Japanese carmaker Honda Motor company had been undergoing trial for failing to report injuries, deaths and other consumer claims involving its cars. The US government has indeed found the charges to be true and has fined the company with about $70 Million in fine over 1,700 injuries and deaths that were linked to potential defects in its vehicles. The 14-year-old US law clearly states that Automakers are required to report such information which clearly Honda had failed to do so. This has resulted in hampering the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) ability that would allow in quickly identifying the vehicle flaw.
A statement released by Anthony Foxx, US Transportation Secretary in this regard states, “Honda and all of the auto makers have a safety responsibility they must live up to—no excuses. These fines reflect the tough stance we will take against those who violate the law. In this situation, we're talking about 11 years - 11 years of information we did not have. It's egregious and I think the penalties reflect that." Commenting on Honda's perspective over the incident, Rick Schostek, Executive Vice President of Honda North America Inc said, “We have resolved this matter and will move forward to build on the important actions Honda has already taken to address our past shortcomings in early warning reporting.”
