Auto-parts suppliers are feeling the pressure as car companies move to raise quality standards after a record year for U.S. vehicle recalls in 2014.
In Japan, parts makers that sell to automakers worldwide say they’re taking costly steps to meet higher international quality standards, introducing extra safety features in their component designs, and buying more sophisticated inspection equipment. In the wake of massive recalls for deadly flaws such as General Motors Co.’s defective ignition switches and Takata Corp. air bags that spewed metal shards at motorists, the suppliers say they have little choice in the matter.
