A wide range of television entertainment was on offer to the discerning viewer this week. Including, for the sports fan, downhill skiing and other delights from the winter Olympics in Canada. For the auto industry and US politics buff, how about live congressional coverage – politicians v Toyota, rounds one and two?
As commentaries like this show, there has been a growing suspicion in the US – and in Japan – that all the attention Washington has devoted to Toyota’s recall – culminating in two hearings on Capitol Hill this week, with a Senate hearing to follow – might have a political agenda beind it. Maybe, maybe not, but I don’t recall the then transportation secretary promising to hold Ford or Firestone’s ‘feet to the fire’ over the 2000 tyre recall or the top brass at the tyremaker and the automaker being so hurriedly hauled to DC for a roasting before House and/or Senate sub-committees, as Toyota was this week.
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No question it’s serious – around 37 deaths in the US have been attributed to unintended acceleration in Toyota-made cars, including four in that infamous San Diego crash alone – but will political meddling on Capitol Hill really achieve anything? Toyota was, after all, already on the case, with the NHTSA, before the House and Administration politicos weighed in. Scaring people silly that their Toyotas are unsafe to drive, as transportation secretary Ray LaHood did with an ill-thought comment, when only a small fraction are likely to be faulty, is not very responsible in a country where many people have no alternative to the automobile to get about.
If the Ford/Firestone case is any guide, the fall-out will continue for years, mostly to the benefit of lawyers and ‘compensayshun’ seekers, but I can’t see that putting Toyota’s feet to the fire will achieve much more than the widely-publicised recall notification campaigns, redesigned parts, revamped ABS software, retrofitted brake override systems, dealers open 24/7 with a wide remit to make customers happy and a public apology by the automaker’s prez himself are already managing.
Toyoda made it clear this week he is going to shake things up in his family’s company and it appears that is starting already. With strong support from a former top Toyota executive in the US. Some observers have drawn a parallel between that and what happened at Ford after the tyre debacle – welcome on board Bill Ford and, eventually, Allan Mulally. You know the rest of the story.
In other news, and it was good news, came the sale of Saab. And money in GM’s piggy bank. Now comes the hard part – best of luck, Spyker.
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By GlobalDataThe attempted sale of Hummer, however, came to a grinding halt. Lengthy explanations for the lack of government regulatory approval were not forthcoming but it appears the Chinese weren’t too keen on being seen encouraging the ongoing manufacture of huge gas guzzlers while also incentivising the purchase of low-emission, fuel-efficient small cars to reduce pollution. So GM is reportedly shopping the brand around a couple of previous bidders to see what it can flog off before ‘winding down’ yet another brand.
Unlike, say, Pontiac (rip GTO), I can’t see Hummer being much missed.
Have a nice weekend.
Graeme Roberts
Deputy/News Editor
just-auto.com
