Honda Bosses Say It Won't Fall Into Toyota's Quality Trap

Cars are getting more advanced, complex, and therefore more expensive every day. Software, sensors, and processors rule the road in modern cars, making them smarter, more comfortable, and safer. However, that also often makes them more prone to failures caused by quality control issues. Automakers like Honda and Toyota strive to maintain their reputation for reliability year after year, model after model, but as we’ve seen recently with the latter’s faulty V6 truck engines, problems still arise.

 

Honda isn’t exempt from issues, either. The Japanese automaker has dealt with its fair share of recalls in recent years, ranging from major mechanical problems to minor ones like faulty wiring for rearview cameras. But as I recently learned from two of the company’s top bosses—Executive Vice President of Honda Motor Noriya Kaihara and American Honda President and CEO Eiji Fujimura—its quality control systems are evolving to keep up with new challenges; though at the core, the company retains the mentality instilled by Soichiro Honda: the quality of the product and the customer’s satisfaction remain priority number one.