On Toyota?

General Motors has blamed a supplier partly owned by Toyota for a faulty car part that led to the recall of 1.3m Chevrolet and Pontiac cars in North America.
Bob Lutz, GM’s vice-chairman, yesterday told the BBC in Geneva that the supplier — separately identified as JTEKT, a joint venture between Toyoda Machine Works and Koyo Seiko — had not met “all requirements for reliability and durability”.
His criticism came as Toyota, its reputation battered after recalls affecting more than 8m cars and trucks, sought to re-assure US lawmakers at the third congressional hearing in the past 10 days into the safety and reliability of its vehicles.
The Toyota issue has also raised questions about broader US auto safety policy, with some lawmakers calling for a re-examination of the government’s oversight of the industry. Ray LaHood, US transportation secretary, said yesterday that regulators may require all automakers to install “brake override” systems on new vehicles.