Toyota Admits favoring growth over quality
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:21 am
July 5, 2010 -- 5:30 p.m. EDTToyota Is Changing Testing, DevelopmentDETROIT— Toyota Motor Corp. is stretching out how long its new models are tested before they go into production and reducing the number of outside engineers it uses in a bid to overcome a spate of quality problems.Randy Stephens, a senior Toyota engineer based in Ann Arbor, Mich., said company executives recognize that there were quality issues with the last generation of vehicles, which were developed while the company was in a global-growth mode. Executives began talking about making changes nearly a year ago, he said, but the recent recall problems have spurred the company to act."As we looked at this past generation of vehicles it did seem to be all about the growth of the company, and there were lapses," said Mr. Stephens, who works at the Toyota Technical Center near Ann Arbor and is currently in charge of the Toyota Avalon, a large sedan. "We are definitely reforming the processes to be ultracareful."Full article at http://online.wsj.com/article/...TEW_h