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Naughty Toyota - Adampr

Looks like someone's done a Volkswagen. Seems the other big Japanese manufacturers are at it too.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1wwj1p2wdyo

Naughty Toyota - groaver

Cynical perhaps but it's human nature at work as usual.

Naughty Toyota - Engineer Andy

Like a lot of modern tech, many of the products are now rushed to market to 'keep up with the Joneses' and with ever increasing safety and environmental legislation, with, in my view, insufficient R&D, especially testing in combination with other sub-components in the overall product.

That's why you see so many cars being given 'software updates' - not just to improve a product via more features, but to correct known flaws the manufacturers thought they could 'get away with' because they aren't dangerously unsafe or significantly impacts on the operation of the product.

The VAG 1.5TSI engine 'kangerooing' problem in my view was one prime example - they IMHO used a software update to 'fix' a design flaw in the engine. At least that got 'fixed' - not sure that the similar issue with some Mercedes has been, though not much publicity for some time, so maybe it has been.

Japanese car manufacturers have been caught before - the main difference between them (for the most part) and the Euro makes is that once caught, they are all contrite (lots of bowing involved and looking 'ashamed') and accept the 'punishment', though unlike with VW, they normally don't appear to involve prison sentences, just big fines for the company.

Given the predilection for much worse abuses, you have to wonder at the quality of Chinese designed and made cars, plus from other developing nations.

A lot of today's world is a 'never-mind-the-quality-feel-the-width' approach to business. All style, no substance.

Naughty Toyota - Moodyman
Chinese car quality is as good as anything from the West. They’re very advanced with the electronics that control modern cars.The problem with established car makers is they are adding new tech to legacy systems and struggling to make it work well..The Chinese, as with Tesla, have gone straight to EV and designed from the ground up. VAG, have been getting advice from BYD, to make their driver interface work better,

And, I’m sure you’re aware that EVs by having less components are deemed to be less troublesome long term.

Edited by Moodyman on 05/06/2024 at 22:15

Naughty Toyota - Warning

Chinese car quality is as good as anything from the West

That is an over-rated statement. People may judge a car on quality of the interior or paintwork. However, for me the quality of the engineering is important.

Look at Hyundai, it has been around a while, but it has take several iteration to get better and they will get better over time. The Chinese automakers have no history, to learn from their mistakes.

Does a Chinese parts maker have the same field experience as say Bosch or a Japanese part maker.

Just look at the drama of people who find they have a dead Tesla battery. Keyless entry does n't work, so you can't open the bonnet to replace the battery. These are things learned through experience.

The Chinese automaker will get better over time, without a doubt. They are not just copying but also evolving with new ideas.

Naughty Toyota - Engineer Andy

Chinese car quality is as good as anything from the West

That is an over-rated statement. People may judge a car on quality of the interior or paintwork. However, for me the quality of the engineering is important.

Look at Hyundai, it has been around a while, but it has take several iteration to get better and they will get better over time. The Chinese automakers have no history, to learn from their mistakes.

Does a Chinese parts maker have the same field experience as say Bosch or a Japanese part maker.

Just look at the drama of people who find they have a dead Tesla battery. Keyless entry does n't work, so you can't open the bonnet to replace the battery. These are things learned through experience.

The Chinese automaker will get better over time, without a doubt. They are not just copying but also evolving with new ideas.

Indeed - it took the Japanese quite a while to go from (like the Chinese are currently doing) copying various elements of others to make 'their own' products, and I'd bet the 'best' Chinese tech firms still employ mostly foreigners on the design front.

Eventually they, as you say, will learn to DIY - the difference is that at least the Japanese and South Koreans showed they could be reasonable trading and diplomatic partners in a democratic, civilised world - I'm not sure you can say the same for CCP-run China.

Sadly many Western firms are now bowing down to the CCP in order to get finance, cheap labour and 'access' to the Chinese market, which is not going to end well for anyone outside of China. Similarly for any country (aside for their corrupt 'leaders' and 'top' business people) involved in their 'belt-and-road wheeze.

Naughty Toyota - nlpnlp
Chinese car quality is as good as anything from the West. They’re very advanced with the electronics that control modern cars.The problem with established car makers is they are adding new tech to legacy systems and struggling to make it work well..The Chinese, as with Tesla, have gone straight to EV and designed from the ground up. VAG, have been getting advice from BYD, to make their driver interface work better, And, I’m sure you’re aware that EVs by having less components are deemed to be less troublesome long term.

First I would say that I assume you have not driven an MG - never mind the lesser known/quality cars - produced by Chine.

The other issue is that China has declared economic war on the west and has aligned itself with President Putin. I appreciate that I may sound like a Trump/Farage joke, but sadly this is the truth and that buying cut priced Chinese goods such as cars is tantamount to shooting ourselves in the head. Is saving a few quid by buying a cheap car worth it?

Naughty Toyota - Adampr

I think that the 'cheap stuff from China' ship sailed quite some time ago. Almost anything with a plug or a screen on it is mostly Chinese.

Naughty Toyota - Moodyman
Many people are still living in the 90s.

Almost every car industry expert has concluded the Chinese have not only closed the gap, but surpassed the European/US carmakers in the fields of software and tech which drive most modern cars. The only company competing with the likes of BYD is Tesla and they are costlier.

Chinese car makers also lead in battery technology.

Someone mentioned MG above - they are a budget brand and better than their price would suggest.

And no, the Chinese have not waged an economic war. That’s been waged by the US. The Chinese have invested in their high tech sector and learnt from the domestic partnerships they had with US/European manufacturers.

Of course, they have recruited Western talent around design and haptics. The West has been caught napping.




Naughty Toyota - alan1302
Chinese car quality is as good as anything from the West. They’re very advanced with the electronics that control modern cars.The problem with established car makers is they are adding new tech to legacy systems and struggling to make it work well..The Chinese, as with Tesla, have gone straight to EV and designed from the ground up. VAG, have been getting advice from BYD, to make their driver interface work better, And, I’m sure you’re aware that EVs by having less components are deemed to be less troublesome long term.

First I would say that I assume you have not driven an MG - never mind the lesser known/quality cars - produced by Chine.

The other issue is that China has declared economic war on the west and has aligned itself with President Putin. I appreciate that I may sound like a Trump/Farage joke, but sadly this is the truth and that buying cut priced Chinese goods such as cars is tantamount to shooting ourselves in the head. Is saving a few quid by buying a cheap car worth it?

Apparently Nigel Farage drives a Volvo...which is owned by Geely...who are Chinese.

Naughty Toyota - Warning

It seems to be the issues are in Daihatsu, which is their other brand. They also manufacture car for other makers.

www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/toyo.../

Naughty Toyota - Falkirk Bairn

Toyota, Mazda & Honda are "looking into matters"

Snippets I have seen, but no real details

Toyota & Daihatsu have suspended production on some models - potential safety concerns on a few current models and some older cars going back years

Mazda MX5 and some other model looking into "brake issues"

Honda "safety concerns"

Naughty Toyota - Bolt

Toyota, Mazda & Honda are "looking into matters"

Snippets I have seen, but no real details

Toyota & Daihatsu have suspended production on some models - potential safety concerns on a few current models and some older cars going back years

Mazda MX5 and some other model looking into "brake issues"

Honda "safety concerns"

I think you will find all testing that was done on all motors was above and beyond what has been specified, so there are no safety concerns with any cars as maximum spec is minimum to these car companies- amazing how things get twisted

Naughty Toyota - alan1302

Toyota, Mazda & Honda are "looking into matters"

Snippets I have seen, but no real details

Toyota & Daihatsu have suspended production on some models - potential safety concerns on a few current models and some older cars going back years

Mazda MX5 and some other model looking into "brake issues"

Honda "safety concerns"

I think you will find all testing that was done on all motors was above and beyond what has been specified, so there are no safety concerns with any cars as maximum spec is minimum to these car companies- amazing how things get twisted

So the test where they deployed the airbags with a timer rather than the actual sensors is not a safety concern?

Naughty Toyota - Bolt

So the test where they deployed the airbags with a timer rather than the actual sensors is not a safety concern?

You make it sound as though they only do one test of safety critical hardware, I would be very very surprised if that was the case. and, I don`t believe all I read though it seems a lot do.

afaia most companies mentioned actually do more safety testing going far beyond what they need to....but I do not know the facts only whats been reported and don`t assume anything

Naughty Toyota - alan1302

You make it sound as though they only do one test of safety critical hardware, I would be very very surprised if that was the case. and, I don`t believe all I read though it seems a lot do.

afaia most companies mentioned actually do more safety testing going far beyond what they need to....but I do not know the facts only whats been reported and don`t assume anything

I was pointing out to you one case where they did some bad testing when it's a safety related thing - you said there were not safety concerns....if there were no concerns then why not do it properly rather than a bodge?

Naughty Toyota - Bolt

You make it sound as though they only do one test of safety critical hardware, I would be very very surprised if that was the case. and, I don`t believe all I read though it seems a lot do.

afaia most companies mentioned actually do more safety testing going far beyond what they need to....but I do not know the facts only whats been reported and don`t assume anything

I was pointing out to you one case where they did some bad testing when it's a safety related thing - you said there were not safety concerns....if there were no concerns then why not do it properly rather than a bodge?

Is it bad testing though?. I don't recall saying it isn't, but then aren't computerised timers used to check the sensors work within a timers tolerance ie the sensor reacts inside a few milliseconds

I was under the impression testing has to be done in a certain way.???

Naughty Toyota - alan1302

I was under the impression testing has to be done in a certain way.???

It does and it wasn't.

Naughty Toyota - Bolt

I was under the impression testing has to be done in a certain way.???

It does and it wasn't.

Its odd, as from what I have read about testing, all these car companies have to test in a certain way and to cover themselves for all countries they sell to, test to beyond the specifications asked for, I see no reason why they should miss tests that they have to do in order to save time and money.

whatever people believe is up to them and if proof rather than speculation has been given then fair enough, I have doubts though of it happening IMO...

Naughty Toyota - alan1302

I was under the impression testing has to be done in a certain way.???

It does and it wasn't.

Its odd, as from what I have read about testing, all these car companies have to test in a certain way and to cover themselves for all countries they sell to, test to beyond the specifications asked for, I see no reason why they should miss tests that they have to do in order to save time and money.

whatever people believe is up to them and if proof rather than speculation has been given then fair enough, I have doubts though of it happening IMO...

Not sure why you don't believe no wrongdoing has taken place - Toyotas chairman has even publicly apologised for it taking place.

Naughty Toyota - Bolt

What I find strange is reports I read state testing goes beyond what the specs ask of the maker safety wise, and the complaints were that testing wasn't done to spec.

which if the tests are done slightly different but are stricter than spec which I read, it makes the cars safer than standard, which I gather is what the so called problem was.

If The Chairman apologised which I gather all involved did the only wrong doing they did was testing above normal standards, ie, all cars were safer than the standard tests made them out to be.

I was under the impression that was the problem NOT skipping tests