Following Mitsubishi Motors, "Suzuki" was found to measure fuel consumption in a different way than the way the country determines fuel efficiency

BySean MacEntee

It was revealed that the automaker "Suzuki" conducted data measurement of fuel economy in a form different from the way the country decided.

Suzuki also different fuel consumption data Measurement - NHK Metropolitan area NEWS WEB
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/shutoken-news/20160518/5409661.html


The beginning of thing was the unauthorized manipulation of Mitsubishi Motors' fuel consumption test data, which was discovered on April 20, 2016. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation engaged in illegal operations to show better fuel efficiency than actual fuel consumption test data submitted to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport when acquiring model certification for minicars. It has also been found that the measurement of data was done in a different way from the measurement test method of fuel efficiency prescribed by domestic laws and regulations.

Misconduct in Fuel Efficiency Test of Mitsubishi Vehicles | MITSUBISHI MOTORS JAPAN
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/info/20160420/index.html


Misconduct in the fuel consumption test of our vehicles | MITSUBISHI MOTORS
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/publish/pressrelease_jp/corporate/2016/news/detailg420.html


The reason why the fuel misconduct was made is "ek wagon" and "ek space" produced by Mitsubishi Motors from June 2013 and "Days" and "Days" supplied by Mitsubishi Motors for Nissan Motor Rooks "total of 4 models. Mitsubishi Motors Corp. sells a total of 157 thousand vehicles by April 20, 2016 when it was found fraudulent, and further, for Nissan Motor, it has sold 468 thousand cars of two models, "Days" and "Days Rooks" We are producing.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is in charge of fuel consumption tests for all four car models with fuel efficiency incorrectly performed. As a result of the discovery of improper fuel economy, when Nissan Motor measured the fuel consumption of the car in reference to the development of the next car, it seems that the reported value and measured value were far apart. Therefore, Nissan Motor asks Mitsubishi Motors to confirm the running resistance value set in the test. In response to this, as a result of Mitsubishi Motors' internal investigation, it was decided to grasp the corruption using the running resistance value that is more favorable to fuel consumption than the actual situation.

The outline of the survey report submitted by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport after fraud has been detected is as follows.

Report on MIZU concerning misconduct in fuel efficiency test of our company vehicle | MITSUBISHI MOTORS
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/publish/pressrelease_jp/corporate/2016/news/detailg427.html

1. About the circumstances of improper fuel consumption test data at our company minicars
(1) Development of a fuel efficiency appealing car among four categories (fuel efficiency appealing car, standard car, turbo attachment car, 4WD car) set for 14 type "eK Wagon" "Days" (February 2013 application) In February 2011, the target fuel consumption was 26.4 km / l at the beginning, but it was repeatedly upwardly revised at the subsequent in-house meeting and was eventually raised to 29.2 km / l in February 2013.
(2) Different from the coasting method prescribed by laws and regulations for the same fuel efficiency appealing vehicle Actual measurement of running resistance data with "fast coasting method". In order to make fuel consumption look good, small values ​​were selected from the measured data and running resistance was set. For the remaining 3 categories, the actual measurement should be carried out, based on the value of the fuel efficiency appealing car calculated on the desk.
(3) Type 14 "eK space" "Days rooks" (applied in October 2013), type 15 "eK Wagon" "Days" (applied in March 2014), type 15 "eK space" "Days rooks" In December application), for both 16 type "eK Wagon" and "Days" (application for June 2015), based on 14 type "eK Wagon" "Days" calculate by desk according to target fuel consumption and apply It was.

2. About the process of using measurement method "fast coasting method" different from those stipulated by regulations
For any of the following, the reason for the judgment at that time is under investigation.
(1) In 1991, the measurement method of running resistance was designated as the "coasting law" by the Road Trucking Vehicle Law, but at our company we started measuring the domestic vehicles with the "fast coasting method" different from that.
(2) In January 1992, a calculation method was calculated to calculate backward coasting time from running resistance.
(3) In January 2001, we conducted a comparative test of "coasting method" and "fast coasting method" and confirmed that the difference is only 2.3% difference.
(4) In February 2007, "DOM (Domestic) was revised as TRIAS (" Coasting Law ")" by the test manual, but it continued to use the "fast coasting method" thereafter.

3. About future investigation policy
(1) Although certain investigations have been made with respect to the backgrounds 1 and 2 above, the causes and responsibilities are unknown, and the investigation will continue.
(2) We have not made sufficient investigations on our vehicles other than the mini-cars mentioned above and will continue to investigate and report it separately.

In addition, the summary of the survey report Mitsubishi Motors added to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport after entering May 2016 is as follows.

Report on MIZU concerning misconduct in fuel efficiency test of our company vehicle | MITSUBISHI MOTORS
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/publish/pressrelease_jp/corporate/2016/news/detailg511.html

1. About survey of 4 types of mini vehicles made by our company
(1) The illegal operation of running resistance to make fuel consumption look good was started in the development of a fuel-saving appealing car of 14 "eK Wagon" "Days" (February 2013 application). For other categories (standard cars, turbocharged cars, 4WD cars) and "eK space" "Days Loks", each year change car, running resistance was calculated on the desk from data of the same fuel efficiency appealing car.
(2) In the development of the same fuel efficiency appealing car, the fuel efficiency target was raised five times from 26.4 km / l to 29.2 km / l. It was strongly aware of the fuel consumption of the new type of competing car, and development was promoted based on an easy-to-understand perspective that is difficult to achieve in reality but it is scarce.
(3) The persons in charge recognized that fuel economy was "the most appealing point of merchantability" and requested improvement managers and officials in the development-related sector to improve fuel economy.
(4) The management staff (s) in the development-related department did not communicate well with outsourcers, and despite understanding the difficulty of high fuel efficiency targets, they confirmed the practical situation I did not.
(5) Regarding measures to prevent recurrence, we are considering fundamental reforms based on each problem.

2. Future response
(1) For other nine car models currently selling and cars that have already sold, as a result of hearings, the running resistance was not calculated correctly, the one calculated by desk calculation for "RVR" Since it is suspected that there is, we are investigating the backing and background by the measured data, and will report it separately.
(2) For the thorough investigation of the case including the reasons and circumstances of the use of the "fast coasting method", a special investigation committee was established on 25th April only by external experts. Upon receipt of the report and recommendations from the committee, we will devise appropriate response as our company and report it separately.

Nissan announced that it will acquire 34% of the company's shares by investing 237 billion yen in Mitsubishi Motors Corporation three weeks after the misconception of fuel efficiency. In fact, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has decided to be under umbrella of Nissan Motor.

Nissan and Mitsubishi conclude strategic alliances - Nissan Motor News Room


Following this Mitsubishi's fuel misperception problem, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport asked other domestic automobile manufacturers to investigate whether there was no fraud. As a result, Suzuki, a major manufacturer of minicars, found that data measurement was conducted differently than the method specified by the country.

In fact, it is unknown what Suzuki was doing "different car type" and "how much period" and how to measure different from the regulation. In addition, it is unknown how much difference in fuel consumption is caused by the prescribed method and the measurement method that Suzuki was doing, etc. For these, Suzuki Osamu chairman of Suzuki visits the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in the afternoon of May 18 and reports it It is supposed to be.

· Additional notes 2016/05/18 17: 42
In the afternoon of May 18, 2016, Suzuki Osamu chairman Suzuki opened a news conference and apologized as "I will apologize deeply without using the prescribed measurement method."

Suzuki Chairman "Deeply Abusive" Inadequacy with 16 models of fuel efficiency measurement: Nihon Keizai Shimbun


At the same time, Suzuki released a release on the contents of reports to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, according to which the measurement method was different from the provision, but there seems to be no misconduct to mislead fuel efficiency.

Suzuki Corporation Company News May 18, 2016 About the content reported to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport


The following 16 models were adopted inappropriate measurement methods. It is said that overseas sales vehicles are unrelated to this case.

Alto (released on 22nd December 2014), Alto Lapin (released on June 3, 2015)
Wagon R (released on September 19, 2012), Hustler (released on January 8, 2014)
Spacia (released on March 15, 2013), Every (released on February 18, 2015)
Carly (released on 20th September 20th), Jimny (for 2010 JC08 compliant)


Solio (released on August 26, 2015), Ignis (released February 18, 2016)
Vareno (released on 9th March 2016), SX4 S-CROSS (released on February 19, 2015)
Swift (released on September 18, 2010), Escudo 2.4 (corresponding to 2012 JC 08)
Escudo (released October 15, 2015), Jimny Sierra (2010 JC 08 compatible)