that it actively cheated on fuel economy tests.
Mitsubishi
admitted that it had been using obsolete fuel economy tests since new
regulations were introduced more than 25 years ago. It is also expected to
submit a report to the transport authorities on Wednesday.
Suzuki
shares dove 15 percent on the news, as investors sold off stock in the small
carmaker, which sells about three million vehicles annually.
jd/uhe (dpa, AFP)
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