Shiotsu Autotrade Japan – President’s Blog

Why are Japanese Cars so reliable?

The two words quality and reliability are synonymous with Japanese cars.  Japanese cars are very popular all over the world as they are super efficient and deliver all that they promise.  Japanese cars are the most preferred cars not only in the Japanese market but also  in the overseas markets.  Japanese cars have proved to be more reliable than most European or American cars. The continent of Europe and the United States of America is flooded with Japanese cars.  This has also led to setting up of huge car manufacturing plants in overseas countries by leading Japanese car makers.  Off the ten most reliable cars in the world, seven are Japanese cars.

Japanese Car Makers – Customer Orientation

Let us find out why Japanese cars score over most other cars in reliability and performance.  Customer satisfaction is the main motto of the Japanese car makers and this drives them to manufacture high quality reliable cars.  The corporate setup of the Japanese car manufacturing companies is designed to help and serve the customers.  Right from the worker in the production floor to the director in the board room, everyone is customer oriented.  If the customer has a minor issue with the car, it is not unusual for the CEO of the company himself to go and visit the customer.  This clearly shows that even the smallest issue is taken very seriously and the car company genuinely cares.

Japanese people  in general are open to criticism and willing to improve upon their shortcomings.  Japanese analyze their mistakes and immediately rectify them.  It is this approach that makes them stand apart.  Other countries in the world are also trying to produce reliable cars but are not willing to take up any criticism.

Japanese Auto Makers commitment to R&D

Leading Japanese car makers such as Toyota and Nissan spend huge amounts of money on constantly upgrading their technology.  The huge money spent on research and development helps these car makers to innovate and produce super efficient cars.  Even the workforce is quality conscious.  The factories and car plants are run in an efficient and disciplined manner.  The reporting structures in these companies are well chalked out with the superiors giving clear and precise instructions.  The workers also know their job thoroughly and continuously strive for perfection.

The suppliers of automobile spare parts and components are located near the factories and whenever there is a shortage in the supply of parts, the suppliers immediately deliver them to the car manufacturer.  In other words, very little time is wasted in transportation.  This also shows that the Japanese car makers have an efficient supply chain management. Read the rest of this entry »

Need for sound alerts  for Electric and Hybrid Cars

The introduction of hybrid and electric cars have greatly reduced the sound and air pollution in the atmosphere.  While this has greatly helped in many aspects, it has also posed certain problems.  Basically, these cars do not make any noise when they run.  This is causing plenty of problems to all the pedestrians walking on the roads and the blind people dread these cars.  The blind people are not able to hear the sound of the car till the very last moment.  This has also resulted in some serious injuries and accidents.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration of US (NHTSA) and the associations for blind people have raised their voice against the hybrid and electric cars.

Electric cars to modify design

The manufacturers of the electric cars have been asked by the US safety regulations to redesign their cars.  The car manufacturers have been asked to equip the electric car with sound alerting or automatic warning systems as the car comes near a pedestrian.  All leading car manufacturers like Nissan, Toyota and General Motors will have to equip their car with sensor devices to warn the pedestrians.

Nissan Electric Cars – Leaf

The new electric car models Leaf from Nissan has been equipped with sound alert systems.  These sound alerts will only work when the driver initiates some action. This sound will be heard when the turn signal lever is operated by the driver.

Toyota Hybrid electric Cars

Toyota is the world’s largest manufacturer of hybrid electric automobiles.  In its new and forthcoming Prius V Wagon, it has decided to install an audible alert which can be heard by the pedestrians.  This is possible when the car runs on battery power or low speed.

A common standard to be set up for electric and hybrid cars

The basic idea is to create a standard for all the electric and hybrid cars to be equipped with sound alerts. These would work in certain conditions when the vehicle is running thereby alerting the blind people and pedestrians.  The sounds alerts would help in finding the location, direction and presence of the vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) regulations are applicable to all automobiles like motorcycles, trucks, buses and cars whether they are hybrid or electric.  It has been proposed that all these rules and regulations would be effective from Jan 4, 2014.  Definitely, NHTSA is working very hard to implement the sound alert systems.  NHTSA has also clearly stated that vehicles of similar model and make must have similar sound alert systems.

All these steps are being taken to ensure that the blind people and pedestrians at large can walk safely on the roads.  The leading car makers on their part are also doing their best by introducing their new hybrid and electric cars with sound alert systems as laid down in the regulations.  It is very likely that other countries will follow this move and implement similar regulations for hybrid and electric cars.

New Zealand to have stricter Exhaust Emission Standards in 2012

We have many customers in New Zealand who regularly import used Japanese cars and trucks from us, on a regular basis.  Many of them also visit us here in Osaka and participate in used auto auctions here.  They are very happy with the quality of the Japanese used vehicles they purchase from us.  However, the new exhaust emission rules which will go in effect by the end of this year will certainly affect the exports of used Japanese automobiles to New Zealand to a large extent.

How new Emission rules will affect import of Japanese used cars in to New Zealand?

New Zealand is planning to implement stricter exhaust emission rules for all vehicles – new and used – that will be imported in to New Zealand. These revised regulations for the exhaust emission will come in effect from Jan 1, 2012.  This is going to cause great worries to the used car importers in New Zealand, as it would reduce the number of imports by half, as it is required that the used cars imported should not be older than ten years.  The Japan 2005 emission standards will be applied to these cars.

All the used and new cars imported in to New Zealand will need to comply with the tight  emission standards according to the Exhaust Emission rules updates.  The used vehicles would also be thoroughly tested in Japan before importing into New Zealand.  The revised rule that would be introduced compels all the used cars to follow the minimum standard emissions.  A testing procedure has also been introduced to curb the emissions from imported used vehicles and see to it that they do not exceed  the stated limits.

Till now, the minimum emissions standard did not apply to all the imported used vehicles which were designed and brought out before Jan 1,2004.  The only condition was that the vehicles should have adhered to standard and recognized emission standards during the year of their manufacture.

Since 1998, motor vehicle traders of NZ lost a good 15% of the first time used imports market due to the the strict emission rules and regulations passed each year .

The toughening of the testing requirements and emission standards in Japan in 2005 has posed plenty of problems for the importers.  All the cars lined up for importing should be checked in Japan and should receive the certificate of their adhering to the regulations laid down in 2005.

All the new regulations will encourage the drivers in New Zealand to use their old cars and thereby allowing the prices of used cars to go high. This will diminish  the import of used cars.

The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (IMVIA) in New Zealand claims that the number of used cars will greatly fall to 45,000 and 60,000 units from 95,000 and 110,000 used vehicles in 2011 if the strict rules are brought in to force.  Definitely, the car owners will have to shell out more for imported used cars.  It will not be possible to import Japaneses cars manufactured before 2005 due to the changes in rules and regulations.

The New Zealanders will have to pay thousands of dollars more for the used cars as the new guidelines  will greatly prevent the supply of used cars.  Coupled with the devastating Tsunami which hit Japan, the imports of cars has greatly reduced.  It definitely is a grim situation according to the importers of used cars in New Zealand.

So, if you are a used car importer based in New Zealand, please be aware of these regulations which would be in effect by the end of this year.  We, therefore, advise our customers in New Zealand to hurry and import vehicles they desire much before these new emission standards get implemented.