AISIN - CSR - Social Aspects - Be with Customers

Automotive parts

Towards thorough implementation of our "Customer First" principle

In order to continue delivering 100% non-defective products under a customer-first philosophy, Aisin Seiki has established the AISIN Customer First (A-CF) Committee, with the company president as the head of the committee. Established under this committee are four Quality Improvement Committees in charge of design, manufacturing, suppliers and the market, respectively, each chaired by a senior managing director.

Each of these committees defines targets and action plans, the progress statuses of which are reviewed by the chairpersons; and also makes decisions regarding improvement measures and resource allocation. In addition, a Global Quality Committee was established in March 2010, collecting customer information from around the world and transmitting information regarding the basic "running, turning and stopping" qualities of automobiles. This information is utilized for the actions of each of the committees.

100% non-defective products through perfect design and defect-free production lines.

In pursuit of 100% non-defective products, key focuses of the activities of A-CF are "Perfect Design" and "Defect-free Production Lines." With regards to design, we aim to create perfectly designed, fail-safe drawings, which enable us to produce quality products simply by following them, and strive to thoroughly implement measures to prevent defects by gathering user feedback, verifying defect mechanisms, and establishing solid evaluation systems.

In production technology and manufacturing, we are working to create "Defect-free Production Lines" through workplace vitalization, enhanced human resource development and process management. Under the "Defect-free Production Line" certification initiative, production lines are evaluated based on internally defined standards according to continued zero-defect delivery to customers and reduction of defects within processes.

As of FY2011, all production lines are certified as Level I Defect-free Production Lines. Going forward, we intend to increase the number of lines certified as Level II and III, which require even higher standards.

Such initiatives have resulted in an approximately 80% decrease in the defect rate in delivery in FY2011 compared to FY2006 levels.

Furthermore, acknowledging these initiatives, we have been awarded the Recognition of Quality System Innovation (as part of the Japan Quality Recognition Award) in FY2011 by the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers.

Number of defect-free production line certifications

Quality management system

AISIN is working to expand its certification under the ISO/TS 16949^*1 global standard for quality management systems in the automotive sector. The certification covers 49 companies^*2 in Japan and overseas as of July 10, 2011.

*1 This standard applies automotive industry-specific requirements to the international ISO 9001 standard for quality management systems.
*2 Excluding AISIN Group subsidiaries

Evaluation of finished vehicles at three automotive test facilities

AISIN was among the first automotive parts manufacturers to establish test tracks for trial vehicles installed with its products in order to perform comprehensive quality evaluations. We opened our Fujioka Proving Ground in Aichi Prefecture in 1970 and another Proving Ground at Toyokoro in Hokkaido in 1992.

Overseas, in 2005 we became the first Japanese automotive parts manufacturer to open a proving ground in North America, in Michigan.

In recent years, automotive parts have become increasingly systemized and complex. AISIN decided therefore to install a new general purpose track at the Toyokoro Proving Ground in 2005, in order to create a testing environment identical to a real driving environment. We have also prepared environments for testing poor driving conditions, including Japan’s first artificially freezing surface and a rough, unpaved road 17 kilometers long. In addition, through the installation of testing facilities related to radio wave interference and intelligent transport systems (ITS), it is now possible to evaluate the various functions and performance required of vehicle.

Overview of Testing Facilities

Fujioka Proving Ground (established in 1970) Location: Mitsukuri-cho, Toyota, Aichi, Japan Land Area: approx. 670,000 m² Track: 2.4 km/lap Rough road track: 4.6 km/lap
Toyokoro Proving Ground (established in 1992) Location: Toyokoro-cho, Nakagawa-gun, Hokkaido, Japan Land area: approx. 7,480,000 m² General purpose track: 7.9 km/lap Rough road track: 17.0 km/lap
Fowlerville Proving Ground (established in 2005) Location: Fowlerville, Michigan, U.S.A Land area: approx. 3,530,000 m² Track: 4.8 km/lap Dynamic pad: 150R

From Toyokoro Proving Ground

A test track that replicates road surfaces from around the world

The Toyokoro Proving Ground is designed based on information about road surfaces from around the world. For example, unlike ordinary roads, the general purpose track features unbanked curves, and replicates driving environments of expressways such as the New Tomei Expressway and the German autobahn.

Some tracks, known as special road surfaces, replicate road surfaces of freeways in western countries or suburban roads in Europe.

Masaaki Sugiura (Right) Takahiro Sogawa (Left)

Masaaki Sugiura (Right)
Takahiro Sogawa (Left)
Marketability Evaluation Group, Product Reliability Engineering Department, Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd.

Simulation of autobahn driving environment (general purpose track)

Simulation of autobahn driving environment
(general purpose track)

Frozen road surface

Freezing road surface

Uneven concrete road simulating European freeways
(general purpose track)

Rough off-road tracks, commonly found
in North America and Australia

Rough off-road tracks, commonly found in North America and Australia

Global QC Circle Conference

In October 2010, a Global QC Circle Conference was held at Aisin Seiki's Human Resources Development Center. Employees who are engaged in QC activities (quality improvement activities carried out in small groups) gathered from manufacturing sites across the globe and presented 30 case studies. Certificates of commendation were presented by President Fumio Fujimori to excellent cases.

Global QC Circle Conference

External Recognition

List of Major Awards Received (FY2010)
Awarded by	Award Recipient	Award Name
GAC Toyota Motor	Aisin Seiki Foshan Automotive Parts	Quality Excellence Award (Three consecutive years)
Toyota Motor Europe(TME)	Aisin Europe	Outstanding VA* Award *VA: Value Analysis
Toyota Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Czech (TPCA)	Aisin Europe	Best Supplier Award
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA)	Aisin Light Metals	Excellence Award

Customer Satisfaction

Developing activities based on a "Customer First" approach

Through its Customer Support Department, Aisin Seiki strives to respond promptly, accurately and politely to inquiries received from customers regarding its life and amenity related products, including sewing machines and beds. When responding to inquiries about products such as our sewing machines and wheelchairs that receive a larger volume of calls, customer service agents examine the actual product first hand so that they can respond in an easy-to-understand manner.

Inquiries are shared with our development division in the form of requests for product improvements and are also utilized in new product development.

Inquiries in FY2011

Responding to an inquiry at the Customer Support Department

Screening and improving product descriptions from a consumer-centric perspective

Aisin Seiki has established a screening committee that examines written descriptions appearing in product manuals and catalogues as well as its corporate website to help customers to correctly and safely use its products. The screening committee consists of members from the Customer Support Department as well as from the legal affairs, quality assurance, R&D, and sales and marketing departments who meet to review product descriptions. Members also include employees that have acquired certification as an Advisory Specialist for Consumer Affairs, as the committee strives to conduct screenings from a consumer-centric perspective.

Screenings are held not only for new products but also whenever a design is changed or the production location changes, and suggest replacing difficult-to-understand concepts and terminology with easy-to-understand illustrations and charts. Screenings also require that warnings and cautions be described with greater visibility and emphasis. The screening committee met 138 times in FY2011.

In addition, workshops are held regularly to enhance the writing skills of persons in charge of producing catalogs and other promotional materials.

Product catalogs

Product development based on customer feedback

NAVIelite car navigation application for the iPhone

Aisin AW released a full-fledged car navigation application for the iPhone in January 2011 called "NAVIelite." The app comes with map data, including detailed information on intersections, and provides users with the ability to search for their destination even in locations with no network signal, as well as car navigation functions such as route selection and guidance. In addition, the app provides door-to-door direct guidance as well as lane guidance while driving, which are popular features of in-car navigation systems, and real time traffic congestion updates, which ensures accurate and easy-to-understand route guidance.

Since its release, the Company has regularly incorporated customer feedback to further enhance the appeal of the app by making the map screen clearer and improving the clarity of voice guidance.

NAVIelite

Areas in which customer feedback was reflected in improved product usability

Sharpened map screen images (for the iPhone 4)
Improved the clarity of voice guidance
Incorporated pinch and zoom features to change the size of the map
Improved response times
Changed the expected arrival time from an analog to a digital display
Improved the speed of identifying any deviation from the selected route

TAO LIGHT II electric wheelchair

Aisin Seiki's welfare related business has been selling the TAO LIGHT II electric wheelchair since 2004. This foldable wheelchair ensures easy stowage in most cars^*.

Based on customer feedback that specifically focused on the battery connection and recharger, the Company made minor changes to the wheelchair in April 2010.

* The wheelchair may not be stowed in certain car models

TAO LIGHT II

The connector and battery
can now be connected from
the seated position

The connector and battery can now be connected from the seated position

to the recharger so that the
full capacity of the battery
can be utilized

A refresh function was added to the recharger so that the full capacity of the battery can be utilized

Cautionary reminders that ensure safety

Alert issued for toilet seats with a warm-water shower feature

Toilet seats with a warm-water shower feature are electronic appliances, and as such, if the device continues to be used after it breaks down, the internal electronic components may become disconnected or emit heat, which has the potential to cause a fire.

Beginning in November 2008, Aisin Seiki issued an alert through its corporate website to prevent accidents for consumers who had been using its toilet seat with a warm-water shower feature for an extended period of time.