Statement on Today’s Media Report
It was reported today that Subaru Corporation (Subaru) is suspected to have altered data in fuel economy testing, but this is not information that was announced by Subaru.
In response to the written operation improvement instruction by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) on October 30, 2017, Subaru requested independent experts to investigate improper operations such as nonconforming final vehicle inspections on automobiles manufactured by Subaru conducted by workers not certified as final inspectors. Subaru announced the findings of such investigation on December 19, 2017. In conjunction with the aforementioned operation improvement instruction, Subaru was also instructed by MLIT to inspect, among others, whether it is conducting all of the operations related to the vehicle type designation system in compliance with the relevant laws and regulations. Subaru is conducting such verification and review accordingly.
The inspection thus far has not found any data alteration or other related issues in connection with fuel economy testing conducted at the vehicle development stage or for application for vehicle type approval. Subaru was informed that, in the course of the aforementioned investigation by the independent experts, some final inspectors indicated that, in some fuel economy testing conducted as part of the sampling vehicle inspections, they altered measured values on some vehicles over a certain period after the start of the mass production. Subaru has not made any announcement on this incident because it has not objectively confirmed whether such measured values were actually altered, and if so, the scope of such data alteration. Subaru, with the assistance of independent experts, intends to commence a thorough investigation of the facts. Subaru will, upon the completion of the investigation, appropriately disclose the findings.
We would like to deeply apologize for the significant trouble and inconvenience caused to our customers, business partners and all other stakeholders by today’s report as well as the final vehicle inspection matter.
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This document is an English translation of an original Japanese document. If there are any discrepancies between this document and the original Japanese document, the original Japanese document prevails.