Toyota Chairman Apologizes for Safety Scandal as Brand Maintains Top-Selling Status
Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda apologized for safety scandals at three of the company's subsidiaries, including Daihatsu and Hino Motors, while also announcing the suspension of shipments for some Toyota models due to irregularities in safety tests for diesel engines. Despite the scandals, Toyota Motor remained the world's top-selling car manufacturer for the fourth consecutive year, with record annual sales of 11.2 million vehicles in 2023. Daihatsu, one of Toyota's oldest combustion engine manufacturers, temporarily shut down its factories and suspended all vehicle imports and exports after an independent investigation found widespread and systemic issues in safety tests dating back to 1989.