Toyota to Provide "Black Box" Readers
Updated at 6:44 p.m. ET
Toyota executives are telling Congress that the automaker will give U.S. safety regulators special Japanese electronic data readers that will enable them to read the "black boxes" from Toyotas involved in sudden acceleration accidents.
Yoshimi Inaba, the president of Toyota Motor North America, told the Senate Commerce Committee on Tuesday that the company would be delivering three data readers to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Wednesday. And he said the company hoped to make the data more accessible to other systems by the middle of 2011.
"This loss of trust is more costly than anything else," Inaba said.
The damage from that loss of trust was apparent in CBS News poll, which found that nearly half of those surveyed - 49 percent - believe the company is "hiding something," and nearly half say they are now "less likely" to buy a Toyota.
Other major automakers saw their sales surge in February, led by Ford up more than 40 percent, but Ford's own analysts say little of its gains came at Toyota's expense, reports CBS News Correspondent Anthony Mason.
"The business that is leaking from Toyota is pretty modest, and their customers right now I think are sitting on the sidelines," said George Pipas, a U.S. sales analyst for Ford.
Inaba also told the congressional panel that Toyota is also dispatching its engineers to the United States to train U.S. technicians on how to use the devices. Such "black box" recording devices are common safety features on modern automobiles. But the ones on Toyotas can be read only by Toyota technicians with specialized readers.
Toyota Motor Corp. faced more questions from Congress over its troubled safety record when top company officials testified at a Senate hearing on the automaker's huge worldwide recall of 8.5 million vehicles.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said his agency may recommend that every new vehicle sold in the U.S. be equipped with brakes that can override the gas pedal. The idea seemed to be gaining support among lawmakers as Toyota officials returned for a third congressional hearing on lethal safety defects.
"We will not rest until these cars are safe," LaHood told the Senate Commerce Committee.
More on Toyota's troubles:
Senate Committee Members' Toyota Links
NYT: Troubles Predate Recalled Toyotas
Poll: 49% Say Toyota Hiding Something
More Toyotas Need Oil Hose Fix
Toyota New Car Sales Up Amid Recalls
Toyota Seized after "Near Death" Claim
Toyota Accused of Hiding Design Evidence
Toyota Woes Highlight Hi-Tech Car Pitfalls
Auto Industry Insider on Electronics Challenges