• Company urges other automakers to join comprehensive testing initiative
• Asks Takata to provide existing test data

Honda today called for coordinated, industry-wide, third-party testing of Takata airbag inflators with the goal of ensuring that all of the inflators that require replacement are accurately identified and fixed as quickly as possible.

“We believe that the industry can achieve greater results by sharing information and putting its collective efforts behind the same objective third party testing program,” said Rick Schostek, executive vice president of Honda North America, Inc. “Honda continues to quickly address the needs and concerns of our customers, and this industry-wide initiative will bring additional energy and focus to this effort.”

Honda is encouraging all automakers affected by the various airbag inflator recalls to join in this effort to engage an independent engineering analysis expert to test airbag inflators. Honda is also calling on Takata to provide the necessary testing data to support this new initiative.

About Honda More than 39,000 Honda associates in North America design, develop, manufacture, market and support the servicing of Honda and Acura products. Honda operates 16 manufacturing plants across North America, including eight auto plants producing nearly 95 percent of the Honda and Acura automobiles the company sells in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts. Honda also operates 16 R&D facilities in the region.

Honda’s cumulative capital investment in North America exceeds $22 billion, and its purchases of parts and services from suppliers in North America reached a record of more than $25 billion in fiscal year 2014 (ended March 31, 2014). Over the past two years, Honda has invested an additional $2.7 billion in its North American manufacturing operations, including more than $1 billion in its U.S. operations.