Takata Corp.'s air bag crisis could spur changes in how car owners maintain their vehicles, with Japan's automakers discussing whether drivers should regularly replace the chemicals used to inflate the safety devices.
Drivers may need to start having chemicals in their air bags swapped out because of degradation over time, said Fumihiko Ike, chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association and Honda Motor Co. The discussions among carmakers follow recalls of more than 20 million vehicles and five deaths linked to the devices made by Takata.
"There will be discussions on whether chemicals need to be replaced after being used for some years," Ike told reporters on Thursday in Tokyo during the association's monthly news conference. "We have started informal discussions and it will be one of our subjects going forward."