Toyota's Image

At one time we owned three Toyotas: a 1993 T100 pickup, a 1996 Corolla, and a 2008 Highlander Hybrid. In addition, we bought a 2008 Prius for our daughter with a long commute to law school.

Since retirement, we have sold the pickup and given the Corolla to our daughter.

We love our Toyotas and are distressed that people have died in cars they trust. But I wonder how much of the news is driven by American car companies.

Buried in a news article that did not get much play in mainstream press was the following about the Pontiac Vibe: “The recalls, which affect a broad variety of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, also include the Pontiac Vibe, which was built in a joint venture between General Motors Co. and Toyota at a California plant until last summer. One driver from Missouri complained to NHTSA of a 2009 Vibe that raced to 7,000 rpm uncommanded, causing it to lurch forward. The owner took it to the dealership Feb. 19, where its accelerator was modified and driver's-side floor mat removed. Three days later, the complaint alleged, "the car malfunctioned again, causing a near collision."

I object to the reaction of the congressional hearing members who felt that Akio Toyoda had not shown “enough remorse”. How much of that can be attributed to the difference in cultures?

I wish that the safety problems with all cars could be eradicated but I think the nature of the beast dictates that we will always be faced with a president of a corporation apologizing for the failure of a product whether it is tires or the car itself.