Toyota Chief: I'm Sorry

Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota and grandson of its founder, apologized to the public during a very rare news conference on Friday—the company’s first since its massive global recall over sticky gas pedals. Toyoda said the company is still figuring out what to do about the recently publicized defects in the Prius model, and promised to form a committee to look into the problems. "I offer my apologies for the worries," he said, acknowledging that the “crisis” has "many customers wondering whether their cars are OK." He pleaded with reporters to "please believe me. We always put customers first." The automaker is now launching a probe into the Lexus HS250h, a luxury hybrid model in Japan. The car uses the same brake system as the Prius.