Toyota head agrees to testify before US Congress

Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda finally agreed to testify before the US Congress about the Japanese car maker's recent safety recalls. Toyoda, who had earlier suggested that he would not attend hearings on his company's recall of over 8 million vehicles, said in a public statement that he has accepted an invitation to testify sent by Edolphus Towns, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. "I have received Congressman Towns' invitation to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Feb. 24 and I accept," Toyoda said in a statement. "I look forward to speaking directly with Congress and the American people," he said. Toyoda's comments came after the US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that the Japanese auto giant was "a little safety deaf" as problems with various models surfaced. Earlier this week, the US ordered Toyota to hand over internal documents related to its recalls. US car-safety watchdog asked Toyota to provide documents for its investigation into whether the Japanese carmaker’s recent huge recall was conducted in a timely manner. The company said that it would co-operate fully. Meanwhile, problems got compounded for Toyota, this time with the steering on the Corolla.