The one that i showed you here on the left poster. This is what the car looked like. She had a passenger. You can see the air bag still inflated in the car. Unfortunately and she has given us permission when the lieutenant was being carried to the hospital, thats what hah she looked like. So lieutenant erdman, if you would share with us your story of what happened. Yes, sir. Good morning everyone. Ladies and gentlemen, my name is stephanie erdman. Im honored to be here today to serve as the voice for the people who have been forever silenced because of this exploding takata air bags. On behalf of everyone who has suffered because of these defective air bags, i would like to thank the committee for holding this hearing. I hope that no other families will have to go through the ordeal my family and i have had to endure because this happened to me. On september 1st, 2013 my life was changed forever. I was driving my 2002 honda civic on highway 98 near egg land air force base, florida where i was stationed. I was on my way to get groceries with a friend. As i was driving, a car took a left in front of me. Our cars collided. When the impact occurred, shrapnel from my cars a air bag shot through the air bag cloth and embedded into my right eye and cheek. I was instantly blinded on my right side. I felt gushing blood running down my neck and was terrified. When i got to the hospital, they did a ct scan of my face. A metallic foreign object had punctured my bone. The tip of the shrapnel had embedded in my right sinus. Since that day, ive endured multiple surgeries and therapies. I have more to go still. My vision will never be the same. I will never be the same. My accident involved a moderate frontal impact. The headlights on the front of the vehicle werent broken. My passenger had mild scrapes and bruises. I should not have been injured the way i was. The photo the emt took of me with shrapnel embedded in my eye is scary to look at. Its necessary to grab the attention of those that have the ability to do something and keep this from happening to anyone else. It is easy to think im the only one who has suffered because of this accident. Its also been exceptionally tough on my family. They try to be strong for me, and i see it. I can tell that when ever i talk about it, they are also hurting. I know i have physical scars about this tragedy, but people who care about me have scars as well. They are just the kind you cannot see. These companies should have done everything they could. They claim they notified customers as soon as they found out about the problem. That they expanded the recalls as they learned about each set of additional potentially affected vehicles as soon as they could. I believe that the facts show differently. It has been six years since the first recall covering these deadly takata air bags just starting at 3,9d the 3,9 40 vehicles turned into 7 million vehicles recalled. 40 v turned into 7 million vehicles recalled. 40 vehicles turned into 7 million vehicles recalled. I do not understand how crossing the border simply means the vehicle is now safe. I do not also understand why the dealerships that sell vehicles and service them are not notifying customers. American honda Motor Companies claim they notified the honda certified dealership where i bought my civic about the recall for the drivers side air bag february 2010. I took my i car to the dealership for Service Three times after they received the information. The honda dealership never told me about the recall. Never per formed the recall repairs on my vehicle and never warned me about what might happen if air bags were deployed. Honda claims they have sent a recall notice to my house in 2010. They have records showing that the information, envelope containing critical information was returned to them as undeliverable. Instead of trying to notify me in another way, they did nothing to warn me. It is in honor of my family and friends that support me so very much that i ask the committee to demand real answers. It is an honor of family and friends of all who have been injured by these defective air bags that i ask the committee to insist that these companies explain why they waited to so long to identify all these potentially deadly vehicles. In honor of those that cannot be here today because they have been hurt or killed by dangerous products that i ask the committee to get to the bottom of why the companies did not try harder to warn us. Im so honored to be here today to have the opportunity to tell my story. Please understand im one of many people who have been affected by deadly air bags. Im hopeful that congress will look at a way to improve the recall notification process. I hope there will be no more mothers taken from their children or no more fathers blinded by the exploding air bags. I ask the committee to do everything in its power to make sure every vehicle with the defective air bags are made safe. Thank you. We will do that lieutenant. Thank you sir. You have our promise. Thats why we had this hearing today. We want to thank you for the courage of you stepping forward to come and tell your story. Between what the lieutenant has said and the pictures, i think you get the picture. So, with the committees permission, id like to get right on into the next panel. Thank you lieutenant. You are very kind. Appreciate it. All right. If we could ask the next panel please to come up. Mr. Hiroshi shimahzu. He is the Senior Vice President global Quality Assurance for the Takata Corporation manufacture of the air bags. Mr. Rick schostakic executive Vice President of honda north america. Mr. Scott kunselman, Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance, Chrysler Corporation group. Thank you for coming. Please be seated. Mr. Shimahzu , well start with you. You are very accommodating to speak in english. This committee appreciates that. You have with you a translator if theres any difficulty and for you making the effort to speak in english today, we want you to know we appreciate it. Mr. Shimahzu. Please proceed. Thank you. Chairman nelson and the Ranking Member and distinguished members of the committee. I am global Vice President for the Takata Corporation. I am honored to appear before this committee to honor the corporation on important issues and examination of todays hearing. Takatas commission is make products to save lives and prevent serious injuries. Whenever one of our products does not perform as expected, it is our First Priority to understand the root of causes of the issue. If we identify a program in a product design, production or insulation, we do not hesitate to take necessary steps to insure that the program is addressed promptly and appropriately. All of us at takata know that air bag problems that have been in recent recalls involve public important issues of public safety. Even though millions of takata air bags have inflated properly and and are saving lives and avoiding serious injuries in hundreds of thousands of accidents, any failure of an air bag to perform as designed in an Automobile Accident is incompatible with takata standards for highest projections. We are deeply sorry about each of the reported instances in which a takata air bag has not performed as designed and the driver or passenger had suffered personal injuries or deaths. Our sincerest condolences go out to all those who have suffered in these accidents and to their families. Takata is working closely with auto makers and nhtsa to support ongoing recalls. We are devoting extra ordinary resources to producing on the schedule necessary to fulfill all auto makers orders. We are also devoting extensive efforts to attention to answering the quest for information about motors from nhtsa and other investigators. We are fully transparent with the government. Takata strongly agrees with statement by nhtsa on november 9, 2014 that the current forecast of ongoing productions and recalls should remain the specific of height of humility. We support the view that these must be the priority for depressment of suspect. It is imperative all owners of affected vehicles in these regions respond to Legal Notices at earliest opportunity. We are confident that the air bag takata is producing today including the replacement of recalled units are safe. We have confidence in the integrity of our engineering and our current Manufacturing Processes. We believe that properly manufactured and installed air bag we are producing today will work as designed to save lives for expected life of automobiles. While each instance of an air bag failure is terrible and unacceptable to takata, it is also important to remember that takata air bags continue to deploy properly as they were designed in accidents. Our air bags are helping to save lives and prevent injuries on the road everyday. As we move forward, takata will continue to cooperate with operators and government regulators and will take whatever actions are determined to be necessary in the public interest. That will best advance the goal of safety for driving public. Finally, as the committee is, english is not my native language. Ill do my best to answer questions english. I may need assistance from interpreter. Of course youll have that assistance. One of the things we want you to answer season about the change to immonium nitrate and problems that occurred after. You are representative of honda, being the executive Vice President of honda north america. Talk to us also about the recalls and provisions of loaners and or rental cars. Mr. Schostakic. Thank you chairman nelson, senator and members of the committee. My name is rick schostakic. Im executive Vice President with honda north america. On behalf of 28,000 employees in the u. S. , 1300 automobile dealers and more than 600 north american suppliers, thank you for the opportunity to be here today. I want to begin by expressing our deepest sympathies to those individuals and families who have been affected by these incidents. We offer sincere apologies to families of those that have died, to those that have been injured including lieutenant eredman, and to those who have been in any way inconvenienced due to detects in takata air bags in our vehicles. Air bags save thousands of lives each year, but we recognize even one customer who is injured or loses their life when an air bag does not perform as intended is one too many and is completely unacceptable. We understand the urgency of the Current Situation and are taking proactive steps to encourage honda and acura owners to get vehicles repaired. Specifically to meet the needs of our customers related to these air bag recalls, weve posted written messages prominently on our websites to reassure customers we have procedures in place to address their individual needs. Customers with affected vehicles who desire alternative transportation until their car is fixed have access to loaner cars and rental vehicles at no cost to the customer. We are working in our service and parts divisions with our Dealer Network to insure that replacement inflaters are available when and where theyre needed. Like many auto makers, honda looks to takata for supply of air bag components because takata was an internationally recognized Safety Systems supplier. As the manufacture of the complete vehicle, we relied on takata for expertise in this specific area of technology. We provided our performance requirements and takata designed the air bag components to those criteria. Beginning with the 2001 model year, takata began to supply honda with a new generation of air bag components. By 2004, we had sold several million vehicles equipped with these takata air bags. It was then in 2004 when we learned of an air bag inflaters rupture in one of our vehicles and report had the to nhtsa. This remained the only air rupture we were aware of until three years later. Since 2007, we have been involved in a Safety Investigation of takata air bag inflaters. Takata identified specific manufacturing issues as the primary factors of the rupture events. Starting with the recall in november 2008, with every subsequent recall, we gathered Component Parts from the time period that a core responded to takata issues and provided those to takata for further investigation. Additionally, we recalled vehicles that were outside of the range takata identified for the purpose of additional analysis. As new evidence identified new risks, honda acted to expand our recall population. The investigation process has since 2007 been designed to replace defective takata inflaters and seek out data a using the public recall process. The Investigation Continues to this day. With regard to the 2004 inflater rupture, takata advised us their analysis demonstrated that it had distinctly different characteristics compared to ruptures that led to the first recall. At honda, the founding principle of our company places the highest priority on quality of products and satisfaction of our customers. Now, today, we are operating with even Greater Energy and greater focus to quickly address our customers needs. With every action of our company, dedicating ourselves to honor the relationship we have with our customers. Thank you. Mr. Schostek, you didnt say anything about loaners or rental cars. Mr. Chairman, i believe i did. Customers with affected vehicles who desire transportation in the form of loaners or rental cars have them available to them at no cost. Immediately . We have them in place now sir. For all dealers across the country . Weve expanded our Loaner Program and have the option of rental cars. We will take care of our customers sir. Let the record show thats been said. We have certainly had contrary information to this point. If thats the case, i certainly want to congratulate you for the obvious reasons. All right. Mr. Kunselman, Regulatory Compliance and safety at chrysler. Thank you. Chairman nelson, Ranking Member thune, members of the committee. I am the Senior Vice President and head of Vehicle Safety and regulatory compliant at Chrysler Group. I lead an organization with a mission of safeguarding customers, a mission we embrace wholeheartedly. Id like to thank the opportunity with the opportunity to appear today to discuss this important matter. Todays automobiles are most complex on the market. Auto manufactures are more committed to developing advanced Safety Technologies to reduce fatalities and injuries resulting from Motor Vehicle crashes. On a daily basis, we work to design, engineer and manufacture vehicles to withstand a myriad of operating conditions. Promoting and insuring Vehicle Safety is a responsibility shared by auto makers, suppliers, government, and consumers. Chrysler looks forward to continuing this collective engagement with takata and nhtsa to address the Current Situation. Chrysler group has been actively engaged with takata and nhtsa since takata first informed us in april 2013 that certain air bag inflaters used by other auto manufactures may malfunction on deployment. These inflaters described by the population have been linked to four fatalities. This group of inflaters has never been used in our vehicles. Our vehicles were equipped with takata beta population inflaters. In april 2013, takata insured us the performance that led to the recall had been corrected. Chrysler Group Engineers subsequently conducted a follow up investigation and confirmed the beta inflaters benefitted there the upgrading process n. October 2013, we learned that one of our vehicles in southern florida was subject to a High Pressure deployment involving a drivers air bag and causing a personal injury. This remains the one incident of its kind involving one of our vehicles. In response to this incident and working with takata, we launched an investigation and conducted component testing. In may of 2014, takata again advised Chrysler Group of four incidents involving vehicles produced by other auto manufactures. Those vehicles were equipped with takata inflaters similar to inflaters used in our vehicles. Then in june of 2014, this year, Chrysler Group announced plans to replace inflaters in certain vehicles registered or purchased in four areas known for high humidity, a factor believed to have played a role in these deflators. Our action covers 371 vehicles in florida, hawaii, puerto rico and virgin islands. The alpha inflaters are associated with the most severe events, substantially higher incident rate, and were found to contain a designed manufacturing defect. None of our vehicles were built with alpha inflater population. Again our vehicles were equipped with beta inflaters. In our vehicles, these are known to have deployed as intended more than 10,000 times in the u. S. And 830 times in the areas that i just mentioned that are covered by our field action. As i previously stated, theres one incident involving a High Pressure deployment in one of our vehicles that took place in florida, a state covered by the renounced action. Chrysler group works with nhtsa a as the situation evolves and will give Additional Information that the Company Received november 18th. In closing, i would like to reiterate our believe that promoting and insuring Vehicle Safety and responsibility shared by auto makers, suppliers, government consumers. Chrysler group with work with at with takata and others. Was that deployment in south florida alpha or beta . From