…（゜Д゜;）英字新聞
Toyota must face up to Prius problem
Mounting concern about the quality of Toyota Motor Corp. cars--initially sparked in the United States and then spreading to many other parts of the world--is finally beginning to be felt in this country, too.
It has been found that the latest version of Toyota's Prius hybrid, which hit the market in May, has a brake design flaw.
The Prius, a model built on Toyota's state-of-the-art environmental technology, is the automaker's flagship model. The Prius was the nation's top-selling vehicle in Japan last year. Given this, the latest affair is a severe blow to the world's largest car manufacturer.
During a press conference, Toyota President Akio Toyoda apologized for the problem and emphasized the automaker was determined to reexamine its quality control system in its entirety. His resolve apparently reflects Toyota's sense of urgency about the problem.
It has also surfaced that there are accelerator pedal flaws in other Toyota models, forcing the carmaker to recall and repair an estimated 4.45 million units in North America and some other areas. Swift measures must be taken to clear up the Prius glitch.
The recently revealed flaw in the Prius can cause its brakes to fail temporarily while driving on icy roads or in other treacherous conditions. Toyota has said the problem lies with a mechanism for controlling the hybrid car's antilock braking system (ABS), a device for preventing skidding.
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Brakes in spotlight
The Prius is outfitted with both a hydraulic brake--the kind used in ordinary cars--and a regenerative brake that functions during deceleration. According to Toyota, the two braking systems can fail to smoothly function in tandem with the ABS system under certain running conditions, causing a Prius driver to feel as though the brakes were not working for a moment. Toyota has said this period can last "less than one second," adding the Prius will halt if the driver pumps the brake a second time. It has openly concluded this problem is not a defect in the Prius.
However, the apparent flaw in the Prius is an issue that must be examined from the standpoint of the model's basic performance. It is not merely a matter of how a Prius driver feels if his or her car does not properly function for a split second.
Toyota has improved the ABS computer program installed on Prius cars built and shipped since January. The car manufacturer is also set to repair previously sold vehicles without charge.
Toyota's response can be regarded as reasonable. However, the move comes too late, given that Toyota became aware of the problem in autumn.
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Safety must come first
There is no denying Toyota was overconfident about its models' high-tech equipment, and lightly treated complaints from users. The carmaker should reexamine its customer relations section.
Contemporary cars, including the Prius, are equipped with numerous computerized control systems that improve their fuel efficiency and driving safety. Quick steps must be taken to thoroughly examine other models over whether their complicated electronics can work with each other without a hitch.
More than 120 complaints have been received about the Prius braking system in the United States. The U.S. Transportation Department has set out to investigate the problem. Toyota has come under a barrage of criticism in the United States.
Failure to properly deal with the current fiasco could deal a blow to the international trust in Japan's manufacturing technology. We hope Toyota humbly accepts the criticism leveled against it and will do all it can to ensure the safety and high quality of its vehicles.
Mounting concern about the quality of Toyota Motor Corp. cars--initially sparked in the United States and then spreading to many other parts of the world--is finally beginning to be felt in this country, too.
It has been found that the latest version of Toyota's Prius hybrid, which hit the market in May, has a brake design flaw.
The Prius, a model built on Toyota's state-of-the-art environmental technology, is the automaker's flagship model. The Prius was the nation's top-selling vehicle in Japan last year. Given this, the latest affair is a severe blow to the world's largest car manufacturer.
During a press conference, Toyota President Akio Toyoda apologized for the problem and emphasized the automaker was determined to reexamine its quality control system in its entirety. His resolve apparently reflects Toyota's sense of urgency about the problem.
It has also surfaced that there are accelerator pedal flaws in other Toyota models, forcing the carmaker to recall and repair an estimated 4.45 million units in North America and some other areas. Swift measures must be taken to clear up the Prius glitch.
The recently revealed flaw in the Prius can cause its brakes to fail temporarily while driving on icy roads or in other treacherous conditions. Toyota has said the problem lies with a mechanism for controlling the hybrid car's antilock braking system (ABS), a device for preventing skidding.
===
Brakes in spotlight
The Prius is outfitted with both a hydraulic brake--the kind used in ordinary cars--and a regenerative brake that functions during deceleration. According to Toyota, the two braking systems can fail to smoothly function in tandem with the ABS system under certain running conditions, causing a Prius driver to feel as though the brakes were not working for a moment. Toyota has said this period can last "less than one second," adding the Prius will halt if the driver pumps the brake a second time. It has openly concluded this problem is not a defect in the Prius.
However, the apparent flaw in the Prius is an issue that must be examined from the standpoint of the model's basic performance. It is not merely a matter of how a Prius driver feels if his or her car does not properly function for a split second.
Toyota has improved the ABS computer program installed on Prius cars built and shipped since January. The car manufacturer is also set to repair previously sold vehicles without charge.
Toyota's response can be regarded as reasonable. However, the move comes too late, given that Toyota became aware of the problem in autumn.
===
Safety must come first
There is no denying Toyota was overconfident about its models' high-tech equipment, and lightly treated complaints from users. The carmaker should reexamine its customer relations section.
Contemporary cars, including the Prius, are equipped with numerous computerized control systems that improve their fuel efficiency and driving safety. Quick steps must be taken to thoroughly examine other models over whether their complicated electronics can work with each other without a hitch.
More than 120 complaints have been received about the Prius braking system in the United States. The U.S. Transportation Department has set out to investigate the problem. Toyota has come under a barrage of criticism in the United States.
Failure to properly deal with the current fiasco could deal a blow to the international trust in Japan's manufacturing technology. We hope Toyota humbly accepts the criticism leveled against it and will do all it can to ensure the safety and high quality of its vehicles.
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