Slashdot Mirror
Nissan Workers In Japan Falsified Emissions Tests, Review Says (nytimes.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The New York Times: Nissan Motor has become the latest Japanese automaker to admit to falsifying product-quality data (Warning: source may be paywalled; alternative source), dealing a further blow to Japan Inc.'s reputation for dependable quality. An internal review of emissions and fuel economy tests at Nissan's production plants in Japan showed that company inspectors used "altered measurement values" on emissions inspection reports, the company said in a statement on Monday. The tests also "deviated from the prescribed testing environment," it said.
The review found that all models complied with Japanese safety and emissions standards, it said. The exception was the Nissan GT-R, a two-door sports car, which the company produces too few of to comprehensively review its record, said Nick Maxfield, a Nissan spokesman, in an email. The company said the falsification problems ultimately did not affect fuel-economy findings. Nissan said that it had already started investigating the falsifications and that it had retained a Japanese law firm, Nishimura & Asahi, to lead the effort. The investigation is likely to take one month, Mr. Maxfield said. "Nissan understands and regrets the concern and inconvenience caused to stakeholders," the company said in a statement.
The review found that all models complied with Japanese safety and emissions standards, it said. The exception was the Nissan GT-R, a two-door sports car, which the company produces too few of to comprehensively review its record, said Nick Maxfield, a Nissan spokesman, in an email. The company said the falsification problems ultimately did not affect fuel-economy findings. Nissan said that it had already started investigating the falsifications and that it had retained a Japanese law firm, Nishimura & Asahi, to lead the effort. The investigation is likely to take one month, Mr. Maxfield said. "Nissan understands and regrets the concern and inconvenience caused to stakeholders," the company said in a statement.
This why self driving cars will lot's of testing and laws.
Maybe something like the FAA code audit that is done on autopilots.
Also rules like
software updates must be free for at least 5 years and free means that if say a bigger SD card / ssd / etc is needed then that part + install must be free.
No roaming fees or data fees for forced updates.
No forced onstar unless it's free for at least 5 years
No forced XM for data unless it's free for at least 5 years
They won't have a direct effect; but do you think that a lesson in the ease and convenience of papering over engineering problems is going to do the rigor of various costly, but reliability critical, quality control measures any good?
Quality control involves a lot of being willing to look rigorously at things that would be much less of a nuisance if you just let them slide long enough to be someone else's problem.