Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. Chairman Masatoshi Ono will testify Sept. 6 at a House of Representatives hearing over its recall of millions of tires believed to be linked to at least 62 highway deaths in the United States, company officials said Tuesday.
Ono, concurrently vice president of the firm's parent, Bridgestone Corp. of Japan, will appear at a joint hearing of two subcommittees of the House Commerce Committee.
Bridgestone/Firestone announced Aug. 9 the recall of 6.5 million of its tires.
Ono's testimony will probably focus on the time frame in which the company realized its tires were defective and the latest progress on its investigation into the matter.
The hearing may also address the timing of the firm's recall.
Firestone has come under fire for not acting fast enough to replace the tires.
According to U.S. media reports, Ono has also been ordered to testify in a Texas district court on a lawsuit filed by the family of a couple killed in an accident involving an SUV fitted with Firestone tires.
The company's recall involves mainly the 38-cm Firestone radial ATX, radial ATX-11 and Wilderness AT brands. All three are used primarily on vehicles made by Ford Motor Co.
Of the 62 highway deaths being investigated, most involved Explorer vehicles.