The History of Toyota Corporation - Essay Example

The History of Toyota CorporationThe history of Toyota Corporation is traced distinctly through its roots in 1867 when Sakichi Toyoda, a known inventor and industrial entreprenuer, initially designed looms for textile products. His son, Kiichiro Toyoda, ventured into automobiles as early as 1929 and started manufacturing automobiles in 1935 (Toyota: History, 2010). Current statistics revealed that Toyota is the only car manufacturer that made it to the Fortune 500 Global top 10 list where other companies were predominantly in the oil business (Mica, 2009).

ABC News Investigation reporters Ross, et.al. (2009) indicated that there had been alarmingly increasing incidents to latest models of Toyota cars suddenly speeding despite owners stepping on the break pedal. Accordingly, the reporters averred that “safety analysts found an estimated 2000 cases in which owners of Toyota cars including Camry, Prius and Lexus, reported that their cars surged without warning up to speeds of 100 miles per hour” (Ross, et.al., 2009, par. 2). As a result, there have been congressional hearings scheduled to investigate the complaints and the cases focusing on the safety problems posed by Toyota cars in the US.

In this regard, this essay aims to evaluate whether or not Toyota was treated fairly in those hearings. When evaluating the congressional hearings, there are diverse sides that must be considered, to wit: Toyota’s explanation, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), testimonies from safety research institutes and other automotive authorities, the victims of the runaway cars, and the public. Toyota’s defense through James Lentz, president and COO of Toyota US revealed in his testimony that “no problems exist with the electric throttle control system in our vehicles.

Rather, floor mats and sticky accelerators are to blame" (Farber, 2010, par. 7). Two testimonies, however, blamed the accidents to electrical malfunction with testimonial reports and personal testing and analysis. The side of the NHTSA is being criticized due to previous agency investigators subsequently being employed by Toyota. Any investigation on the sudden acceleration accidents could have been influenced and biased due to connections with Toyota. However, the hearings found “no violation for these two employees” (Schone & Rhee, 2010, 3).

The victims have filed legal cases against Toyota for having sustained injuries with deaths to family members. Also at risk are the public who could be victims of these kinds of car accidents. It is a personal contention that Toyota was treated fairly during those hearings because all sides and parties to the case were given the chance to be heard. In response to ensuring stricter measures for safety for the general public, the government imposed a higher fine for its failure to disclose issues on sticky gas pedals – “Toyota paid an inflation-adjusted $16.

4 million fine recently over allegations that it kept the federal government in the dark over problems with "sticky" gas pedals that could cause sudden acceleration, it was the highest penalty ever levied by the government” (Rhee & Caruso, 2010, 1). The move would deter automobile manufacturers from treating safety issues haphazardly. Some parties appear to side with Toyota especially those who gain from the employment being given by the corporation in their localities. Further, the root cause for sudden acceleration is continually being addressed by Toyota through testing.

Through recommendations of various state representatives, Toyota supported the suggestions of including external research testing parties to observe simulations for replication of acceleration cases. Further, in all humility, Toyota, through its senior officers, including the grandson of the founder, Aiko Toyoda, expressed their sympathies to the victims and support that the investigations would ultimately reveal facts on the root cause of the accidents. Obviously, no one from Toyota Motor Corporation would want something like this to happen as the accidents would gravely affect the overall performance of the organization.

However, it was just fair to recall vehicles that need to be addressed in terms of safety to ensure that incidents like these would never happen in the future.Works CitedFarber, Dan. Toyota Congressional Hearing Theater. 23 Feb. 2010. Web. 28 July 2010. < http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-6235684-503544.html> Mica, Roman. Toyota is the only car company to make the Fortune 500 Global top 10 list. 8 July 2009. Web. 28 July 2010. < http://www.examiner.com/x-2812-Road--Driver-Examiner~y2009m7d8-Toyota-is-the-only-car-company-to-make-the-Fortune-500-Global-top-10-list> Rhee, Joseph & Caruso, Malena.

Don't Gut 'Toyota Reform Bill,' Toyota Accident Survivors, Families Tell Congress. 22 July 2010. Web. 28 July 2010. < http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/RunawayToyotas/runaway-toyotas-gut-toyota-reform-bill-Toyota-accident/story?id=11217464> Ross, Brian, Rhee, Joseph, Hill, Angela M. & Chuchmach, Mega. Owners of Toyota Cars in Rebellion Over Series of Accidents Caused by Sudden Acceleration. 3 Nov. 2009. Web. 28 July 2010. < http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/RunawayToyotas/sudden-acceleration-toyota-cars-owners-rebel-accidents/story?

id=8980479&page=1> Schone, Mark & Rhee, Joseph. Former NHTSA Head Blasts Coziness Between Watchdog Agency and Auto Industry. 11 March 2010. Web. 28 July 2010.< http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/nhtsa-head-blasts-coziness-watchdog-agency-auto-industry/story?id=10064918&page=1> Toyota Motor Corporation. History of Toyota. 2010. Web. 28 July 2010. < http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/history/1867.html>