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34 MITSUBISHI MOTORS CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2006
MMDS (Mitsubishi Motors Development System)
Start of development Design approval Market launch
Produc
ct
planni
ing
Desig
n
conce
D
es
i
gn
specifications
ation
Prototype
ype
testing
g
Completion of
ion
development
me
Quality
y
verification
atio
S
ales and
reta
i
l
i
n
g
FProduct
concept ESpecification
targets D
Approval of
final specification
model CValidation of
prototype BCompletion of
development AApproval of volume production
(Final Quality Approval Committee)
Custo
m
e
r
s
Re
q
uests from
customer
s
Product
development flow
ZFollow-up for six
months after launch
Quality Gate
Quality
Quality improvement measures are crucial to restor-
ing trust, a key priority of the Mitsubishi Motors
Revitalization Plan. MMC is determined to prevent
any recurrence of past recall issues. To this end, the
overall quality of MMC’s vehicles is being improved
through a variety of initiatives. These include
strengthening recall-related functions, expediting
quality improvements based on market feedback, and
implementing stringent risk management and quality
verification activities at the product development and
production stages.
Creating a Quality Improvement Framework
In March 2005, MMC submitted its final report in
response to a warning issued by Japan’s Ministry of
Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) in May
2004. The final report details the findings of an ex-
haustive investigation by a team of external lawyers
that delved into the facts behind the past recall prob-
lems and into their root causes. Also, since the re-
ceipt of the MLIT warning, MMC has been developing
a new quality improvement framework.
First, in order to unify the quality control decision-
making process, all quality control operations were
consolidated under the Quality Affairs Office in 2004.
Additionally, a Quality Audit Department was estab-
lished within the CSR Promotion Office, putting in
place a system for supervising the compliance status
of the activities of the Quality Affairs Office.
In 2001, MMC introduced MMDS (Mitsubishi
Motors Development System), a comprehensive quality
management system designed to ensure and continu-
ally enhance quality at all levels, from concept for-
mulation to product development, production and
sales. Under MMDS, MMC has established quality
standards that must be met associated with each of
seven quality gates. Efforts are focused on continu-
ously upgrading MMDS to ensure quality. MMDS has
been employed throughout development, from the
product concept stage onwards, for
Outlander
and
i
,
which entered production in fiscal year 2005. The
goal has been to develop cars that are selected and
valued for their quality.
In fiscal year 2005, MMC added 20 employees
to its 10 technical centers throughout Japan, and
when
Outlander
and
i
were launched, 10 employees
involved in the development of each model were dis-
patched to these technical centers for 6 month stays.
The goal was to collect feedback on quality from
customers through the dealer network, and to respond
without delay. These employees have been able to
hear customers’ views first-hand and are now shar-
ing this feedback with development teams.
Managing Director
In Charge of Quality Affairs &
Technical Aftersales Service Group
Headquarters
Corporate General Manager of
Quality Affairs Office
Mitsuo Hashimoto