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Toyota President Akio Toyoda has issued his most detailed apology yet over the company's recall crisis, saying he is "deeply sorry".
Scheduled to testify before a congressional committee overnight, Toyoda linked his company's problems to its expansion in the past few years.
"We pursued growth over the speed at which we were able to develop our people and our organisation, and we should sincerely be mindful of that," he said in a transcript of his testimony. "I regret that this has resulted in the safety issues described in the recalls we face today, and I am deeply sorry for any accidents that Toyota drivers have experienced."
Toyoda's scheduled appearance before the committee follows a separate hearing by the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee to review Toyota safety issues. The world's largest car maker has recalled about 8 million vehicles globally to fix or reshape accelerator pedals that may stick or be trapped by floor mats after reports of unintended acceleration.
Toyoda apologised to the family of Mark Saylor, a California Highway Patrol officer who was killed, with three family members, in a Lexus that sped out of control last August. Investigators identified floor mats as a likely cause of that accident.
"Especially, I would like to extend my condolences to the members of the Saylor family, for the accident in San Diego," Toyoda said. "I would like to send my prayers again, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again."
Steps Toyota will take to catch defects sooner and initiate recalls faster include altering its highly centralised system in which all such issues are handled by the company's engineering group in Japan, Toyoda said.
The company would develop ways to handle such issues within local markets.
Jim Lentz, president of Toyota's US sales unit in Torrance, California, testified yesterday.
- BLOOMBERG
