The chief executive of Takata Corp. ended his long silence over defective airbags that killed eight people, injured more than 100 others and prompted the recall of more than 33 million vehicles worldwide with a public apology on Thursday.
"I had been in discussions with automakers and regulatory authorities. In doing so I realized how I missed several opportunities to speak and for that I apologize," Shigehisa Takata said in a press conference after a shareholders meeting in Tokyo, according to NBC News.
"What I must do now is to handle the problem properly and deliver safety to our customers. That is my priority, first and foremost," Takata also said, according to Japan Today.
Takata offered condolences to the families of victims, seven of whom are Americans. He said the company is thinking of a way to give relief to the victims. Takata said the company is still investigating the cause of the exploding airbags installed in about 50 million vehicles worldwide.
Reports say extended exposure to moisture of the chemical inside the inflators of the airbag can cause it to blow air with too much force during a crash and send metal fragments of the device flying.
Meanwhile, Toyota Motor Corp, Nissan Motor Co and Mitsubishi announced they are recalling more cars sold worldwide to replace its defective Takata airbags. The recall covers 3.2 million cars of 30 models broken down as follows:
- Toyota, 2.86 million cars in Europe, Japan and China made between April 2003 and December 2008;
- Nissan, 198,000 cars made between April 2007 and December 2008; and
- Mitsubishi, 120,000 vehicles.
Last week, Toyota recalled 2004 and 2005 RAV4 vehicles in the U.S. to replace the driver's front dual-stage airbag inflators, according to the company's website.
BMW, Ford, Chrysler and Honda also recalled cars installed with Takata airbags for replacement.
The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee is investigating the airbag defect and how the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration responded to the problem. It has invited Takata executives to appear in a hearing.
