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Latest to be dragged into the Takata airbag issue is German automaker, Volkswagen. The brand, together with Takata, is set to be investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US following a side airbag rupture in a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan, according to Automotive News Europe.

The incident occurred in the US after the driver of the said SUV hit a deer, after which, the side curtain airbag was reported to have ruptured in the event. To date, Volkswagen has held a considerably clean slate with no reports linking it to the embattled Japanese airbag manufacturer Takata. Until now, that is. The spotlight is now on the carmaker due to the year in which the Tiguan was manufactured. It's practically brand new.

In July, Volkswagen made a report regarding the ruptured airbag to the NHTSA, which then prompted an investigation by the agency that has now issued special orders to both Volkswagen and Takata. The special orders demand that the German automaker supply documentation and the necessary information about the rupture in the 2015 Tiguan and other related incidents in Volkswagen cars.

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In addition to that, the carmaker will be required to submit a list of their cars that possess airbags that contain ammonium nitrate - the controversial chemical that Takata uses as a propellant, of which the Japanese manufacturer still insists is safe, despite findings that state that long-term exposure to moisture and temperature changes can degrade such inflators and could result in the airbags exploding.

Relating to the case, the agency has also issued an order to Takata in relation to the incident - the company is required to provide a breakdown of all airbag inflators and modules filled with the ammonium nitrate propellant, and is required to list all the automakers that have purchased the said inflators and modules. Both are required to respond to the NHTSA by August 24.

To date, millions of vehicles from various car manufacturers with Takata-fitted airbags have been recalled globally with some 34 million having been recalled in the US alone. The shrapnel-shooting airbags have reportedly caused at least eight deaths and hundreds of injuries thus far. At this moment in time, it is uncertain as to how many Volkswagen vehicles are using airbags supplied from Takata.