Sunday, August 29, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Toyota Fast Facts: Camry Still Top Selling Car
> Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry news. For more news,
>
> 1. Camry Still Top Selling Car
>
> According to the Associated Press, the Toyota Camry remains the top selling
> car this calendar year-to-date. July year-to-date sales totaled just over
> 189,000 units, an increase of 2.8% over the same period last year on a
> daily selling rate basis.
>
> To read the Associated Press article, please click on:
> http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j-jylujemyjMHXCvmZr9tUH3HP-...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic02494.jpg)
>
> 2. Toyota Unveils ‘Stories from the Road’ Minisite
>
> TMS has launched an updated “Stories from the Road” minisite, designed to
> provide a place for owners to share their Toyota product experiences.
>
> Over the years, Toyota owners have had many varied experiences with their
> vehicles. These range from longevity or high mileage accomplishments, to
> extreme use adventure stories. Now these owners can post their stories for
> others to read and enjoy.
>
> Owners who wish to share their stories can log onto the www.toyota.com
> website, then go to the “For Owners” tab, and click on the “Owners
> Homepage” tab. After landing on the Owners Homepage, they can select the
> “Toyota Community” tab. The “Stories from the Road” section is organized
> into three segments. Owners can post their story in the Truck, Hybrid or
> Cars/Van/SUV areas.
>
> So far, more than 400 owners have posted stories about their vehicles.
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic17673.jpg)
>
> 3. China Has Leg Up on Other Nations’ Automakers in Race to Build Hybrids
>
> According to an Automotive News analysis, China has a distinct advantage in
> the race to produce hybrid cars – it is sitting on the world’s largest
> supply of rare-earth metals used in the manufacture of hybrid vehicles,
> wind turbines and high-tech consumer products.
>
> There are 17 elements classified as rare-earth elements and China controls
> 97 percent of rare-earth metal production, the magazine reported Wednesday.
> That could leave automakers in other nations vulnerable to a supply crunch
> as demand increases. A car like the Toyota Prius uses 2.2 pounds of
> neodymium and 22 to 33 pounds of another rare-earth-metal, lanthanum, the
> Automotive News reported. Manufacturers are searching for other sources of
> rare-earth metals and striking deals to secure their supply.
>
> To read the article, please click on:
> http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100818/ANE/100819963
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic15954.jpg)
>
> 4. UAW President Attacks Foreign Brand Automobiles
>
> The Detroit News reported today that United Auto Workers President Bob King
> has reasserted his union’s policy of banning non-union-produced vehicles
> from UAW property in a “more hands-on and publicly forceful fashion that
> separates him from his predecessors.”
>
> “Buying a U.S./UAW vehicle makes a difference,” King wrote in a rebuttal to
> a blog post by a Kansas City Business Journal reporter who recently had to
> remove his Toyota Camry from a UAW local’s parking lot where he had parked
> to cover a bill signing event.
>
> The reporter noted that his Camry was assembled at Toyota’s Kentucky plant
> and had more American-made parts in it than a Ford F-150 assembled at the
> Kansas City plant.
>
> To read the Detroit News article, please click on:
> http://detnews.com/article/20100819/AUTO01/8190362/1148/UAW-s-Bob-King-reiter...
>
> To read the reporter’s account, please click on:
> http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansascity/blog/2010/07/driving_a_toyota_co...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic01993.jpg)
>
>
>
>
>
>
Read more!
>
> 1. Camry Still Top Selling Car
>
> According to the Associated Press, the Toyota Camry remains the top selling
> car this calendar year-to-date. July year-to-date sales totaled just over
> 189,000 units, an increase of 2.8% over the same period last year on a
> daily selling rate basis.
>
> To read the Associated Press article, please click on:
> http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j-jylujemyjMHXCvmZr9tUH3HP-...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic02494.jpg)
>
> 2. Toyota Unveils ‘Stories from the Road’ Minisite
>
> TMS has launched an updated “Stories from the Road” minisite, designed to
> provide a place for owners to share their Toyota product experiences.
>
> Over the years, Toyota owners have had many varied experiences with their
> vehicles. These range from longevity or high mileage accomplishments, to
> extreme use adventure stories. Now these owners can post their stories for
> others to read and enjoy.
>
> Owners who wish to share their stories can log onto the www.toyota.com
> website, then go to the “For Owners” tab, and click on the “Owners
> Homepage” tab. After landing on the Owners Homepage, they can select the
> “Toyota Community” tab. The “Stories from the Road” section is organized
> into three segments. Owners can post their story in the Truck, Hybrid or
> Cars/Van/SUV areas.
>
> So far, more than 400 owners have posted stories about their vehicles.
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic17673.jpg)
>
> 3. China Has Leg Up on Other Nations’ Automakers in Race to Build Hybrids
>
> According to an Automotive News analysis, China has a distinct advantage in
> the race to produce hybrid cars – it is sitting on the world’s largest
> supply of rare-earth metals used in the manufacture of hybrid vehicles,
> wind turbines and high-tech consumer products.
>
> There are 17 elements classified as rare-earth elements and China controls
> 97 percent of rare-earth metal production, the magazine reported Wednesday.
> That could leave automakers in other nations vulnerable to a supply crunch
> as demand increases. A car like the Toyota Prius uses 2.2 pounds of
> neodymium and 22 to 33 pounds of another rare-earth-metal, lanthanum, the
> Automotive News reported. Manufacturers are searching for other sources of
> rare-earth metals and striking deals to secure their supply.
>
> To read the article, please click on:
> http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100818/ANE/100819963
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic15954.jpg)
>
> 4. UAW President Attacks Foreign Brand Automobiles
>
> The Detroit News reported today that United Auto Workers President Bob King
> has reasserted his union’s policy of banning non-union-produced vehicles
> from UAW property in a “more hands-on and publicly forceful fashion that
> separates him from his predecessors.”
>
> “Buying a U.S./UAW vehicle makes a difference,” King wrote in a rebuttal to
> a blog post by a Kansas City Business Journal reporter who recently had to
> remove his Toyota Camry from a UAW local’s parking lot where he had parked
> to cover a bill signing event.
>
> The reporter noted that his Camry was assembled at Toyota’s Kentucky plant
> and had more American-made parts in it than a Ford F-150 assembled at the
> Kansas City plant.
>
> To read the Detroit News article, please click on:
> http://detnews.com/article/20100819/AUTO01/8190362/1148/UAW-s-Bob-King-reiter...
>
> To read the reporter’s account, please click on:
> http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansascity/blog/2010/07/driving_a_toyota_co...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic01993.jpg)
>
>
>
>
>
>
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Toyota Dealers feel vindicated after Government findings on Toyota safety investigations.
THE RECORD
STAFF WRITER
After the recalls, apologies and lost sales, Toyota Motor Sales Inc. dealers in North Jersey welcomed news that the federal government has so far found no evidence of electronic problems causing sudden acceleration.
CHRIS PEDOTA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Pat Sano of Uslip, NY with the Certified Used 2008 Toyota Tacoma he just purchased and the 1992 Toyota pick up he just traded in with over 200,000 miles.
"We've been believing all along that there's nothing really wrong with our vehicles," said Michael DeLaCruz, general manager of Parkway Toyota in Englewood Cliffs.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told Congress last week that preliminary findings of the agency's investigation showed no electronic defects. Drivers failed to apply the brakes in 35 of 58 crashes tied to unintended acceleration, the agency found.
Bill Strauss, president of Crestmont Toyota in Pompton Plains, said the report reinforced his theory that the government overstated safety concerns with Toyotas to boost sales of domestic carmakers.
"I thought in this country we were innocent until proven guilty — but not if you're a carmaker," Strauss said.
Fred Radulic, general manager of Toyota of Hackensack, called the government findings "great news." That dealership, on River Street in Hackensack, saw sales plunge this year when news of the potential dangerous defect spread, Radulic said. In February, he said, the dealership sold about 80 cars, down from the 250 that roll off the lot in a typical month.
Service revenue from recall-related repairs helped offset a drop in sales revenue, and the dealership's sales surged the next month to more than 400 vehicles, he said. While sales have bounced back, he added: "You still lost a lot of revenue and sales."
Despite its global recall, Toyota posted strong earnings for the three-month period ended June 30, the first quarter of its 2011 fiscal year.
Toyota reported 1.8 million vehicle sales worldwide in the last quarter, up from 1.4 million in the same period a year ago. The Japanese company also swung to profitability in the quarter, earning $2.2 billion, compared with a loss of $900 million the same period a year ago.
David Whiston, an analyst at the investment research firm Morningstar Inc. in Chicago, said Toyota's market share in the United States this year through July only fell about 1 percent, compared with the same period last year. He attributed the decline to safety concerns but also competition from rival Hyundai.
"I wouldn't say it was catastrophic damage — it was noticeable damage," Whiston said, referring to Toyota's safety questions. "I don't think it's a long-term problem."
Customers at the Hackensack Toyota dealership on Tuesday shrugged off any suggestion of possible defects.
Incentives that Toyota rolled out in the wake of the recalls – deals on maintenance and financing — just sweetened the deal for Evan Little and Elizabeth Tactuk, a Wayne couple in the market for a blue Toyota Corolla.
"They're reliable, and they last forever," said Little, 19, a jackhammer operator.
Pat Sano of Long Island, who supervises bus maintenance in New York City, said he was initially worried about possible defects, especially because his son, sister and other relatives drive Toyotas. No one in his family ever experienced safety or defect issues, he said.
Nevertheless, after some online research, Sano became convinced there were no problems.
"I'm more than satisfied," Sano, 60, said, shortly after he bought a certified used 2008 Toyota Tacoma pickup.
This article contains material from Bloomberg News.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
2011 Audi to come with hotspur creating capabilities built in....
Your EVO 4G, EPIC, DROID 2, and DROID X all have hotspot capabilities when they leave the factory. So why not your car? Audi has announced that they will have a factory installed “Marvell Mobile Hotspot” built-in to the new 2011 Audi A8 that is set to debut later this year. The hotspot will allow you to connect up to eight devices to your car, bringing sweet, sweet eyes-off-the-road internet capabilities to your German luxury sedan. The hotspot works by installing a data capable SIM into the A8’s car-phone or by connecting to a device equipped with the SIM Access Profile. Marvell has said the technology is “optimized for extremely low power consumption on battery-powered consumer electronics, enabling passengers to connect to the vehicle’s network without affecting the battery life of their connected devices.” Pricing for the 2011 model has not yet been announced, but the 2010 A8 has a base MSRP of $78,400. I better start writing some more blog posts!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Can we please leave Toyota alone now?
While we are on the subject, how about the Goverment giving back the millions Toyota paid in fines?
 |
| The NHTSA's results are in... and guess who caused those runaway Toyotas? Yep, the same evil people who caused the runaway Audi 5000s. Was it Satan worshipers? Hexes? Voodoo dolls? Possessed computers? No. It was the driver. Quelle surprise. I hate to say "I told you so," but I did. The second the violence erupted over the accusations of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles, I called BS. And that was before I heard the outrageous and totally impossible testimony from Mrs. Rhonda Smith. (If you've forgotten about that hair-raising testimony, search for "rhonda smith testifies" on YouTube. Mrs. Smith recounts a deeply horrifying story about her Lexus accelerating out of control to over 100 mph. It sounds scary, but what she described is, from an engineering standpoint, not even possible*. And worse, even if it was accelerating out of control, she called her husband to say hi instead of trying to turn the damn car off. Perhaps she called her friends, too? Her pastor? Her hairdresser? Who knows. Next time, she needs to call me. I'll say "um, turn the car off, okay?") * For various reasons. The most damning of them is: Mrs. Smith insists that she shifted her "possessed" ES350 into all possible gears, including neutral and reverse. Toyota's non-hybrid vehicles use a physical connection between the shifter and the transmission. Even if the cars' computers were hell-bent on killing its passengers, engaging neutral or park would open a valve that dumps the hydraulic pressure in the transmission, immediately releasing the gear--regardless of what the computer is telling it to do. The dump valve neuters the computer and immediately severs the connection between engine and wheels. I've tried it. It's instantaneous. My guess is that, in her panic, Mrs. Smith inadvertently threw the shifter into the manual gate, so pressing up and down meant she was asking for gearchanges, not engaging neutral, reverse, or park. Regardless, she sold the '07 ES350 to some poor unsuspecting couple, who thankfully had no problems with it. In fact, they got Big Time lucky, as NHTSA bought it from them (to test) at the full price of a new one. And to date, no problems have been found with it. Anyway, I extend my full condolences to the families and friends of anyone hurt in any automobile accident. But we need to recognize that sometimes, it's the driver at fault. Today, I read that NHTSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, examined the computers in 58 Toyota cars accused of unintended acceleration. The results are in: 35 cars: the driver didn't apply the brakes at all 14 cars: the driver applied "partial" brakes 8 cars: the driver applied the brakes, but only at the "last second" before impact. -------- 35 + 14 + 8 = 58 cars total. Wait! So that means in every case, the driver is at fault for not stopping the car. Wow. I've had a throttle stick wide open on me... at age 20, in a car with a big ol' 6.9-liter V-8 screaming under the hood. It was horrifying. But I threw the car in neutral, turned off the ignition, and breathed deep. Start to finish? Maybe a second. I've also had my fair share of experience being told I was imagining things by a Toyota dealer. That was frustrating as hell, and I solved that problem by filing a Lemon Law claim and eventually proving I was right. Now, 6 months into this Toyota PR disaster, we still have no proof. The only evidence we're seeing is that the drivers are at fault. (Remember the lady in Westchester, NY, who said her boss' Prius took off out of control while she was driving it? Yeah, NHTSA read her computer too: the poor dear had her foot on the floor. Too bad it was the gas pedal she was pressing on.) Back to the point: learn how to operate your machinery, folks. If someone bought a chainsaw, didn't read the instruction manual, and cut their hand off, should the manufacturer be liable? I sure hope not. We all treat cars like they're toys, but they're heavy, powerful, and potentially dangerous pieces of equipment--and we should know how to operate them. And by that I don't mean differentiating between hitting the gas and the brake--we all make mistakes. I'm talking about knowing what to do in case something like that does happen. Mechanical failures are always a possibility. Know how to put your vehicle in neutral; know how to turn it off. Know how to apply the brakes properly. Know how to use your emergency brake (whether it's a hand lever, foot lever, or - and here's the next lawsuit waiting to happen - just a button.) I literally almost cried when I heard the audio recording of the 911 call from the runaway Lexus with off-duty officer Saylor at the wheel. Seriously. Chills and everything. I never want to hear another call like that. I hope another call like that never happens. But whose fault was it? Sorry to say, it's the responsibility of the driver to know how to operate his machinery. I once got a ticket for speeding in a car I borrowed. The speedometer was inaccurate due to its owner putting the wrong size tires (by a country mile, mind you) on it. The speedo said 69, I was doing 77. I proved this by going to a state-run speedometer testing facility. The judge found me guilty anyway - she said it's the responsibility of the driver to ensure that the vehicle is in good working order - even if it's a borrowed car that you've been in for 10 seconds. Same applies to burned out bulbs - as the driver, it's your responsibility to make sure they work. And the same applies to that horrible, horrible crash. Not even the police officer knew how to put the car into neutral or switch it off. And that's even more upsetting than that hair-raising phone call. Apparently, the witch hunt against the Audi 5000 didn't teach us a lesson. It's easy to blame other people, but sometimes it's your own fault. Sure, Toyota made some big PR mistakes here. But it appears that the biggest mistakes were made by the drivers of its cars. So will everyone please leave Toyota alone now? Instead of watching videos of implausible testimonies and cursing the Big Evil Toyota, go and read your car's owner's manual and educate yourself on how to operate your car. Then, go somewhere safe and practice emergency ABS stops. See what happens if you throw your car in neutral under full throttle. Or press both pedals at the same time. Or turn it off while you're driving. Just don't come back here and blame me if you crash the thing while trying. If you crash, it's your own damn fault. **************************************************** Saw this on http://blogs.automobilemag.com/6674074/editors-soapbox/toyota-is-the-new-audi/index.html Posted August 10 2010 05:51 PM by Jason Cammisa |
Can we please leave Toyota alone now?
While we are on the subject, how about the Goverment giving back the millions Toyota paid in fines?
| |
| The NHTSA's results are in... and guess who caused those runaway Toyotas? Yep, the same evil people who caused the runaway Audi 5000s. Was it Satan worshipers? Hexes? Voodoo dolls? Possessed computers? No. It was the driver. Quelle surprise. I hate to say "I told you so," but I did. The second the violence erupted over the accusations of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles, I called BS. And that was before I heard the outrageous and totally impossible testimony from Mrs. Rhonda Smith. (If you've forgotten about that hair-raising testimony, search for "rhonda smith testifies" on YouTube. Mrs. Smith recounts a deeply horrifying story about her Lexus accelerating out of control to over 100 mph. It sounds scary, but what she described is, from an engineering standpoint, not even possible*. And worse, even if it was accelerating out of control, she called her husband to say hi instead of trying to turn the damn car off. Perhaps she called her friends, too? Her pastor? Her hairdresser? Who knows. Next time, she needs to call me. I'll say "um, turn the car off, okay?") * For various reasons. The most damning of them is: Mrs. Smith insists that she shifted her "possessed" ES350 into all possible gears, including neutral and reverse. Toyota's non-hybrid vehicles use a physical connection between the shifter and the transmission. Even if the cars' computers were hell-bent on killing its passengers, engaging neutral or park would open a valve that dumps the hydraulic pressure in the transmission, immediately releasing the gear--regardless of what the computer is telling it to do. The dump valve neuters the computer and immediately severs the connection between engine and wheels. I've tried it. It's instantaneous. My guess is that, in her panic, Mrs. Smith inadvertently threw the shifter into the manual gate, so pressing up and down meant she was asking for gearchanges, not engaging neutral, reverse, or park. Regardless, she sold the '07 ES350 to some poor unsuspecting couple, who thankfully had no problems with it. In fact, they got Big Time lucky, as NHTSA bought it from them (to test) at the full price of a new one. And to date, no problems have been found with it. Anyway, I extend my full condolences to the families and friends of anyone hurt in any automobile accident. But we need to recognize that sometimes, it's the driver at fault. Today, I read that NHTSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, examined the computers in 58 Toyota cars accused of unintended acceleration. The results are in: 35 cars: the driver didn't apply the brakes at all 14 cars: the driver applied "partial" brakes 8 cars: the driver applied the brakes, but only at the "last second" before impact. -------- 35 + 14 + 8 = 58 cars total. Wait! So that means in every case, the driver is at fault for not stopping the car. Wow. I've had a throttle stick wide open on me... at age 20, in a car with a big ol' 6.9-liter V-8 screaming under the hood. It was horrifying. But I threw the car in neutral, turned off the ignition, and breathed deep. Start to finish? Maybe a second. I've also had my fair share of experience being told I was imagining things by a Toyota dealer. That was frustrating as hell, and I solved that problem by filing a Lemon Law claim and eventually proving I was right. Now, 6 months into this Toyota PR disaster, we still have no proof. The only evidence we're seeing is that the drivers are at fault. (Remember the lady in Westchester, NY, who said her boss' Prius took off out of control while she was driving it? Yeah, NHTSA read her computer too: the poor dear had her foot on the floor. Too bad it was the gas pedal she was pressing on.) Back to the point: learn how to operate your machinery, folks. If someone bought a chainsaw, didn't read the instruction manual, and cut their hand off, should the manufacturer be liable? I sure hope not. We all treat cars like they're toys, but they're heavy, powerful, and potentially dangerous pieces of equipment--and we should know how to operate them. And by that I don't mean differentiating between hitting the gas and the brake--we all make mistakes. I'm talking about knowing what to do in case something like that does happen. Mechanical failures are always a possibility. Know how to put your vehicle in neutral; know how to turn it off. Know how to apply the brakes properly. Know how to use your emergency brake (whether it's a hand lever, foot lever, or - and here's the next lawsuit waiting to happen - just a button.) I literally almost cried when I heard the audio recording of the 911 call from the runaway Lexus with off-duty officer Saylor at the wheel. Seriously. Chills and everything. I never want to hear another call like that. I hope another call like that never happens. But whose fault was it? Sorry to say, it's the responsibility of the driver to know how to operate his machinery. I once got a ticket for speeding in a car I borrowed. The speedometer was inaccurate due to its owner putting the wrong size tires (by a country mile, mind you) on it. The speedo said 69, I was doing 77. I proved this by going to a state-run speedometer testing facility. The judge found me guilty anyway - she said it's the responsibility of the driver to ensure that the vehicle is in good working order - even if it's a borrowed car that you've been in for 10 seconds. Same applies to burned out bulbs - as the driver, it's your responsibility to make sure they work. And the same applies to that horrible, horrible crash. Not even the police officer knew how to put the car into neutral or switch it off. And that's even more upsetting than that hair-raising phone call. Apparently, the witch hunt against the Audi 5000 didn't teach us a lesson. It's easy to blame other people, but sometimes it's your own fault. Sure, Toyota made some big PR mistakes here. But it appears that the biggest mistakes were made by the drivers of its cars. So will everyone please leave Toyota alone now? Instead of watching videos of implausible testimonies and cursing the Big Evil Toyota, go and read your car's owner's manual and educate yourself on how to operate your car. Then, go somewhere safe and practice emergency ABS stops. See what happens if you throw your car in neutral under full throttle. Or press both pedals at the same time. Or turn it off while you're driving. Just don't come back here and blame me if you crash the thing while trying. If you crash, it's your own damn fault. **************************************************** Saw this on http://blogs.automobilemag.com/6674074/editors-soapbox/toyota-is-the-new-audi/index.html Posted August 10 2010 05:51 PM by Jason Cammisa |
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Toyota Fast Facts: Veteran Industry Watchers Support Toyota’s Electronics Defense
> August 12, 2010
>
> Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry news. For more news,
> visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
>
>
> 1. Veteran Industry Watchers Support Toyota’s Electronics Defense
>
> Two journalists with long experience covering the auto industry assert that
> Toyota’s electronics should not be blamed for alleged incidents of
> unintended acceleration.
>
> Their commentaries followed disclosure by NHTSA investigators Tuesday that
> they have found no evidence so far linking Toyota’s electronic throttle
> control systems to unintended acceleration. The U.S. Department of
> Transportation informed Congress Wednesday that the causes they have found
> are floor-mat entrapment and sticking accelerator pedals – both of which
> are already the subject of Toyota recalls.
>
> In an Automotive News article titled “No Reason to Blame Toyota’s
> Electronics,” Publisher Peter Brown wrote that the number of incidents
> investigated by the regulators is small, “just a few dozen cases. But it’s
> more evidence that there is no evidence of an electronic problem.”
>
> Similarly, in a commentary on CNBC, Phil LeBeau said: “The (regulators’)
> findings should go a long way toward ending the belief I still hear from
> people that Toyota cars and trucks have a problem with their electronics.”
>
> In addition, David Champion, senior director of the Auto Test Division for
> Consumer Reports, said during an interview on National Public Radio that
> the NHTSA finding of no brake application in 35 cases “renders the data
> pretty convincing.”
>
> To read Peter Brown’s commentary in Automotive News, please click on:
> http://www.autonews.com/article/20100811/BLOG02/100819974
>
> To read Phil LeBeau’s commentary on CNBC.com, please click on:
> http://www.cnbc.com/id/38661022
>
> To listen to the audio of the NPR interview, please click on:
> http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=fals...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic30616.jpg)
>
> 2. Preliminary NHTSA Findings Could Make Lawsuits Against Toyota
> Challenging
>
> According to an article today in the Detroit Free Press, attorneys familiar
> with lawsuits filed against Toyota believe that NHTSA’s preliminary finding
> of no evidence of electronic defects could prolong the lawsuits and force
> plaintiffs to meet tougher legal standards.
>
> While the NHTSA investigation is ongoing, preliminary findings indicate no
> new safety issues related to unintended acceleration beyond sticking gas
> pedals and misplaced floor mats. NHTSA reviewed event data recorders on 58
> vehicles in reported cases of unintended acceleration and found that in 35
> of those cases, the brakes were never applied. In about half of the 35
> cases the accelerator pedal was depressed, suggesting that the driver was
> stepping on the accelerator instead of the brake. In 14 cases investigators
> found partial braking. One case showed floor-mat entrapment of the
> accelerator pedal. Other cases were inconclusive.
>
> To read more, please click on:
> http://www.freep.com/article/20100812/BUSINESS01/8120468/1210/BUSINESS/Toyota...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic30610.jpg)
>
> 3. Toyota #2 ‘Most-Considered’ Auto Brand in Kelley Blue Book Survey
>
> Despite the negative publicity about its recalls, Toyota is ranked number
> two in Kelley Blue Book’s report of the “most-considered” auto brands. Ford
> is number one, while Hyundai moved up to knock Nissan off the list of the
> top five brands.
>
> The top five are:
> Ford, 29%
> Toyota, 22%
> Chevrolet, 21%
> Honda, 20%
> Hyundai, 13%
>
> The quarterly report is compiled from answers given by 3,000 new-car
> shoppers to kbb.com from April 6-June 17. The shoppers rated fuel
> efficiency, driving comfort, safety, driving performance and durability and
> reliability.
>
> To read more, please click on:
> http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/08/hyundai-squashes...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic07202.jpg)
>
>
>
>
>
Read more!
>
> Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry news. For more news,
> visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
>
>
> 1. Veteran Industry Watchers Support Toyota’s Electronics Defense
>
> Two journalists with long experience covering the auto industry assert that
> Toyota’s electronics should not be blamed for alleged incidents of
> unintended acceleration.
>
> Their commentaries followed disclosure by NHTSA investigators Tuesday that
> they have found no evidence so far linking Toyota’s electronic throttle
> control systems to unintended acceleration. The U.S. Department of
> Transportation informed Congress Wednesday that the causes they have found
> are floor-mat entrapment and sticking accelerator pedals – both of which
> are already the subject of Toyota recalls.
>
> In an Automotive News article titled “No Reason to Blame Toyota’s
> Electronics,” Publisher Peter Brown wrote that the number of incidents
> investigated by the regulators is small, “just a few dozen cases. But it’s
> more evidence that there is no evidence of an electronic problem.”
>
> Similarly, in a commentary on CNBC, Phil LeBeau said: “The (regulators’)
> findings should go a long way toward ending the belief I still hear from
> people that Toyota cars and trucks have a problem with their electronics.”
>
> In addition, David Champion, senior director of the Auto Test Division for
> Consumer Reports, said during an interview on National Public Radio that
> the NHTSA finding of no brake application in 35 cases “renders the data
> pretty convincing.”
>
> To read Peter Brown’s commentary in Automotive News, please click on:
> http://www.autonews.com/article/20100811/BLOG02/100819974
>
> To read Phil LeBeau’s commentary on CNBC.com, please click on:
> http://www.cnbc.com/id/38661022
>
> To listen to the audio of the NPR interview, please click on:
> http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=fals...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic30616.jpg)
>
> 2. Preliminary NHTSA Findings Could Make Lawsuits Against Toyota
> Challenging
>
> According to an article today in the Detroit Free Press, attorneys familiar
> with lawsuits filed against Toyota believe that NHTSA’s preliminary finding
> of no evidence of electronic defects could prolong the lawsuits and force
> plaintiffs to meet tougher legal standards.
>
> While the NHTSA investigation is ongoing, preliminary findings indicate no
> new safety issues related to unintended acceleration beyond sticking gas
> pedals and misplaced floor mats. NHTSA reviewed event data recorders on 58
> vehicles in reported cases of unintended acceleration and found that in 35
> of those cases, the brakes were never applied. In about half of the 35
> cases the accelerator pedal was depressed, suggesting that the driver was
> stepping on the accelerator instead of the brake. In 14 cases investigators
> found partial braking. One case showed floor-mat entrapment of the
> accelerator pedal. Other cases were inconclusive.
>
> To read more, please click on:
> http://www.freep.com/article/20100812/BUSINESS01/8120468/1210/BUSINESS/Toyota...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic30610.jpg)
>
> 3. Toyota #2 ‘Most-Considered’ Auto Brand in Kelley Blue Book Survey
>
> Despite the negative publicity about its recalls, Toyota is ranked number
> two in Kelley Blue Book’s report of the “most-considered” auto brands. Ford
> is number one, while Hyundai moved up to knock Nissan off the list of the
> top five brands.
>
> The top five are:
> Ford, 29%
> Toyota, 22%
> Chevrolet, 21%
> Honda, 20%
> Hyundai, 13%
>
> The quarterly report is compiled from answers given by 3,000 new-car
> shoppers to kbb.com from April 6-June 17. The shoppers rated fuel
> efficiency, driving comfort, safety, driving performance and durability and
> reliability.
>
> To read more, please click on:
> http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/08/hyundai-squashes...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic07202.jpg)
>
>
>
>
>
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
NHTSA finds no electronic defect in Toyotas
Last Updated: August 11. 2010 1:00AM
NHTSA finds no electronic defect in Toyotas
David Shepardson / The Detroit News
Washington -- Federal investigators said Tuesday an initial review indicates driver error -- not electronics -- is to blame in a majority of cases they probed for suspected unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles.
Representatives of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told members of Congress that brakes weren't applied in 35 of the 58 cases they reviewed -- suggesting motorists hit the accelerator when they intended to apply the brake pedal.
The preliminary findings, based on so-called black box data taken from vehicles, may bolster Toyota Motor Co.'s long-held assertion that there is nothing wrong with its cars' electronics. Toyota maintains that motorists or mechanical glitches are responsible for thousands of reports of unintended acceleration.
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The results are not definitive and NHTSA and other agencies are continuing to investigate.
Safety advocates argue that the data is just one aspect of the investigation, and that sudden acceleration incidents due to electronic faults may occur in cases in which the auto black box recorded nothing.
"Reviewing event data recorders is one small part of (NHTSA's) effort to get to the bottom of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles," said Transportation Department spokeswoman Olivia Alair.
"At this early period in the investigation, engineers have not identified any new safety defects in Toyotas, other than sticking gas pedals or pedal entrapment."
NHTSA emphasized that it is conducting a wide-ranging, ongoing investigation into the issue, and said its investigators "are continuing to study whether there are potential electronic or software defects in these vehicles."
A comprehensive report, including work from NASA and the National Academy of Sciences, is to be issued next year.
In the 58 cases under review, partial braking was noted in 14 cases; pedal entrapment was involved in one; and in one case, the brakes and accelerator were both applied.
Toyota said in a statement that NHTSA's results backed its findings.
The automaker emphasized that after "more than 4,000 on site vehicle inspections, in no case have we found electronic throttle controls to be a cause of unintended acceleration."
Furthermore, Toyota said, its "own vehicle evaluations have confirmed that the remedies it developed for sticking accelerator pedal and potential accelerator pedal entrapment by an unsecured or incompatible floor mat are effective."
Critics remain skeptical
Sean Kane, president of Massachusetts-based Safety Research & Strategies Inc., a group that works with plaintiffs' attorneys on auto safety cases, said the NHTSA findings may be not representative of all incidents.
"We're dealing with a small sliver of complaints," Kane said. In low-speed cases, or incidents where an air bag doesn't deploy, no data will be recorded, he said.
Furthermore, according to NHTSA, most Toyota models before 2007 were not equipped with recorders capable of storing pre-crash data.
Toyota faces hundreds of lawsuits over sudden acceleration issues, and some of its critics aren't easily convinced that electronics aren't a problem.
B. Craig Hutson, an analyst at the research firm Gimme Credit, said vehicle black boxes "are not designed to identify these types of problems" -- and that trouble may be buried in Toyota's software.
"An electronics problem likely lurks in the millions of lines of software code found in a typical vehicle," Hutson said.
"We believe that plaintiffs' attorneys' best chances in the hundreds of legal cases filed against Toyota rests with finding a problem with the electronics."
Complaints date to 2000
Toyota has recalled more than 8.5 million vehicles worldwide, including 6 million in the United States, for sudden acceleration issues. NHTSA has received more than 3,000 complaints since 2000 alleging more than 90 deaths linked to sudden acceleration complaints involving Toyotas.
The Japanese automaker paid a record $16.4 million fine over its delay in recalling 2.3 million vehicles for sticky pedal concerns and it faces a criminal probe by a federal grand jury in New York over its handling of several safety issues.
The problems have prompted Congress to consider legislation mandating sweeping reform of auto safety regulations.
The briefing of House Energy and Commerce Committee members was conducted by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and NHTSA Administrator David Strickland.
A Michigan lawmaker who attended the briefing, Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, told reporters that he hadn't reached any conclusions as a result of the preliminary report.
NHTSA is partnering with NASA in further researching the issue. NHTSA and NASA are conducting vehicle tests at the Chrysler Group LLC Test Facility in Auburn Hills to determine if electromagnetic interference may play a role in causing unintended acceleration.
As part of the research, vehicles are bombarded with electro-magnetic radiation in custom-made chambers to determine whether that could produce unintended acceleration incidents.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Toyota Fast Facts: Government Finds No Electronics Issues So Far in Toyota UA Probes
> August 10, 2010
>
> Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry news. For more news,
> visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
>
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic26337.jpg)
>
> 1. Government Finds No Electronics Issues So Far in Toyota UA Probes
>
> According to the Associated Press, federal regulators told Congress today
> that they have not found any evidence so far of electronic issues in
> incidents of alleged unintended acceleration by Toyota vehicles,
>
> While it is still at an “early period of the investigation,” the U.S.
> Department of Transportation said it has not found any problems beyond two
> previously identified in recalls by Toyota – floor mat entrapment and
> sticking accelerator pedals.
>
> TMS issued the following statement:
>
> We cannot confirm what information was shared by NHTSA with Members of
> Congress today. However, Toyota's own vehicle evaluations have confirmed
> that the remedies it developed for sticking accelerator pedal and potential
> accelerator pedal entrapment by an unsecured or incompatible floor mat are
> effective. We have also confirmed several different causes for unintended
> acceleration reports, including pedal entrapment by floor mats, pedal
> misapplication and vehicle functions where a slight increase in engine
> speed is normal, such as engine idle up from a cold start or air
> conditioning loads.
>
> Having conducted more than 4,000 on-site vehicle inspections, in no case
> have we found electronic throttle controls to be a cause of unintended
> acceleration. Toyota is committed to listening more attentively to our
> customers and continuing to investigate unintended acceleration concerns.
>
> To read the AP story, please click here:
> http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i3CZPJXvtZZ46SY9bcMupivluKs...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic04592.jpg)
>
> 2. Chief Quality Officer Chats on Twitter About Customer Loyalty, Recall
> Repairs
>
> During an hour-long Twitter chat Tuesday, Steve St. Angel, Toyota’s chief
> quality officer for North America, was quizzed about a host of issues,
> including news products, the UAW and quality issues.
>
> Here are some excerpts:
>
> “Are there any plans for a Volt-like all-electric?” he was asked, to which
> replied: “RAV4 will have an all-electric version in 2012. I’ve driven it
> and it’s a screamer – I love it.”
>
> Asked what, in hindsight, the company would have done differently regarding
> the recalls, St. Angelo said, “We would have done a better job of
> communicating with customers, dealers, regulators and employees.”
>
> “I want the GT4 in the USA; please, bring back the Celica,” wrote one
> participant. St. Angelo wrote back: “If you like your Celica, you’re gonna
> love the FT-86! Stay tuned.”
>
> “If Venza’s basic fit/finishes were poorly done, but still approved, how do
> we know if the engineering/mechanics are safe?” asked a participant. St.
> Angelo said, “I bought one of the first Venzas off the line. 2010 Venza is
> a top safety pick from IIHS. We try to improve daily.”
>
> “Do you feel Toyota was singled out for the recalls due to the failure of
> other “American” companies?” he was asked, to which he replied, “At this
> point it doesn’t matter. We’re safety focused and re-energized to exceed
> our customers’ expectations for quality.”
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic11058.jpg)
>
> 3. Auto Affordability Flat as Recovery Slows, Says Comerica Bank
>
> The cost of buying and financing the average-priced new vehicle, as
> measured in weeks of median family income, remained virtually unchanged
> during the past three months, according to Comerica Bank’s Auto
> Affordability Index. It took 23.6 weeks of media family income in the
> second quarter of 2010, the same period of time in the first quarter.
>
> The average total cost increased by $200 to $27,950, a 2.7 percent annual
> rate increase from the first quarter while median family income rose 2.4
> percent in the second quarter and the interest rate on car loans fell 20
> basis points to 4.1 percent.
>
> “Affordability was flat in the second quarter, as rising expenditures on
> new cars were offset by lower interest rates,” said Dana Johnson, chief
> economist at Comerica Bank. “Although the national recovery slowed in the
> second quarter, consumers were still willing to pay more for new vehicles,
> albeit on slightly better financing terms than in the first quarter. As a
> result, affordability was roughly unchanged from the first quarter level.”
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic07911.jpg)
>
> 4. Toyota Team Members Offer Testimonials in YouTube Videos
>
> Toyota has posted several short videos on its YouTube channel offering the
> public some personal insights into the company by Toyota team members. Here
> are links to those videos:
>
> Toyota Texas Team Members Volunteering
> http://www.youtube.com/toyotausa#p/c/7DFACFE6E6C94812/1/a9ZaD1Nw1nY
>
> Toyota Volunteers in San Antonio, Texas
> http://www.youtube.com/toyotausa#p/c/7DFACFE6E6C94812/0/BfCy4FvU8ZI
>
> What Toyota Stands For
> http://tmalive.tma.toyota.com/bigfile/862010134556/Toyota_StandsFor_30sec.mov
>
>
> Toyota Principles
> http://tmalive.tma.toyota.com/bigfile/862010134556/Toyota_Principles_15sec.mov
>
> Toyota Technical Center Engineers on Quality
> http://www.youtube.com/toyotausa#p/c/7DFACFE6E6C94812/8/PG5cIukiOfQ
Read more!
>
> Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry news. For more news,
> visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
>
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic26337.jpg)
>
> 1. Government Finds No Electronics Issues So Far in Toyota UA Probes
>
> According to the Associated Press, federal regulators told Congress today
> that they have not found any evidence so far of electronic issues in
> incidents of alleged unintended acceleration by Toyota vehicles,
>
> While it is still at an “early period of the investigation,” the U.S.
> Department of Transportation said it has not found any problems beyond two
> previously identified in recalls by Toyota – floor mat entrapment and
> sticking accelerator pedals.
>
> TMS issued the following statement:
>
> We cannot confirm what information was shared by NHTSA with Members of
> Congress today. However, Toyota's own vehicle evaluations have confirmed
> that the remedies it developed for sticking accelerator pedal and potential
> accelerator pedal entrapment by an unsecured or incompatible floor mat are
> effective. We have also confirmed several different causes for unintended
> acceleration reports, including pedal entrapment by floor mats, pedal
> misapplication and vehicle functions where a slight increase in engine
> speed is normal, such as engine idle up from a cold start or air
> conditioning loads.
>
> Having conducted more than 4,000 on-site vehicle inspections, in no case
> have we found electronic throttle controls to be a cause of unintended
> acceleration. Toyota is committed to listening more attentively to our
> customers and continuing to investigate unintended acceleration concerns.
>
> To read the AP story, please click here:
> http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i3CZPJXvtZZ46SY9bcMupivluKs...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic04592.jpg)
>
> 2. Chief Quality Officer Chats on Twitter About Customer Loyalty, Recall
> Repairs
>
> During an hour-long Twitter chat Tuesday, Steve St. Angel, Toyota’s chief
> quality officer for North America, was quizzed about a host of issues,
> including news products, the UAW and quality issues.
>
> Here are some excerpts:
>
> “Are there any plans for a Volt-like all-electric?” he was asked, to which
> replied: “RAV4 will have an all-electric version in 2012. I’ve driven it
> and it’s a screamer – I love it.”
>
> Asked what, in hindsight, the company would have done differently regarding
> the recalls, St. Angelo said, “We would have done a better job of
> communicating with customers, dealers, regulators and employees.”
>
> “I want the GT4 in the USA; please, bring back the Celica,” wrote one
> participant. St. Angelo wrote back: “If you like your Celica, you’re gonna
> love the FT-86! Stay tuned.”
>
> “If Venza’s basic fit/finishes were poorly done, but still approved, how do
> we know if the engineering/mechanics are safe?” asked a participant. St.
> Angelo said, “I bought one of the first Venzas off the line. 2010 Venza is
> a top safety pick from IIHS. We try to improve daily.”
>
> “Do you feel Toyota was singled out for the recalls due to the failure of
> other “American” companies?” he was asked, to which he replied, “At this
> point it doesn’t matter. We’re safety focused and re-energized to exceed
> our customers’ expectations for quality.”
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic11058.jpg)
>
> 3. Auto Affordability Flat as Recovery Slows, Says Comerica Bank
>
> The cost of buying and financing the average-priced new vehicle, as
> measured in weeks of median family income, remained virtually unchanged
> during the past three months, according to Comerica Bank’s Auto
> Affordability Index. It took 23.6 weeks of media family income in the
> second quarter of 2010, the same period of time in the first quarter.
>
> The average total cost increased by $200 to $27,950, a 2.7 percent annual
> rate increase from the first quarter while median family income rose 2.4
> percent in the second quarter and the interest rate on car loans fell 20
> basis points to 4.1 percent.
>
> “Affordability was flat in the second quarter, as rising expenditures on
> new cars were offset by lower interest rates,” said Dana Johnson, chief
> economist at Comerica Bank. “Although the national recovery slowed in the
> second quarter, consumers were still willing to pay more for new vehicles,
> albeit on slightly better financing terms than in the first quarter. As a
> result, affordability was roughly unchanged from the first quarter level.”
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic07911.jpg)
>
> 4. Toyota Team Members Offer Testimonials in YouTube Videos
>
> Toyota has posted several short videos on its YouTube channel offering the
> public some personal insights into the company by Toyota team members. Here
> are links to those videos:
>
> Toyota Texas Team Members Volunteering
> http://www.youtube.com/toyotausa#p/c/7DFACFE6E6C94812/1/a9ZaD1Nw1nY
>
> Toyota Volunteers in San Antonio, Texas
> http://www.youtube.com/toyotausa#p/c/7DFACFE6E6C94812/0/BfCy4FvU8ZI
>
> What Toyota Stands For
> http://tmalive.tma.toyota.com/bigfile/862010134556/Toyota_StandsFor_30sec.mov
>
>
> Toyota Principles
> http://tmalive.tma.toyota.com/bigfile/862010134556/Toyota_Principles_15sec.mov
>
> Toyota Technical Center Engineers on Quality
> http://www.youtube.com/toyotausa#p/c/7DFACFE6E6C94812/8/PG5cIukiOfQ
Friday, August 6, 2010
Toyota Fast Facts: St. Angelo Confident There are No Problems with Vehicle Electronics
> August 6, 2010
>
> Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry news. For more news,
> visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
>
> 1. St. Angelo Confident There are No Problems with Vehicle Electronics
>
> Toyota’s Chief Quality Officer for North America, Steve St. Angelo, told
> reporters at the Management Briefing Seminar in Traverse City, Mich.,
> Thursday that he believes there are no problems with the electronics in
> Toyota vehicles. "I really feel 100 percent confident there is nothing
> wrong with our electronic systems," he said.
>
> To read more, please click on:
> http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0523353120100805
>
> St. Angelo also told reporters that Toyota’s North American Quality
> Advisory Panel will share initial findings with the company next week. The
> panel, led by former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, is
> comprised of independent experts who have been reviewing Toyota’s quality
> assurance processes.
>
> To read more, please click on:
> http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-05/toyota-quality-panel-will-share-reco...
>
> To read St. Angelo’s speech Thursday, please click on:
> http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/2010-management-briefing-seminar-165897.aspx
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic13857.jpg)
>
> 2. Scion Introduces the All-New tC Sport Coupe
>
> Scion announced the arrival today of the all-new 2011 tC sport coupe, which
> offers more power, better fuel efficiency and aggressive styling.
>
> To read the press release, visit the Toyota USA Newsroom at:
> http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/scion/all-new-2011-scion-tc-sports-coupe-1...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic01166.jpg)
>
> 3. ‘Toyota Defense’ Frees Minnesota Man in 2006 Vehicle Homicide Case
>
> A Minnesota judge ruled Thursday that Koua Fong Lee deserved a new trial
> based on new evidence related to Toyota’s recalls and ineffective
> assistance of his trial attorney. The prosecutor declined to retry the
> case. Later in the day, Lee walked out of prison after spending two and a
> half years of an eight-year sentence behind bars.
>
> Lee had been convicted of vehicular homicide in a 2006 crash on a freeway
> off-ramp that killed three people. He claimed at trial that he pressed the
> brakes repeatedly but the vehicle accelerated to 70 to 90 miles per hour.
>
> During the hearing that led up to his release, two mechanical engineers –
> one for the prosecution and one for the defense – examined Lee’s vehicle
> and testified that the brakes were operating and there was no problem with
> the accelerator. Other witnesses included drivers who alleged they had
> experienced unintended acceleration in their Toyota vehicles. Lee’s 1996
> Camry was not among the models recalled by Toyota for possible sticking
> accelerator pedal or floor-mat entrapment.
>
> To read more, please click on:
> http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/06/toyota.recall.appeal/
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic11482.jpg)
>
> 4. Prof. Jeffrey Liker: Toyota ‘Going Above and Beyond’ on Safety,
> Reliability
>
> Toyota is “going above and beyond” in addressing the safety and reliability
> of its vehicles,” University of Michigan Professor Jeffrey Liker, author of
> the best-selling book The Toyota Way, said in an interview with Canada’s
> Business News Network last week. “This is really a remaking of the company
> from top to bottom.”
>
> Here are some excerpts from the interview:
>
> “What is a recall and what’s not is a matter of judgment, and Toyota’s just
> changed their standards in order to be an ‘A’ student in every way. And
> they’re going back 10 years and their recalling everything that might
> possibly be a problem.”
>
> Recent recalls “are things that normally in the past would not have been
> recalled. But…Toyota is basically clearing their backlog… And anything
> that under today’s conditions would be a recall, they are voluntarily
> recalling. If you look at something like the Prius brakes, the Prius was
> recalled. Ford had the same problem, or a similar problem, on the Ford
> Fusion hybrid – no recall. They just said it’s not a safety issue, no
> recall. There have been many cases like that. Chrysler has sticky pedals –
> no recall.”
>
> He noted Toyota has taken a number of other steps to ensure quality. These
> include appointing chief quality officers and establishing regional quality
> centers in each region to increase local autonomy and input on quality to
> the global headquarters in Japan, assigning teams of engineers to conduct
> field investigations, lengthening the product development cycle to provide
> more time for testing, and adding a thousand engineers.
>
> “This is really kind of a remaking of the company from top to bottom…It’s
> very significant – maybe going above and beyond what they need to just to
> deal with the crisis, and they’re really thinking about the next 30 years,
> not just about this short term problem.”
>
> Liker was interviewed along with Karl Brauer, editor-in-chief of
> Edmunds.com, and George Magliano, director, North America auto industry
> research for IHS Automotive. The interview, which is divided into three
> segments, is available online at
> http://watch.bnn.ca/headline/july-2010/headline-july-30-2010/#clip330955
Read more!
>
> Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry news. For more news,
> visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
>
> 1. St. Angelo Confident There are No Problems with Vehicle Electronics
>
> Toyota’s Chief Quality Officer for North America, Steve St. Angelo, told
> reporters at the Management Briefing Seminar in Traverse City, Mich.,
> Thursday that he believes there are no problems with the electronics in
> Toyota vehicles. "I really feel 100 percent confident there is nothing
> wrong with our electronic systems," he said.
>
> To read more, please click on:
> http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0523353120100805
>
> St. Angelo also told reporters that Toyota’s North American Quality
> Advisory Panel will share initial findings with the company next week. The
> panel, led by former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, is
> comprised of independent experts who have been reviewing Toyota’s quality
> assurance processes.
>
> To read more, please click on:
> http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-05/toyota-quality-panel-will-share-reco...
>
> To read St. Angelo’s speech Thursday, please click on:
> http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/2010-management-briefing-seminar-165897.aspx
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic13857.jpg)
>
> 2. Scion Introduces the All-New tC Sport Coupe
>
> Scion announced the arrival today of the all-new 2011 tC sport coupe, which
> offers more power, better fuel efficiency and aggressive styling.
>
> To read the press release, visit the Toyota USA Newsroom at:
> http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/scion/all-new-2011-scion-tc-sports-coupe-1...
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic01166.jpg)
>
> 3. ‘Toyota Defense’ Frees Minnesota Man in 2006 Vehicle Homicide Case
>
> A Minnesota judge ruled Thursday that Koua Fong Lee deserved a new trial
> based on new evidence related to Toyota’s recalls and ineffective
> assistance of his trial attorney. The prosecutor declined to retry the
> case. Later in the day, Lee walked out of prison after spending two and a
> half years of an eight-year sentence behind bars.
>
> Lee had been convicted of vehicular homicide in a 2006 crash on a freeway
> off-ramp that killed three people. He claimed at trial that he pressed the
> brakes repeatedly but the vehicle accelerated to 70 to 90 miles per hour.
>
> During the hearing that led up to his release, two mechanical engineers –
> one for the prosecution and one for the defense – examined Lee’s vehicle
> and testified that the brakes were operating and there was no problem with
> the accelerator. Other witnesses included drivers who alleged they had
> experienced unintended acceleration in their Toyota vehicles. Lee’s 1996
> Camry was not among the models recalled by Toyota for possible sticking
> accelerator pedal or floor-mat entrapment.
>
> To read more, please click on:
> http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/06/toyota.recall.appeal/
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic11482.jpg)
>
> 4. Prof. Jeffrey Liker: Toyota ‘Going Above and Beyond’ on Safety,
> Reliability
>
> Toyota is “going above and beyond” in addressing the safety and reliability
> of its vehicles,” University of Michigan Professor Jeffrey Liker, author of
> the best-selling book The Toyota Way, said in an interview with Canada’s
> Business News Network last week. “This is really a remaking of the company
> from top to bottom.”
>
> Here are some excerpts from the interview:
>
> “What is a recall and what’s not is a matter of judgment, and Toyota’s just
> changed their standards in order to be an ‘A’ student in every way. And
> they’re going back 10 years and their recalling everything that might
> possibly be a problem.”
>
> Recent recalls “are things that normally in the past would not have been
> recalled. But…Toyota is basically clearing their backlog… And anything
> that under today’s conditions would be a recall, they are voluntarily
> recalling. If you look at something like the Prius brakes, the Prius was
> recalled. Ford had the same problem, or a similar problem, on the Ford
> Fusion hybrid – no recall. They just said it’s not a safety issue, no
> recall. There have been many cases like that. Chrysler has sticky pedals –
> no recall.”
>
> He noted Toyota has taken a number of other steps to ensure quality. These
> include appointing chief quality officers and establishing regional quality
> centers in each region to increase local autonomy and input on quality to
> the global headquarters in Japan, assigning teams of engineers to conduct
> field investigations, lengthening the product development cycle to provide
> more time for testing, and adding a thousand engineers.
>
> “This is really kind of a remaking of the company from top to bottom…It’s
> very significant – maybe going above and beyond what they need to just to
> deal with the crisis, and they’re really thinking about the next 30 years,
> not just about this short term problem.”
>
> Liker was interviewed along with Karl Brauer, editor-in-chief of
> Edmunds.com, and George Magliano, director, North America auto industry
> research for IHS Automotive. The interview, which is divided into three
> segments, is available online at
> http://watch.bnn.ca/headline/july-2010/headline-july-30-2010/#clip330955
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Thursday, August 5, 2010
Toyota Fast Facts: Toyota's Proactive Steps in 2010 to Help Ensure Quality and Safety
> August 5, 2010
>
> Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry. For more news,
> visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
>
>
> 1. Toyota's Proactive Steps in 2010 to Help Ensure Quality and Safety
>
> At Toyota, we’ve taken major steps to become a more responsive,
> safety-focused organization. Here are some of the actions we’ve taken to be
> an industry leader in quality and safety:
>
> 1. Established a Special Committee for Global Quality under the
> direction of Global President Akio Toyoda to reexamine all aspects of
> quality assurance
>
>
> 2. Star Safety System now standard across all lineups
>
>
> 3. Brake override system standard on all new models by the end of 2010
>
>
> 4. Created SMART Teams to help quickly investigate reports of unintended
> acceleration
>
>
> 5. Established independent Quality Advisory Panel – chaired by former
> U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater
>
>
> 6. Appointed Chief Quality Officer for North America – Steve St. Angelo
>
>
> 7. Appointed Chief Safety Executive for North America – Dino
> Triantafyllos
>
>
> 8. Increasing the use of Event Data Recorder (“black boxes”) in our cars
> for better data collection and providing new EDR readers to
> government safety regulators
>
>
> 9. Set up Design Quality Innovation Division in Japan and transferred
> 1,000 engineers to focus on design of components and other quality
> issues
>
>
> 10. Created a new team of 100 engineers to audit vehicle quality by
> studying real-world use by customers
>
>
> 11. Expanded product development cycle by 4 weeks to help ensure
> high quality/safety
>
>
> 12. Developed next-generation virtual test dummy to help guard
> against internal organ damage in the event of an accident – licensing
> to other automakers and universities
>
>
> 13. Refined our global Early Detection, Early Resolution (EDER)
> system to include a wider variety of sources to help monitor
> quality/safety, including customer calls, web mentions and government
> databases
>
>
> 14. Appointed 6 North American leaders to join 3 others as
> presidents of plants in the U.S. and Canada, providing more regional
> autonomy
>
>
> 15. Establishing 6 additional Product Quality Field Offices
> throughout North America to improve our ability to detect and respond
> to customer and quality issues
>
>
> 16. Opened our electronic technology to an unprecedented level of
> review by outside experts, including NASA, the National Academy of
> Sciences and engineering firm Exponent
>
> Other Steps We Are Taking to Help Ensure Quality and Safety
>
> Toyota uses 8 electromagnetic testing chambers in Japan and is
> building one in the U.S.
>
>
> Toyota applies medical CT-scan technology to find issues smaller than
> a human hair in chips
>
>
> Toyota conducts thousands of virtual simulations and 1,600 actual
> vehicle crash tests in Toyota and affiliate facilities each year
>
>
> Toyota tests its electronic control units with 200 V/m of electricity
> to check their accuracy and durability in various areas, including
> locations near street power lines and TV towers
>
>
> Toyota also puts its electronic control units through “thermal shock”
> treatments ranging from minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit to a scorching
> 230 degrees
>
>
> Completed more than 35 million miles of electronic throttle control
> running tests on 2005 through 2010 Toyota models.
>
> Key Accolades Toyota Has Won in 2010
>
> Won 7 IIHS “top safety” picks
>
>
> Toyota has more vehicles on Cars.com’s “Top 10” list of the
> “American-made” vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker and
> Toyota Camry was ranked the most “American-made” vehicle in the U.S.
> for the 2nd year
>
>
> 2010 JD Power IQS – 6 segment awards (more than any manufacturer);
> Lexus LS “most trouble-free vehicle in US”; No. 1-rated plant in
> North America
>
>
> 2010 JD Power VDS – 5 segment winners – more than any other automaker
>
> This fact sheet is posted on the Toyota USA Newsroom at:
> http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota-s-proactive-steps-in-2010-165895.aspx
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic29359.jpg)
>
> 2. Toyota’s Chief Safety Officer for North America Praises Dealers’
> Recall Efforts
>
> “We are so proud of the way our dealers and their teams have gone above and
> beyond in servicing vehicles covered by our recalls,” Steve St. Angelo,
> Toyota’s chief safety officer for North America, told auto industry
> officials and analysts at the Management Briefing Seminar in Traverse City,
> Mich., today. “To date, they’ve handled more than four million remedies,
> including almost 80 percent of the fixes for sticking pedals. That’s a
> remarkable achievement in a relatively short period. They are the best!”
>
> Here are some additional excerpts from his remarks:
>
> “Let me make this clear. ‘Recall’ is not a four-letter word,” he said. “Of
> course, it’s never good news when a safety issue emerges regarding ANYONE”S
> products. But real-time quality support after sale is just as vital as
> quality in design and quality in manufacturing. At Toyota, we’re keenly
> aware of this. And it’s my job to make sure we act on this in North
> America.”
>
> “Our record of safety, reliability and quality is very strong. For example,
> during the past decade, Toyota, Scion and Lexus products have earned more
> than 70 top safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
> and other organizations.”
>
> St. Angelo also described how Toyota is moving even faster than ever. “For
> example, prior to announcing the sticking pedal recall, we had a meeting
> with our North America leadership team. Within 15 minutes we made a
> decision to stop production on 11 assembly lines for one week so we could
> focus on a plan to make things right with our EXISTING owners….”
>
> “As a manufacturing guy, I don’t have to tell you that shutting down that
> many production lines was very expensive. It cost us millions of dollars
> each day…. [Yet] we were focused on one thing, taking care of our
> customers as fast as possible.”
>
> Looking ahead, St. Angelo said Toyota filed more than 2,000 patents for
> alternative-powered vehicles last year and now holds 16 percent of all such
> patents worldwide. Toyota plans to produce one million hybrid vehicles per
> year by the end of the decade. The company also plans to offer a plug-in
> hybrid to consumers within two years, put a battery-electric car on the
> market in 2012, and sell zero-emission, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles in
> 2015.
>
> To read the speech, please click on:
> http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/2010-management-briefing-seminar-165897.aspx
>
> To read a news media article about the speech, please click on:
> http://www.autoobserver.com/2010/08/toyota-recall-is-not-a-four-letter-word.html
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic01547.jpg)
>
> 3. Texas Declares “Toyota Tacoma Day” to Mark First Tacoma Assembled There
>
>
> Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Toyota have declared this Friday “Tacoma Day!”
> Tacoma Day will be a celebration of the first ever Texas-assembled,
> Texas-tough Toyota Tacoma coming off the line in San Antonio. Bringing the
> Tacoma to Texas has resulted in 1,000 additional jobs and $100 million
> invested in the San Antonio community and has had a positive impact on the
> economy statewide. Combined with the production of the Toyota Tundra, the
> Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Texas (TMMTX) plant will have the ability to
> produce up to 200,000 trucks each year.
>
>
> The Toyota Trucks Texas Facebook page will be joining the celebration by
> posting Toyota Tacoma trivia, technical specs, and exclusive event
> information, as well as photos and video from launch ceremonies leading up
> to and on Aug. 6. Please visit www.facebook.com/ToyotaTrucksTexas
Read more!
>
> Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry. For more news,
> visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
>
>
> 1. Toyota's Proactive Steps in 2010 to Help Ensure Quality and Safety
>
> At Toyota, we’ve taken major steps to become a more responsive,
> safety-focused organization. Here are some of the actions we’ve taken to be
> an industry leader in quality and safety:
>
> 1. Established a Special Committee for Global Quality under the
> direction of Global President Akio Toyoda to reexamine all aspects of
> quality assurance
>
>
> 2. Star Safety System now standard across all lineups
>
>
> 3. Brake override system standard on all new models by the end of 2010
>
>
> 4. Created SMART Teams to help quickly investigate reports of unintended
> acceleration
>
>
> 5. Established independent Quality Advisory Panel – chaired by former
> U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater
>
>
> 6. Appointed Chief Quality Officer for North America – Steve St. Angelo
>
>
> 7. Appointed Chief Safety Executive for North America – Dino
> Triantafyllos
>
>
> 8. Increasing the use of Event Data Recorder (“black boxes”) in our cars
> for better data collection and providing new EDR readers to
> government safety regulators
>
>
> 9. Set up Design Quality Innovation Division in Japan and transferred
> 1,000 engineers to focus on design of components and other quality
> issues
>
>
> 10. Created a new team of 100 engineers to audit vehicle quality by
> studying real-world use by customers
>
>
> 11. Expanded product development cycle by 4 weeks to help ensure
> high quality/safety
>
>
> 12. Developed next-generation virtual test dummy to help guard
> against internal organ damage in the event of an accident – licensing
> to other automakers and universities
>
>
> 13. Refined our global Early Detection, Early Resolution (EDER)
> system to include a wider variety of sources to help monitor
> quality/safety, including customer calls, web mentions and government
> databases
>
>
> 14. Appointed 6 North American leaders to join 3 others as
> presidents of plants in the U.S. and Canada, providing more regional
> autonomy
>
>
> 15. Establishing 6 additional Product Quality Field Offices
> throughout North America to improve our ability to detect and respond
> to customer and quality issues
>
>
> 16. Opened our electronic technology to an unprecedented level of
> review by outside experts, including NASA, the National Academy of
> Sciences and engineering firm Exponent
>
> Other Steps We Are Taking to Help Ensure Quality and Safety
>
> Toyota uses 8 electromagnetic testing chambers in Japan and is
> building one in the U.S.
>
>
> Toyota applies medical CT-scan technology to find issues smaller than
> a human hair in chips
>
>
> Toyota conducts thousands of virtual simulations and 1,600 actual
> vehicle crash tests in Toyota and affiliate facilities each year
>
>
> Toyota tests its electronic control units with 200 V/m of electricity
> to check their accuracy and durability in various areas, including
> locations near street power lines and TV towers
>
>
> Toyota also puts its electronic control units through “thermal shock”
> treatments ranging from minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit to a scorching
> 230 degrees
>
>
> Completed more than 35 million miles of electronic throttle control
> running tests on 2005 through 2010 Toyota models.
>
> Key Accolades Toyota Has Won in 2010
>
> Won 7 IIHS “top safety” picks
>
>
> Toyota has more vehicles on Cars.com’s “Top 10” list of the
> “American-made” vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker and
> Toyota Camry was ranked the most “American-made” vehicle in the U.S.
> for the 2nd year
>
>
> 2010 JD Power IQS – 6 segment awards (more than any manufacturer);
> Lexus LS “most trouble-free vehicle in US”; No. 1-rated plant in
> North America
>
>
> 2010 JD Power VDS – 5 segment winners – more than any other automaker
>
> This fact sheet is posted on the Toyota USA Newsroom at:
> http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota-s-proactive-steps-in-2010-165895.aspx
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic29359.jpg)
>
> 2. Toyota’s Chief Safety Officer for North America Praises Dealers’
> Recall Efforts
>
> “We are so proud of the way our dealers and their teams have gone above and
> beyond in servicing vehicles covered by our recalls,” Steve St. Angelo,
> Toyota’s chief safety officer for North America, told auto industry
> officials and analysts at the Management Briefing Seminar in Traverse City,
> Mich., today. “To date, they’ve handled more than four million remedies,
> including almost 80 percent of the fixes for sticking pedals. That’s a
> remarkable achievement in a relatively short period. They are the best!”
>
> Here are some additional excerpts from his remarks:
>
> “Let me make this clear. ‘Recall’ is not a four-letter word,” he said. “Of
> course, it’s never good news when a safety issue emerges regarding ANYONE”S
> products. But real-time quality support after sale is just as vital as
> quality in design and quality in manufacturing. At Toyota, we’re keenly
> aware of this. And it’s my job to make sure we act on this in North
> America.”
>
> “Our record of safety, reliability and quality is very strong. For example,
> during the past decade, Toyota, Scion and Lexus products have earned more
> than 70 top safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
> and other organizations.”
>
> St. Angelo also described how Toyota is moving even faster than ever. “For
> example, prior to announcing the sticking pedal recall, we had a meeting
> with our North America leadership team. Within 15 minutes we made a
> decision to stop production on 11 assembly lines for one week so we could
> focus on a plan to make things right with our EXISTING owners….”
>
> “As a manufacturing guy, I don’t have to tell you that shutting down that
> many production lines was very expensive. It cost us millions of dollars
> each day…. [Yet] we were focused on one thing, taking care of our
> customers as fast as possible.”
>
> Looking ahead, St. Angelo said Toyota filed more than 2,000 patents for
> alternative-powered vehicles last year and now holds 16 percent of all such
> patents worldwide. Toyota plans to produce one million hybrid vehicles per
> year by the end of the decade. The company also plans to offer a plug-in
> hybrid to consumers within two years, put a battery-electric car on the
> market in 2012, and sell zero-emission, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles in
> 2015.
>
> To read the speech, please click on:
> http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/2010-management-briefing-seminar-165897.aspx
>
> To read a news media article about the speech, please click on:
> http://www.autoobserver.com/2010/08/toyota-recall-is-not-a-four-letter-word.html
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic01547.jpg)
>
> 3. Texas Declares “Toyota Tacoma Day” to Mark First Tacoma Assembled There
>
>
> Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Toyota have declared this Friday “Tacoma Day!”
> Tacoma Day will be a celebration of the first ever Texas-assembled,
> Texas-tough Toyota Tacoma coming off the line in San Antonio. Bringing the
> Tacoma to Texas has resulted in 1,000 additional jobs and $100 million
> invested in the San Antonio community and has had a positive impact on the
> economy statewide. Combined with the production of the Toyota Tundra, the
> Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Texas (TMMTX) plant will have the ability to
> produce up to 200,000 trucks each year.
>
>
> The Toyota Trucks Texas Facebook page will be joining the celebration by
> posting Toyota Tacoma trivia, technical specs, and exclusive event
> information, as well as photos and video from launch ceremonies leading up
> to and on Aug. 6. Please visit www.facebook.com/ToyotaTrucksTexas
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Toyota Regains Brand Loyalty
2010 Toyota 4Runner
ToMoCo claims that it has regained its customer loyalty after the recall crisis, saying that its conquest ratios are back to where they were previously. Typically, 55% of Toyota’s sales have been from consumers captured from competing brands, but in July, 57% of sales were from newcomers.
Bob Carter, Toyota Division GM, said that he expect Toyota’s overall share to grow 2 percentage points as a result of this.
“July was the first month where we went back to normal trade-in cycle,” he said. “Again we were the leader in retail sales, with retail sales up 17 percent from June. Camry once again is the top-selling car for the year.”
It is expected that a good part of that new business is from bargain hunters, and that is expected to continue throughout the summer. Toyota has scaled back its incentive spending since Q2, but it is still $450 per unit higher than last year. Toyota’s sales have increased 8% year-to-date as they have moved 1.02 million units. The overall industry has jumped 15%.
-By: Stephen Calogera
Source: Automotive News
Toyota Fast Facts: TMC Announces FY11 First Quarter Global Financial Results
> August 4, 2010
>
> Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry news. For more news,
> visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
>
>
> 1. TMC Announces FY11 First Quarter Global Financial Results
>
> Toyota Motor Corporation reported today net revenues on a consolidated
> basis of 4,871.8 billion yen ($52.95 billion) for the three months ended
> June 30, an increase of 27 percent compared to the same period last fiscal
> year. Operating income increased from a loss of 194.9 billion yen to a
> profit of 211.6 billion yen ($2.3 billion). Net income attributable to TMC
> increased from a loss of 77.8 billion yen to a profit of 190.4 billion yen
> ($2.07 billion).
>
> Consolidated vehicle sales for the first quarter totaled 1.82 million
> units, an increase of 419,000 units compared to the same period last fiscal
> year.
>
> Commenting on the first quarter results, TMC Senior Managing Director
> Takahiko Ijichi said, "Due to an increase in vehicle sales and a large
> decrease in the costs related to loan losses and residual losses in
> Financial Services, operating income improved substantially on last year."
>
> Operating income improved year on year in all regions for the first
> quarter. In North America, operating income increased by 113.4 billion yen
> to 109.7 billion ($1.19 billion), including 700 billion yen of valuation
> gains/losses from interest rate swaps. Operating income, excluding the
> impact of valuation gains/losses from interest rate swaps, increased by
> 125.1 billion yen to 109.0 billion yen.
>
> TMC also adjusted its yearly financial forecast for net income from 310
> billion yen to 430 billion yen ($3.78 billion) for the fiscal year ending
> March 31, 2011 due to an increase in consolidated vehicle sales from 7.29
> million to 7.38 million, an increase of 90,000 units globally. Activities
> will continue to reduce fixed and variable costs in order to maximize our
> effort to exceed our forecast.
>
> Read the press release here:
> http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota-announces-first-quarter-165832.aspx
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic13803.jpg)
>
> 2. Edmunds: Toyota’s Incentives Still Well Below the Detroit Three
>
> Edmunds.com estimated Tuesday that the average automotive manufacturer
> incentive in the United States rose $63, or 2.3 percent, in July to $2,753.
>
> According to Edmunds’ estimate, Toyota Motor Sales’ incentives averaged
> $2,204 in July, up from $2,141 in June and $1,302 in July 2009. However,
> that is well below Edmunds’ estimate of the July industry average, $2,753,
> and even farther below the average for the Detroit Three, $3,438.
>
> To read the Edmunds press release, please click on:
> http://www.edmunds.com/help/about/press/164767/article.html
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic20220.jpg)
>
> 3. Autoblog: One-Third of Drivers Don’t Know What This Dashboard Light
> Means
>
> Do you know what this symbol on your dashboard means? Although most U.S.
> drivers believe under-inflated tires pose a safety risk, Autoblog reported
> today that 44 percent of those surveyed did not know this symbol was the
> tire pressure monitor and when it lights up they should check their tire
> pressure.
>
> To read the Autoblog article, please click on:
> http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/04/study-one-third-of-drivers-dont-know-what-...
>
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic16558.jpg)
>
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic11415.jpg)
>
>
>
>
>
>
Read more!
>
> Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry news. For more news,
> visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
>
>
> 1. TMC Announces FY11 First Quarter Global Financial Results
>
> Toyota Motor Corporation reported today net revenues on a consolidated
> basis of 4,871.8 billion yen ($52.95 billion) for the three months ended
> June 30, an increase of 27 percent compared to the same period last fiscal
> year. Operating income increased from a loss of 194.9 billion yen to a
> profit of 211.6 billion yen ($2.3 billion). Net income attributable to TMC
> increased from a loss of 77.8 billion yen to a profit of 190.4 billion yen
> ($2.07 billion).
>
> Consolidated vehicle sales for the first quarter totaled 1.82 million
> units, an increase of 419,000 units compared to the same period last fiscal
> year.
>
> Commenting on the first quarter results, TMC Senior Managing Director
> Takahiko Ijichi said, "Due to an increase in vehicle sales and a large
> decrease in the costs related to loan losses and residual losses in
> Financial Services, operating income improved substantially on last year."
>
> Operating income improved year on year in all regions for the first
> quarter. In North America, operating income increased by 113.4 billion yen
> to 109.7 billion ($1.19 billion), including 700 billion yen of valuation
> gains/losses from interest rate swaps. Operating income, excluding the
> impact of valuation gains/losses from interest rate swaps, increased by
> 125.1 billion yen to 109.0 billion yen.
>
> TMC also adjusted its yearly financial forecast for net income from 310
> billion yen to 430 billion yen ($3.78 billion) for the fiscal year ending
> March 31, 2011 due to an increase in consolidated vehicle sales from 7.29
> million to 7.38 million, an increase of 90,000 units globally. Activities
> will continue to reduce fixed and variable costs in order to maximize our
> effort to exceed our forecast.
>
> Read the press release here:
> http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota-announces-first-quarter-165832.aspx
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic13803.jpg)
>
> 2. Edmunds: Toyota’s Incentives Still Well Below the Detroit Three
>
> Edmunds.com estimated Tuesday that the average automotive manufacturer
> incentive in the United States rose $63, or 2.3 percent, in July to $2,753.
>
> According to Edmunds’ estimate, Toyota Motor Sales’ incentives averaged
> $2,204 in July, up from $2,141 in June and $1,302 in July 2009. However,
> that is well below Edmunds’ estimate of the July industry average, $2,753,
> and even farther below the average for the Detroit Three, $3,438.
>
> To read the Edmunds press release, please click on:
> http://www.edmunds.com/help/about/press/164767/article.html
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic20220.jpg)
>
> 3. Autoblog: One-Third of Drivers Don’t Know What This Dashboard Light
> Means
>
> Do you know what this symbol on your dashboard means? Although most U.S.
> drivers believe under-inflated tires pose a safety risk, Autoblog reported
> today that 44 percent of those surveyed did not know this symbol was the
> tire pressure monitor and when it lights up they should check their tire
> pressure.
>
> To read the Autoblog article, please click on:
> http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/04/study-one-third-of-drivers-dont-know-what-...
>
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic16558.jpg)
>
>
> (Embedded image moved to file: pic11415.jpg)
>
>
>
>
>
>
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