Competition Commission adds 17 charges against Takata

Global airbag and seatbelt manufacturer Takata Corporation and its local arm‚ Takata South Africa‚ will now face 21 charges after the Competition Commission of SA referred additional cases of collusive tendering‚ price-fixing and market division.

The commission has added 17 more charges following the initial four that were referred to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution in March.

“The cartel on car parts is one of the most extensive global cartels affecting most vehicle models and therefore a significant number of consumers globally‚ including South Africa‚” Competition Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele said.

“The affected vehicles are among the most popular in our market. Its effect would have been an increase in [prices].”

The latest charges involve collusion in relation to BMW‚ Toyota and VW tenders issued between 2006 and 2011 for the manufacture and supply of:

• Airbags‚ seatbelts and steering wheels that contain driver airbags for the VW Golf‚ Audi A3‚ VW Passat‚ VW Tiguan and VW Touran models;
• Steering wheels that contain driver airbags for Audi A3 and TT and VW Touran‚ Jetta‚ Eos‚ Tiguan and Scirocco vehicles;
• Steering wheels that contain driver airbags for the BMW 1 and 3 series vehicles;
• Seatbelts for VW 120 Up, VW Passat, VW Polo, Audi A1 and Porsche Cajun vehicles;
• Passenger airbags and steering wheels with driver airbags for BMW 5‚ 6 and 7 series;
• Steering wheels containing driver airbags for BMW 3 series;
• Airbags‚ seatbelts and steering wheels that contain driver airbags for BMW X5 and X6;
• Steering wheel driver airbags for Golf Cabriolets;
• Passenger airbags for VW Polo and Audi A1 vehicles;
• Steering wheels and driver airbags for Audi A1‚ A6‚ A7, A8;
• Steering wheels and driver airbags for VW Polo;
• Curtain/thorax airbags and steering wheels with driver airbags for Porsche Cajuns;
• Steering wheels for Toyota Yaris; and
• Seatbelts and airbags for Toyota Auris.

– TimesLIVE