Global vehicle manufacturers are attempting to dispel any doubts about the structural safety of their vehicles after Kobe Steel, a major supplier to automakers, became embroiled in a scandal concerning false quality recording. 

Kobe Steel is Japan’s third largest steel maker and supplies some 500 companies globally in the automotive, aerospace and transportation sectors, as well as many other industries. The company has now admitted falsifying records concerning the strength and durability of its materials as specified by clients. Initially this was thought to concern only copper and aluminium production, but it has now also emerged that steel products are affected.

Kobe is a major supplier to Japanese car makers Toyota, Honda and Nissan and is also said to be a supplier to Ford, GM and several other car producers. Some press reports have drawn parallels with the Takata airbag scandal, however, it is hoped that the safety implications of this false labelling are not as serious. To date there are no reports of safety issues or injuries from affected products. Both Kobe and the car makers are obviously keen to down play any safety implications, with both indicating this is more a question of material being supplied outside of agreed specification rather than any serious question marks over fundamental product quality. Toyota has also carried out safety tests on parts produced with suspect aluminium from Kobe and says that they meet all of the necessary safety requirements.

Industry observers have, however, expressed some concerns that pedestrian safety in particular could be compromised as parts such as aluminium bonnets are designed to deform in a set manner according to the material specification should a vehicle hit a pedestrian. Toyota and Honda have both identified that falsified grade aluminium from Kobe has been used in bonnets and doors on their vehicles, so further safety testing is likely.

There are also thought to be question marks over the specification of iron powder products produced by Kobe and used primarily in the manufacture of gears, something that could cast doubt over transmission service life and create warrantee issues.

The full picture of what has happened is still emerging and at present it seems that motorists or the trade need not be alarmed. However, as with Takata these stories can quickly grow and the global automotive industry is looking at daily developments nervously.