Takata Now Under Criminal Investigation - How Should They Be Punished?

Japan's Takata Corp. is the subject of a U.S. criminal investigation over potentially defective car airbags that have been linked to five deaths, a spokesman confirmed today.

A federal grand jury in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has subpoenaed Takata's U.S. unit to produce documents related to air bag defects, the spokesman said.

The investigation into the Japanese safety-parts maker by federal prosecutors had been previously reported, but Thursday's statement is the first indication that a seated grand jury was seeking evidence.

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TheSteve - 11/13/2014 1:13:05 PM

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More information is needed before we nail Takata to the cross. For example, the article states "...Defective Takata airbags have been found to explode with dangerous force in accidents, sending shards of metal into the vehicle." The question in my mind, with respect to this specific statement, is whether:
(a) Takata knew the airbag or related deployment mechanism sprayed metal shards
(b) are those shards dangerous to the occupants, either directly or indirectly (e.g., might cut wires and trigger a fire)
(c) is this issue expected if the airbags are properly installed and maintained, or does it occur as a result of improper installation, maintenance, or design of the vehicle that houses the airbag device

As simple as this one question might seem, the answers reveal if (a)Takata knowingly sold dangerous products that would likely injure or kill when used as directed, (b) Takata complied with existing safety standards that aren't doing a good enough job, or (c) the housing around the airbag (e.g., steering wheel cover, horn button, etc.), which is made by someone other than Takata, is the real culprit.

I don't have sufficient facts to know who to blame at this time.

W208 - 11/15/2014 3:05:26 AM

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Seppuku!!!