BEIJING: Mercedes-Benz, the luxury brand of German carmaker Daimler, and its Chinese joint ventures will recall 351,218 vehicles due to potential issues with air bags made by Japan’s Takata, China’s quality watchdog said on Friday.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said on its website that it was concerned about risks arising from possible defects in the cars’ air bag inflators.
Official Chinese estimates showed over 20 million cars in China had air bags made by Takata, which have been linked to at least 16 deaths and 180 injuries globally. The air bags have the potential to deploy with too much force and spray shrapnel.
The defect led to the biggest recall in automotive history and eventual bankruptcy of the Japanese maker which had become burdened with tens of billions of dollars worth of liabilities.
The recall by Mercedes-Benz and its Chinese joint ventures will begin from October 15 and will include domestically built and imported cars produced from 2006 through 2012, with models including the SLK-Class and A-Class, the AQSIQ said.
It follows similar recalls by General Motors and Volkswagen last month.
The Chinese watchdog asked the three automakers in July to recall vehicles in China affected by potentially faulty Takata air bags. Up to that time, the automakers had proposed recalling a small number of vehicles for testing and analysis.
Mercedes-Benz, JVs to recall over 350,000 vehicles in China
Mercedes-Benz, JVs to recall over 350,000 vehicles in China
Education spending surges 251% as students return from autumn break: SAMA
RIYADH: Education spending in Saudi Arabia surged 251.3 percent in the week ending Dec. 6, reflecting the sharp uptick in purchases as students returned from the autumn break.
According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, expenditure in the sector reached SR218.73 million ($58.2 million), with the number of transactions increasing by 61 percent to 233,000.
Despite this surge, overall point-of-sale spending fell 4.3 percent to SR14.45 billion, while the number of transactions dipped 1.7 percent to 236.18 million week on week.
The week saw mixed changes between the sectors. Spending on freight transport, postal and courier services saw the second-biggest uptick at 33.3 percent to SR60.93 million, followed by medical services, which saw an 8.1 percent increase to SR505.35 million.
Expenditure on apparel and clothing saw a decrease of 16.3 percent, followed by a 2 percent reduction in spending on telecommunication.
Jewelry outlays witnessed an 8.1 percent decline to reach SR325.90 million. Data revealed decreases across many other sectors, led by hotels, which saw the largest dip at 24.5 percent to reach SR335.98 million.
Spending on car rentals in the Kingdom fell by 12.6 percent, while airlines saw a 3.7 percent increase to SR46.28 million.
Expenditure on food and beverages saw a 1.7 percent increase to SR2.35 billion, claiming the largest share of the POS. Restaurants and cafes retained the second position despite a 12.6 percent dip to SR1.66 billion.
Saudi Arabia’s key urban centers mirrored the national decline. Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw a 3.9 percent dip to SR4.89 billion, down from SR5.08 billion the previous week.
The number of transactions in the capital settled at 74.16 million, down 1.4 percent week on week.
In Jeddah, transaction values decreased by 5.9 percent to SR1.91 billion, while Dammam reported a 0.8 percent surge to SR713.71 million.
POS data, tracked weekly by SAMA, provides an indicator of consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia.
The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, supporting broader digital inclusion initiatives.
The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives, promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the nation’s broader digital economy.
