Highlights of the week of June 3-9
Фото: Raivis Razgals, Unsplash
The Japanese auto industry is experiencing its biggest reputation crisis. Not only cars, but also some motorcycles are affected. Also in this issue is good news for aircraft enthusiasts.
Japanese auto industry at center of scandal
A major scandal has erupted in Japan over the falsification of safety reports on millions of cars. Major automakers including Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha have admitted to falsifying data. As a result, Toyota and Mazda have been forced to suspend sales of some current models, such as the Toyota Yaris Cross and Mazda MX-5, in order to redo the tests.
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has launched an investigation after previous safety certification problems with Toyota Group companies. The automakers were notified of the investigation in January 2024 and were required to submit reports on their testing procedures. Ministry officials have visited Toyota's offices and plan further inspections of other companies.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda publicly apologized for the incident, stressing that it was a serious blow to the company's reputation. Mazda also expressed deep regret for the inconvenience caused. Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha have all admitted to falsifying test results for cars that are no longer on sale.
Oneworld's launch will change the way we think about flying
Traveling with connecting flights can often be inconvenient. In an effort to simplify the process, the global airline alliance Oneworld, led by American Airlines Inc. and British Airways, plans to launch a new technology platform later this year. According to CEO Nat Pieper, the platform will allow passengers to check-in only once, even when flying with different airlines. The same platform will also make it possible to forget about baggage retrieval and re-check-in.
Speaking at the IATA annual meeting in Dubai, Pieper said the goal is to make traveling with different airlines as easy as connecting within the same airline. Oneworld, which has 13 members including Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. and Qatar Airways, hopes the initiative will improve the passenger experience, reduce costs and increase revenue for its members.
Oneworld needs to increase traveler interest in destinations such as China, India and South American countries. At the moment, many people are put off by the hassle of airport traffic and the extra cost of baggage.
A silver necklace saved a life
On Tuesday, a debate in Colorado nearly cost one of the participants his life. In the middle of the argument, one of the debaters grabbed a gun and shot his opponent, who appeared to be the stronger debater, in the neck.
The bloodied man was rushed to the hospital, but doctors could only document a non-life-threatening stab wound. The bullet lodged in the chain the victim was wearing and lost all of its destructive momentum. In the end, the mangled metal simply sliced through the skin at the point of impact. The shooter was caught on a hot lead.
According to experts, the 10 mm wide chain is most likely not silver, but merely plated. Silver is a rather soft and malleable metal that can be easily deformed with the bare hands. Pure silver wouldn't stop a bullet, but steel would. The police have joked that sometimes a counterfeit is much more valuable than the real thing.
