Until 1996, U.S.carmakers sent cars to Japan with the steering wheel on the left.German car makers on the other hand, sent several models with the steering wheel on the right, to accommodate the way cars are driven in Japan.American car manufacturers could blame their failure to a great degree on

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American car manufacturers failed in Japan primarily because they did not satisfy customer needs on critical factors, such as steering wheel position, which is a significant factor for many drivers. It was not an insignificant point of difference, as evidenced by the success of German car makers who took the effort to accommodate the local driving preferences. Market attractiveness, product quality, and protocol could also have been contributing factors, but the lack of critical customer satisfaction was likely the primary cause of failure.