Honda Motors, which has recalled millions of cars containing Takata-made air bags, is in talks with other suppliers of the safety technology, according to The Wall Street Journal. American air-bag manufacturers and suppliers are stepping up.
With as many as 14 million recalled cars being reconfigured with new air bags, American ingenuity may come to the rescue.
Japan-based Takata has admitted to installing defective air bags made as early as 2008 and all the way through 2014. The Japanese government has ordered Takata to investigate its problems, but U.S. lawmakers say its not good enough.
Honda, which took a major hit as it absorbs financial damage from the recall of millions of its cars using faulty Takata-made air bags, is in talks with several other air-bag suppliers, according to The Wall Street Journal. Of some up to 14 million cars recalled, the majority of them are Honda products.
The likely replacements for Takata? Prominent suppliers of air bags and air bag components include a range of American companies:
TRW of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, is a global manufacturer and distributor of air bags.
Dow Corning of Midland, Mich., supplies coating, testing and adhesive sealants for air bags
Dynic USA is located in Hillsboro, Ore., and is a supplier of air bags.
Bradford Industries of Lowell, Mass., is a supplier of air bag textiles and fabrics.
MicroTechnologies of Pompano Beach, Fla., is a supplier of sensors and switches including air bag firing sensors
Five fatalities, and possibly a sixth announced last Wednesday, have been attributed to Takata's air bags, according to Reuters. The air-bag deaths have mainly occurred in hot-weather states where air bags are prone to failure as the gas contained them is unstable in varying temperatures.
The deaths attributed to the Takata air bags have all occurred in Honda automobiles.
