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Toyota president Akio Toyoda admitted the world's number one automaker may have expanded too fast in the competitive global market, as he again apologized for deadly car flaws in remarks Tuesday.
"Toyota has, for the past few years, been expanding its business rapidly. Quite frankly, I fear the pace at which we have grown may have been too quick," he was to tell US lawmakers.
He acknowledged, in the remarks prepared for delivery Wednesday, that Toyota's normal "priorities became confused, and we were not able to stop, think, and make improvements as much as we were able to before."
Toyoda, a qualified test driver, again apologized for flaws in the auto giant's vehicles which have led to sudden acceleration problems, blamed for about 30 US deaths and triggering the recall of millions of cars.
"I regret that this has resulted in the safety issues described in the recalls we face today, and I am deeply sorry for any accidents that Toyota drivers have experienced," he said in the prepared text sent to AFP.
Toyoda will appear Wednesday before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform after other Toyota executives came under fire Tuesday in a different US congressional hearing into the recalls.
"We pursued growth over the speed at which we were able to develop our people and our organization, and we should sincerely be mindful of that," Toyoda said, offering condolences to one family for an accident in San Diego.
He talked of his personal pain at the problems confronting the Japanese giant, founded by his grandfather and now embroiled in the worst crisis of its 70-year history.
"I love cars as much as anyone, and I love Toyota as much as anyone," he said in the text of his remarks, vowing to make improvements in quality control as well as recall procedures.
"For me when the cars are damaged, it is as though I am as well. I, more than anyone, wish for Toyota's cars to be safe and for our customers to feel safe when they use our vehicles."
Toyoda said that as a qualified test driver he had driven the vehicles involved in the accelerator pedal recall as well as the Prius model.
He added he would insist that all top staff "actually drive the cars, and that they check for themselves where the problem lies as well as its severity."
"My name is on every car. You have my personal commitment that Toyota will work vigorously and unceasingly to restore the trust of our customers," he pledged.
