The automaker admitted that it had incorrect data on more than 1,500 vehicles in terms of fuel economy and emission.
Subaru chairman and CEO Yasuyuki Yashinaga will now step down. This is after Subaru revealed earlier this week that employees had incorrectly recorded fuel economy data for nearly twice the number of vehicles than previously reported. Nikkei Asia Review reports that Yoshinaga will be replaced by Tomomi Nakamura as president and chief executive officer. Yoshinaga will also be resigning his rights as a representative chairman of the board and become a non-representative chairperson.
Subaru had reported in April that the company had incorrectly recorded fuel economy data and emissions data for 903 vehicles. Yoshinaga was forced to resign after Yoshinaga discovered 927 more affected vehicles. This brings the total number of affected vehicles to 1,551.
This scandal was caused by improper methods used by Subaru’s Gunma plant inspectors to measure emissions and fuel economy. Factors like speed and indoor humidity did not meet government standards. Inspectors accepted the data as valid. To avoid any questions from superiors regarding data variations, inspectors altered certain numbers on vehicles.
Subaru acknowledged that it used non-certified, unauthorized inspectors for final vehicle inspections. This led to suspicions about Subaru’s fuel economy data. Evidently, the practice of using unauthorized inspectors has been going on for more than 30 years. , the automaker, admitted that it had used unauthorized inspectors. also revealed that its fuel economy and emission data might be incorrect .
According to Nikkei Asia Review, Transport Minister Keiichi Itshii stated that “we have no other choice than to question [Subaru]’s] stance in finding the bottom” of the cheating. “This is very regrettable.”
The company has verified data for 6,530 vehicles that were tested between December 2012 and November 2012. However, it cannot verify any further data as the data from before November 2012 was not available.