Senators Press for Takata to Recall All Its Air Bags
In response to new reports of an air bag explosion in a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan, senators Richard Blumenthal and Edward Markey urge a recall of all Takata air bags.
by Staff
August 20, 2015
MARKEY
2 min to read
MARKEY
Two U.S. senators are calling for Takata Corp. to voluntarily recall all of its air bags and to publicly release all company air bag test results so that independent experts can review them.
The senators, Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), publicly released an Aug. 20 letter they sent to Takata. The letter expresses concerns arising from new reports of a June 7 explosion of a Takata side air bag in a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan near St. Louis, Mo.
Ad Loading...
This incident “directly undercuts Takata’s continued insistence – despite growing evidence to the contrary – that the flaws in its airbag inflators are limited to prior designs in older model cars and only present when the airbags have prolonged exposure to extremely humid conditions,” the letter states.
The two senators are members of the Senate committee on commerce, science and transportation, which has held hearings on the Takata air bag recalls.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently investigating the June 17 incident.
“As new reports surface of explosions in the latest models of Takata airbags, we write to express our deep concern over the obfuscation and delay that your company has engaged in while searching for a root cause of these defects,” the letter says. “Takata’s defective airbags have already caused at least eight deaths and more than one-hundred injuries in the United States – numbers that may increase as further cases come to light – and it is essential for your company to do all it can to identify and address the cause of this problem.”
The letter points out that the 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan wasn’t included in previous Takata air bag recalls, and also questions why Takata has continued to use ammonium nitrate mixtures in some of its new inflator designs.
Ad Loading...
In the letter, the senators express dismay at “Takata’s unwillingness to acknowledge the strong association between ammonium nitrate and the safety defect that has led to the rupturing of so many inflators.”
Blumenthal and Markey also criticize Takata for failing to establish a victim’s compensation fund. The letter is addressed to Kevin Kennedy, TK Holdings executive vice president for North America. TK Holdings, based in Michigan, operates as a subsidiary of Takata Corp. in Japan.
To ensure Takata’s replacement air bags are truly safe, the company needs to disclose all relevant test results involving new and previous inflator designs, the senators argue. The letter sets a Sept. 3 deadline for a Takata response. The company has thus far declined multiple media requests for comment on the letter.
Fleet drivers face constant visual, cognitive, and environmental interruptions the moment they hit the road. From roadside chaos to mental fatigue and digital overload, today’s biggest driving risks often come from outside the vehicle itself.
FLASH Weather AI has launched a first-of-its-kind hail prediction model capable of forecasting hail size and arrival time at 1-kilometer resolution up to 55 minutes ahead, giving fleets and insurers critical time to prepare for severe storms.
As litigation risk rises, vehicles are increasingly targeted. This Coca-Cola bottler shares how it’s reducing exposure through driver training, technology, and a proactive risk management approach.
From identity management to third-party certifications, the right technology partner should make security easier to manage. Here are the three building blocks that fleet managers need to stay in control as connected systems scale.
Distracted driving remains one of the most persistent risks in fleet operations. New approaches focus on removing mobile device use entirely while adding real-time safety support.
As distraction risks evolve, fleets are turning to smarter, more connected technologies to better understand what’s happening behind the wheel. Part 2 explores how these tools are helping identify risky behaviors and improve visibility across operations.
Distracted driving is often measured by what we can see—phones in hand, eyes off the road. But what about the distractions we can’t? A recent incident raises a bigger question about awareness, attention, and why subtle risks so often go unnoticed.