Hino Motors penalized $1.6 billion for U.S. emissions fraud

Hino Motors, a subsidiary of Toyota, has been sentenced to pay $1.6 billion in penalties after pleading guilty to a multi-year emissions fraud scheme in the U.S. A federal judge imposed a $521.76 million fine and a five-year probation period, during which Hino will be barred from importing its diesel engines into the country. The company admitted to falsifying emissions data for over 105,000 vehicles between 2010 and 2022, with deceptive practices dating back to at least 2003. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emphasized that companies violating environmental laws will face strict accountability. Additionally, Hino is required to implement a comprehensive compliance and ethics program as part of the settlement. Toyota has not publicly commented on the matter, while Hino's internal improvements to oversight were noted by its president earlier this year.