Mercedes-Benz Japan Fined 1.2 Billion Yen
Mercedes-Benz Japan Fined for Misleading Customers
The Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) in Japan has announced that “Mercedes-Benz Japan” has been fined for misleading its customers. The agency discovered that the company’s vehicle catalogs falsely claimed that certain driving assistance systems were equipped in their GLA and GLB models. These misleading statements included features such as a system that automatically moves the stopped vehicle forward when traffic starts to move again, and a system that allows the driver to change lanes by activating the turn signal.
Upon inspection, it was found that these driving equipment actually depended on the customer’s preferences, rather than being standard features. The CAA defined this situation as “misleading customers” and fined “Mercedes-Benz Japan” a total of 1.23 billion yen, equivalent to $8.3 million.
The company has been instructed to take necessary precautions to ensure that such misleading statements do not occur again. According to a report by state broadcaster NHK, this penalty is the highest ever imposed for misleading statements in Japan.
In response to the fine, “Mercedes-Benz Japan” has announced that it will work towards legal compliance and improving its management system to prevent similar incidents in the future. It remains to be seen how the company will address these issues and regain the trust of its customers.
