Lawmakers have called for a U.S. criminal investigation into Japanese auto supplier Takata Corp. following a report that the company destroyed results of airbag tests conducted in secret in 2004.
In 2004, Takata tested some 50 airbag inflators in secret after a Honda Accord’s inflator exploded in an accident, injuring the driver, the New York Times reported late Thursday. Instead of alerting regulators about the risks posed by the inflators, Takata executives ordered technicians to destroy the test results, the paper said, citing two former Takata employees.
