CORP PLANEA EQUIPAR TODOS LOS VEHÍCULOS CON UN SISTEMA DE FRENADO CAPAZ DE DETENER EL VEHÍCULO AÚN CUANDO SU ACELERADOR SE ATASQUE O NO SE INMOBILICE
"Toyota Looks to New Brake
System, Defends Record".
TOKYO"."Toyota Motor". 18.02.2010."Corp. plans to equip all new cars with a braking system that should be able to stop vehicles even if their accelerator gets stuck or pinned down, President Akio Toyoda said Wednesday".
"The move is an expansion of Toyota's, previous plan to put the braking technology into only certain models, and it represents the Japanese company's latest effort to rebuild confidence after recalling millions of vehicles and acknowledging serious quality issues".
"Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motor, listens during a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday".
"The brake announcement, however, came at the same time Toyota said it was looking into yet another quality matter: possible steering problems with the popular Corolla compact in the U.S".
"Mr. Toyoda, appearing before reporters here, said he won't testify before the U.S. Congress at hearings next week and left vague his plans to visit the country, the company's single largest market. He also offered few details about a new internal panel intended to revamp Toyota's quality-control systems, which he said won't meet for six more weeks".
"U.S. officials this week intensified their probe into Toyota. Regulators, who are facing increasing pressure from U.S. lawmakers, are looking into whether Toyota made its string of recalls in a timely manner. Mr. Toyoda said the world's largest car maker didn't withhold information from regulators".
"With his third press conference, in two weeks, Mr. Toyoda increased his public presence amid quality worries that led to the recall of 8.5 million vehicles world-wide due to problems with gas pedals, floor mats and braking systems. The recalls have damaged the reputation of Japan's leading corporate icon".
"Mr. Toyoda said he would send Yoshimi Inaba, his trusted lieutenant and the head of its North American sales operation, to next week's congressional sessions".
"We will give full support to him at the hearing," said Mr. Toyoda. "I am not saying that I am never going to the U.S. I am looking at my schedule and preparing".
"He also defended how Toyota disclosed the quality problems. "I don't believe that Toyota is infallible," said Mr. Toyoda. "There are problems and we have responded quickly to these issues…we have not been evasive and we have not withheld information".
"The grandson of the company's founder, Mr. Toyoda appeared less nervous than he did at his first press conference two weeks ago, despite the presence of more than 30 television crews and several rounds of heated questions".
"The company said Wednesday it is looking into complaints about steering issues with the Corolla in the U.S., though it said it had received fewer than 100 reports and it was too early to consider a recall".
"With respect to our steering we have had some complaints but we have not heard what the specific issues are," said Shinichi Sasaki, Toyota's executive in charge of quality control".
"The increasing pressure on Toyota from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration comes a week before two congressional panels plan to hold hearings on the car maker's troubles".
"We have never been involved in misappropriate conduct," said Mr. Sasaki. "There may have been some room for self-reflection and soul-searching, but we have never withheld anything from authorities and this is something we would like to fully clarify with NHTSA as well".
"Mr. Toyoda said his company would install a brake-override system which cuts engine power when the accelerator and brake pedals are applied at the same tim, to all future vehicles world-wide. The systems are used by a number of auto makers to stop sudden acceleration, a problem that has cast a cloud over some Toyota and Lexus models".
"In November, the company's U.S. arm said the new system would be standard on all vehicles in the 2011 model year. Toyota already has begun installing the system in new Toyota Camry and Lexus ES350 models".
"An engineer installs new antilock braking system software on a recalled Prius".
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