Ensuring Vehicle Quality through Automated Inspection
The Vehicle Quality Engineering Department is dedicated to enhancing the value of the Nissan brand by advancing inspection automation and data utilization. Our goal is to maintain consistent detection and judgment capabilities across all vehicles, regardless of model, without relying solely on inspector skills. No matter how well a car is manufactured, defective units that slip through can damage the brand’s reputation. Building a reliable inspection system is therefore crucial to safeguarding Nissan’s brand integrity.
When I joined Nissan, the company was actively implementing measures to ensure compliance and quality following the 2017 revelation of a completion inspection issue. We promoted the introduction of systems at the Kyushu Plant to monitor vehicle status and disable improper inspections, as well as equipment to directly record inspection results digitally instead of on paper. Now, at the Nissan Technical Center, I am responsible for advancing technical development in quality assurance. We are implementing AI-based systems that perform automatic inspections through machine learning and rule-based algorithms, replacing traditional visual inspections.
Grounded in Production Technology and Design
Experience from Parts Manufacturing
During my university days, most seniors worked in the automotive industry, which naturally led me to a career in production engineering at a local auto parts manufacturer. I was involved in launching new product lines centered on sunroofs, and I was also dispatched for three years to the design department of a completed vehicle manufacturer, where I gained experience in vehicle design. I studied and introduced jig and equipment specifications from drawings, identified conditions for prototype quality, and established control items for mass production. Designing body function parts for mass-produced vehicles was an invaluable experience.
Before entering the automotive industry, I wasn’t particularly interested in cars or manufacturing, and I sometimes struggled with feeling my enthusiasm was different from those around me. However, after experiencing a broad range of tasks, I realized that my work is fundamentally about “delivering irreplaceable vehicles to customers,” which made me more eager to be involved in the end product. I also got married just before turning 30, and it was a time when I started considering my future life plan, prompting me to think about changing jobs.
Supporting Nissan’s Success While Being Cared for with a Strong Follow-Up System
When I switched jobs, I wanted to leverage my experience in production technology, design, and quality improvement to define quality requirements and control items for mass production. I joined Nissan because of its focus on strengthening its quality assurance department. Initially, I promoted equipment installation at the Kyushu Plant, the same region as my previous job, but my goal was to eventually move to the Tokyo metropolitan area. In 2021, my wish was granted, and I transferred to the Nissan Technical Center.
Compared to my previous workplaces, this environment is much more accommodating—understanding and supporting paid leave, maternity, and childcare leave. I see colleagues, regardless of gender, taking leave when needed, and the company’s overall support system is very reassuring. Since joining Nissan, I’ve had a daughter and recently purchased a house. I feel that I am fulfilling my personal life while playing an important role at Nissan.
Defining “What Should Nissan’s Quality Assurance Be?”
and Working Toward the Irreplaceable
New inspection equipment has already been tested and installed at several domestic plants, with plans for gradual rollout. The automated judgment system improves detection and judgment stability, helping deliver vehicles of reliable quality that are truly irreplaceable to our customers. However, to keep these systems functioning properly, we need to review settings based on design changes and fine-tune AI-learned rules—long-term maintenance rather than a one-time installation.
Although Nissan is a large company, it provides an environment where individual ideas and intentions can be actively incorporated. As a leader, I have considered and set the direction for “What should quality assurance be?” and have driven the overall strategy, including process design. There’s still a lot to do, but I am committed to steadily working to protect and elevate the Nissan brand’s value.
