Japan's transport ministry on Friday revoked the certification necessary for the mass production of three models of truck built by Daihatsu Motor Co. over safety test rigging.
The three models are the Gran Max light commercial vehicle, the Town Ace, which Daihatsu produces for Toyota Motor Corp., and the Bongo for Mazda Motor Corp.
Daihatsu, the small-car unit of Toyota, used timers to activate airbags in collision tests for those models rather than using sensors as required, the ministry said.
"We take the revocation seriously and will strive to reform the company with legal compliance as our top priority," Daihatsu said in a statement.
Owners of the models can continue to drive their vehicles without any legal problem, the ministry said.
Daihatsu last month admitted to safety test rigging for most of its models, resulting in a halt of all shipments at home and abroad. The company has still been unable to restart domestic production due to the scandal.
The ministry had expressed its intent earlier this month to revoke the certification for the three models as a result of an on-site inspection of Daihatsu, saying the testing procedures for the models were particularly problematic.
