RICHMOND, Virginiaa - The US government will fine Japanese crash-bag maker Takata the equivalent of R163 000 per day, for failing to fully co-operate in a long-running investigation of faulty and potentially dangerous bag inflators.
The inflators, used in cars made by 10 automakers, can explode and blast bits of metal into people in the car. At least six have been killed and 64 injured worldwide.
US transportation secretary Anthony Foxx announced the fines on February 20 in Richmond, Virginia, while on tour to promote a major transportation bill. He called Takata "a bad actor" and said the fines would "grow each day that it failed to comply" with two special orders issued in 2014 by his department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).