The Japanese manufacturer did the correct thing. While it does seem like
such a waste, there
was no way that that they could be certain (to their satisfaction) that they
would be selling vehicles
that did not have inherent defects, some undoubtedly life-threatening.
They could easily argue that their own standards will not permit them to
knowlingly sell such vehicles
at any price.
But the main reason is prob ably legal; the idea that a buyer may be willing
to understake any risks by
signing off on a waiver indemnifying Mazda from any damages or claims on the
surface sounds reasonable,
until you stop to consider that the wife or family members or any dependents
of the
injured (the one who signed the waiver) could easily bring action against
them despite the signed waiver.
This wasteful action is a result of our litigation-crazy lawyer infested
society in which we live.