Daihatsu safety scandal: Toyota Raize passes in-house re-test of UN-R135, authorities to confirm



Following the “wrongdoing” of Daihatsu on the UN-R135 side pole impact test for the Toyota Raize/Daihatsu Rocky that made news on May 19, 2023, Toyota has announced that the car has passed an internal re-test of the UN-R135 procedure. The re-test is only an in-house test, and Toyota is still awaiting confirmation on the certification status by the relevant certification authority.

For those unfamiliar with the situation regarding the Toyota Raize/Daihatsu Rocky, Daihatsu Motor Corporation committed a “wrongdoing” for the UN-R135 pole side impact test. The company submitted side impact results for the left door to replace results for the right (driver) door instead. Quoting Daihatsu’s statement, “This time, the passenger seat side (left) was tested in the presence of witnesses. For the driver’s seat side, we submitted the left-side data instead of the right-side in-house test data.”

The in-house re-test was conducted on May 24, 2023, at the Daihatsu Shiga Technical Centre. The purpose of the UN-R135 test is to confirm the safety of a vehicle when it collides with a utility pole from the side. In the test, the side of a vehicle was crashed into a utility-type pole at a speed of 32 km/h. Through the test, it can be confirmed:

  • If the occupant impact (injury value) meets legal standards
  • If the door does not dislodge or release
  • If the amount of fuel leakage is below a certain value

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Toyota and Daihatsu have also shared the results of the test, showing that the Raize/Rocky meets regulatory safety standards concerning occupant impact injury to the head, shoulders, ribs, abdominal muscles, lower spine, and pelvis. The car also meets safety requirements concerning vehicle damage such as door dislodgement and fuel leaks.

As mentioned earlier, the re-test is an in-house test and has not been confirmed by the certification authority. The necessary procedures for shipment and sales resumption of the Toyota Raize will be implemented, such as conducting tests in the presence of certification authorities and confirming other certification items in consultation with the authorities.

Regarding the UN-R135 issue, Toyota’s official statement reads, “We view this case not as an individual or workplace issue, but rather a company-wide issue where an individual or workplace was forced to commit a wrongdoing. Together with Daihatsu, we are committed to listening to the voices of those on the front lines and carefully responding to the situation.”

As for the Raize/Rocky’s Malaysian counterpart, the Perodua Ativa, no official statements have been released regarding the issue.

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