Imagine waking up this morning and suddenly there were no Japanese automobiles. More than half the cars on the road would have disappeared.
Although there were over 8 million Toyota’s being recalled, Toyota owners stay loyal. According to Gallup polls, 82 percent of Toyota owners still feel safe driving their cars.
Mike Johanns, senator of Nebraska, raises the idea of U.S. considering banning all Japanese cars until the government of Japan insures the safety of their products.
Since before the beginning of this year, Toyota has had several recalls on various models and types of their vehicles due to unintended acceleration and braking problems. Among the cars being recalled are the Camry, Corolla, and Prius, from the years of 2004 to present.
Akio Toyoda, the president of Toyota Motor Corp. made a public apology both here in the U.S. and also China where a large number of recalls were made on new RAV-4s. The senators statement is redundant, if not offensive due to overgeneralization.
To group all Japanese automobiles and label them as faulty is brash. Like all Asian people drive badly, the senator’s comment is similar to a stereotype. The only automobile brands which have been so far affected have been Toyota, Lexus, and just recently Nissan as well.
The questions many people raise is why did these accidents happen. Toyota says the safety problems have been linked to the company’s rapid expansion and inability to provide the quality work necessary in the time available.
Several lawsuits have been made against Toyota due to several unfortunate incidents. 58 people have died in complication with faulty Toyota vehicles. The suits may cost Toyota 3 billion dollars.
It is ignorant to believe that all Japanese automobiles are faulty just because two companies had problems. The statement made by the senator should be considered slander against the names of other top brand Japanese automobile companies.
Attention must be paid on the highly questionable timing of Toyota’s recalls. It was only several months ago that General Motors had to be bailed out with the help of the U.S. government after giving large bonuses to executives. The Toyota recall could not have happened at a better time if even fairy godmother was here.
Due to the recall, 661 General Motors dealerships are being reinstated. While this may help the domestic motor company, many Americans still trust, and rely on their Toyotas. 61 percent of Americans have not lost faith in Toyota’s vehicles, even after these current incidents, according to Gallup polls.
