JAPAN: Japanese auto industry strives to keep brand image amid Toyota recalls

Record ID: 464152

  • Title: JAPAN: Japanese auto industry strives to keep brand image amid Toyota recalls
  • Date: 19th February 2010
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE) (REUTERS) HONDA MOTOR HEADQUARTERS HONDA LOGO HONDA SHOWROOM VARIOUS OF INSIGHT HYBRID CAR
  • Embargoed: 6th March 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVAE6VX1JJX12RH4FJ1V6K5J5X3N
  • Story Text: With a series of vehicle recalls damaging Japanese carmaker Toyota's once-vaunted reputation, the head of Japan's auto-making lobby on Thursday (February 18) stressed Japanese automakers' commitment to quality and safety, saying ensuring Japanese-made cars' safety is their top priority.
    "We consider ensuring the safety of Japanese cars our top priority. We are committed to doing whatever we can to that end in developing and manufacturing vehicles," Satoshi Aoki, chairman of Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) told a news conference in Tokyo.
    "A typical car nowadays consists of 20,000 to 30,000 auto parts and has a complicated structure. Each Japanese company is striving to improve the quality of their vehicles by paying close attention to every detail," Aoki added.
    Toyota is under fire with a series of recent global recalls, including those involving its state-of-the-art Prius hybrid vehicle.
    Aoki, who is also the chairman of Honda Motor, said Honda's hybrid vehicles employ a different brake system from Toyota's, so Honda cars should be safe.
    "The Insight and other Honda vehicles employ the IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) braking technology, and have nothing to do with the problems currently being talked about," Aoki said.
    On Wednesday (February 17), U.S. regulators launched a preliminary investigation into reported steering problems on Toyota's Corolla sedan after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received more than 150 complaints about 2009 and 2010 Corolla models.
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