Toyota Motor Corp on Friday unveiled its first mass market hybrid car for India, a sport utility vehicle (SUV), charting a new course for the Japanese automaker in one of the world's fastest growing car markets.

The Urban Cruiser Hyryder SUV, the first car to be built by Toyota as part of a global alliance with Suzuki Motor Corp, will compete with Hyundai Motor Co and Kia Motor Corp in a segment that accounts for a large portion of auto sales in India.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/toyota-subaru-shares-drop-on-recalls-of-their-first-ev-models-491242">Toyota, Subaru shares drop on recalls of their first EV models</a>

The new model will be an "ultimate game changer" for the company in India's electrified auto space, Vikram Kirloskar, vice chairman of local unit Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said at a launch event in New Delhi.

It also reinforces Toyota's decision to take the hybrid route in developing markets like India, where it says infrastructure is not ready for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and much of the electricity is generated using coal or other fossil fuels.

While green investors have criticised the carmaker for slowness in moving its product line-up to all-electric vehicles, Toyota remains steadfast that hybrids make more sense in markets where it needs to offer a variety of choices depending on the energy mix and local needs.

Watch |&nbsp;Toyota recalls its first mass-produced EVs less than 2 months after the launch

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India wants carmakers to build more electric models but the uptake for such vehicles so far has been slow, and only Tata Motors builds them locally. India's biggest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, has said it will not launch an all-electric vehicle before 2025.

In India, Toyota offers a strong hybrid powertrain in its premium models like the Camry sedan and the Vellfire. This is the first time it will offer the technology in a mass segment car where only gasoline and diesel models are currently sold.

The new SUV is expected to be 40% to 50% more fuel efficient than a comparable gasoline-powered car and reduce carbon emissions by 30%, Toyota said. About 90% of the car's parts are sourced from local suppliers - a move that will help it price the car competitively when it goes on sale later this year.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/general-motors-calls-off-plan-to-sell-india-car-plant-to-chinas-great-wall-493561">General Motors calls off plan to sell India car plant to China's Great Wall</a>

Toyota's bigger challenge on pricing, however, will come due to the high taxes that the Indian government levies on hybrid cars of between 28% and 43% versus 5% on all-electric cars.

The SUV, to be manufactured at a Toyota plant in southern Karnataka state, will be sold in India and other global markets including Africa. Suzuki will also take the SUV from Toyota's operation in southern India and sell it under its own label.

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Toyota Motor Corp on Friday unveiled its first mass market hybrid car for India, a sport utility vehicle (SUV), charting a new course for the Japanese automaker in one of the world's fastest growing car markets.

Toyota Motor Corp on Friday unveiled its first mass market hybrid car for India, a sport utility vehicle (SUV), charting a new course for the Japanese automaker in one of the world's fastest growing car markets. The Urban Cruiser Hyryder SUV, the first car to be built by Toyota as part of a global alliance with Suzuki Motor Corp, will compete with Hyundai Motor Co and Kia Motor Corp in a segment that accounts for a large portion of auto sales in India. Also read | Toyota, Subaru shares drop on recalls of their first EV models The new model will be an "ultimate game changer" for the company in India's electrified auto space, Vikram Kirloskar, vice chairman of local unit Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said at a launch event in New Delhi. It also reinforces Toyota's decision to take the hybrid route in developing markets like India, where it says infrastructure is not ready for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and much of the electricity is generated using coal or other fossil fuels. While green investors have criticised the carmaker for slowness in moving its product line-up to all-electric vehicles, Toyota remains steadfast that hybrids make more sense in markets where it needs to offer a variety of choices depending on the energy mix and local needs. Watch | Toyota recalls its first mass-produced EVs less than 2 months after the launch India wants carmakers to build more electric models but the uptake for such vehicles so far has been slow, and only Tata Motors builds them locally. India's biggest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, has said it will not launch an all-electric vehicle before 2025. In India, Toyota offers a strong hybrid powertrain in its premium models like the Camry sedan and the Vellfire. This is the first time it will offer the technology in a mass segment car where only gasoline and diesel models are currently sold. The new SUV is expected to be 40% to 50% more fuel efficient than a comparable gasoline-powered car and reduce carbon emissions by 30%, Toyota said. About 90% of the car's parts are sourced from local suppliers - a move that will help it price the car competitively when it goes on sale later this year. Also read | General Motors calls off plan to sell India car plant to China's Great Wall Toyota's bigger challenge on pricing, however, will come due to the high taxes that the Indian government levies on hybrid cars of between 28% and 43% versus 5% on all-electric cars. The SUV, to be manufactured at a Toyota plant in southern Karnataka state, will be sold in India and other global markets including Africa. Suzuki will also take the SUV from Toyota's operation in southern India and sell it under its own label. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Toyota charts new course in India with its first mass market hybrid car

Automobile giant Toyota recalled its first mass-produced EVs less than 2 months after the launch. The risk of wheels coming loose is said to be the reason behind the recall.

Toyota recalls its first mass-produced EVs less than 2 months after the launch

Toyota said that it would recall 2,700 of its first mass-produced electric vehicles for the global market because of a risk the wheels could come loose.

Toyota recalls first mass-produced EVs less than two months after launch

Shares of&nbsp;Toyota&nbsp;Motor Corp and Subaru Corp dropped on Friday after the two Japanese car makers announced recalls of their first mass-produced electric vehicles (EV) for the global market because of a risk the wheels could come loose.

The recall by&nbsp;Toyota&nbsp;of 2,700 units of the bZ4X SUVs, rolled out less than two months ago in Japan, is a setback to the world's largest automaker by sales, as it seeks to take on larger EV rival Tesla Inc.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/toyota-pauses-most-japan-production-after-quake-463479">Toyota pauses most Japan production after quake</a>

A&nbsp;Toyota&nbsp;spokesperson said on Thursday not every model was subject to the recall but declined to say how many it has built overall.

Subaru, in which&nbsp;Toyota&nbsp;has a nearly 20 per cent&nbsp;stake, also said it was recalling globally about 2,600 units of the Solterra, its first all-electric vehicle jointly developed with its top shareholder.

Watch |&nbsp;Toyota recalls its first mass-produced EVs less than 2 months after the launch

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Japan's safety regulator said sharp turns and sudden braking could cause a hub bolt to loosen, raising the risk of a wheel coming off the vehicle. It said it was not aware of any accidents being caused by the defect.

Subaru shares slumped nearly 5 per cent&nbsp;and&nbsp;Toyota's were down 1.6 per cent.

Once a favourite with environmentalists for its popular hybrid Prius model,&nbsp;Toyota&nbsp;has come under fire for not acting quickly enough to phase out gasoline-powered cars and its lobbying on climate policy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/toyota-apologises-in-settlement-over-harassment-suicide-390004">Toyota apologises in settlement over harassment suicide</a>

The company has repeatedly pushed back against the criticism, arguing the necessity to offer a variety of powertrains to suit different markets and customers.

Gasoline-electric hybrid models remain far more popular in&nbsp;Toyota's home market than EVs, which accounted for just 1% of passenger cars sold in Japan last year, based on industry data.

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Shares of Toyota Motor Corp and Subaru Corp dropped on Friday after the two Japanese car makers announced recalls of their first mass-produced electric vehicles (EV) for the global market because of a risk the wheels could come loose.

Shares of Toyota Motor Corp and Subaru Corp dropped on Friday after the two Japanese car makers announced recalls of their first mass-produced electric vehicles (EV) for the global market because of a risk the wheels could come loose. The recall by Toyota of 2,700 units of the bZ4X SUVs, rolled out less than two months ago in Japan, is a setback to the world's largest automaker by sales, as it seeks to take on larger EV rival Tesla Inc. Also read | Toyota pauses most Japan production after quake A Toyota spokesperson said on Thursday not every model was subject to the recall but declined to say how many it has built overall. Subaru, in which Toyota has a nearly 20 per cent stake, also said it was recalling globally about 2,600 units of the Solterra, its first all-electric vehicle jointly developed with its top shareholder. Watch | Toyota recalls its first mass-produced EVs less than 2 months after the launch Japan's safety regulator said sharp turns and sudden braking could cause a hub bolt to loosen, raising the risk of a wheel coming off the vehicle. It said it was not aware of any accidents being caused by the defect. Subaru shares slumped nearly 5 per cent and Toyota's were down 1.6 per cent. Once a favourite with environmentalists for its popular hybrid Prius model, Toyota has come under fire for not acting quickly enough to phase out gasoline-powered cars and its lobbying on climate policy. Also read | Toyota apologises in settlement over harassment suicide The company has repeatedly pushed back against the criticism, arguing the necessity to offer a variety of powertrains to suit different markets and customers. Gasoline-electric hybrid models remain far more popular in Toyota's home market than EVs, which accounted for just 1% of passenger cars sold in Japan last year, based on industry data. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Toyota, Subaru shares drop on recalls of their first EV models

Toyota is looking to close additional production plant in Japan as the semiconductor shortage haunts Toyota. Toyota adjusted its production for the third time in June.

Toyota to close another production plant as semiconductor shortage haunt Toyota

The world's top-selling automaker Toyota said Friday it will halt operations on the majority of its Japanese production lines for three days as parts supply is hit by a recent powerful earthquake.

The 7.4-magnitude quake jolted east Japan on Wednesday night, derailing a bullet train and initially cutting power to over two million homes.

Three deaths have been linked to the quake off the coast of Fukushima, which was preceded by a 6.1-magnitude shake in the same area.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japanese-emperors-daughter-says-being-an-adult-royal-still-rather-tense-marriage-far-off-463173">Japanese emperor's daughter says being an adult royal still 'rather tense', marriage far off</a>

"Due to the parts shortage resulting from suppliers affected by the earthquakes, additional adjustments will be made to production operations in some plants in Japan," the Japanese automaker said in a statement.

Toyota will suspend operations on 17 of its 28 domestic production lines from Monday to Wednesday, and one other line just on Monday.

The decision will impact 11 factories in total and includes some lines run by Toyota's subsidiaries Hino and Daihatsu.

A Toyota spokeswoman told AFP that the stoppage will affect the production of approximately 20,000 vehicles.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/four-people-died-after-powerful-earthquake-jolts-japan-images-show-extent-of-damage-463149">Four people died after powerful earthquake jolts Japan, images show extent of damage</a>

The auto giant has already been forced to lower its production goals because of pandemic-related supply chain issues and the global chip shortage.

The company also halted operations at all 14 Japanese plants for a day last month, after one of its suppliers suffered a cyberattack.

Despite these challenges, Toyota was able to retain its crown as the world's top-selling carmaker in 2021 and posted a forecast-beating quarterly net profit.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake hits Japan

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The world's top-selling automaker Toyota said Friday it will halt operations on the majority of its Japanese production lines for three days as parts supply is hit by a recent powerful earthquake.

The world's top-selling automaker Toyota said Friday it will halt operations on the majority of its Japanese production lines for three days as parts supply is hit by a recent powerful earthquake. The 7.4-magnitude quake jolted east Japan on Wednesday night, derailing a bullet train and initially cutting power to over two million homes. Three deaths have been linked to the quake off the coast of Fukushima, which was preceded by a 6.1-magnitude shake in the same area. Also read | Japanese emperor's daughter says being an adult royal still 'rather tense', marriage far off "Due to the parts shortage resulting from suppliers affected by the earthquakes, additional adjustments will be made to production operations in some plants in Japan," the Japanese automaker said in a statement. Toyota will suspend operations on 17 of its 28 domestic production lines from Monday to Wednesday, and one other line just on Monday. The decision will impact 11 factories in total and includes some lines run by Toyota's subsidiaries Hino and Daihatsu. A Toyota spokeswoman told AFP that the stoppage will affect the production of approximately 20,000 vehicles. Also read | Four people died after powerful earthquake jolts Japan, images show extent of damage The auto giant has already been forced to lower its production goals because of pandemic-related supply chain issues and the global chip shortage. The company also halted operations at all 14 Japanese plants for a day last month, after one of its suppliers suffered a cyberattack. Despite these challenges, Toyota was able to retain its crown as the world's top-selling carmaker in 2021 and posted a forecast-beating quarterly net profit. Watch | Gravitas: 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake hits Japan

Toyota pauses most Japan production after quake

Amid the ongoing semiconductor shortages globally, Toyota dethrones GM after nearly a century as it sells 2.332 million vehicles in the US in 2021.

Toyota dethrones GM after nearly a century as it sells 2.332 million vehicles in the US in 2021

Toyota Motor Corp committed 8 trillion yen ($70 billion) to electrify its automobiles by 2030, half of it to develop a battery electric vehicle (BEV) line-up, as it looks to tap a growing market for zero-emission cars.

Toyota commits $70 bln to bolster electrification

The world's biggest automaker complies with tighter emission rules in the region, Toyota Motor Corp said all new vehicle sales in Western Europe will be zero-emission models by 2035.

Toyota will sell only zero-emission cars in Europe by 2035

Technology: A curse or a blessing?

An athlete's dream of winning an Olympics medal&nbsp;was shattered unexpectedly at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 after he was hit by a self-driving bus in the Paralympic Village in Japan's capital city.&nbsp;

Driverless autonomous electric vehicles grabbed eyeballs at Tokyo Games as they were being used like a shuttle service for all the athletes and officials.&nbsp;

However, it appeared to be a curse for visually impaired Japanese judoka Aramitsu Kitazono, who was hit by a self-driving bus in the Paralympic Village that ruled him out of the Games.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-a-village-in-gujarat-to-a-silver-medal-in-paralympics-inspirational-journey-of-bhavinaben-patel-409139">From a village in Gujarat to a silver medal in Paralympics: Inspirational journey of Bhavinaben Patel</a>

Kitazono was scheduled to compete in the men's -81kg competition on Saturday (August 28) but did not start his match against Ukraine's Dmytro Solovey.&nbsp;

Toyota, which developed the autonomous shuttle buses, has issued an apology and also suspended the operation of the vehicles after the accident. "We are very sorry that the accident has made many people worried," the company said.&nbsp;

"A vehicle is stronger than a person, so I was obviously worried about how they were. It shows that autonomous vehicles are not yet realistic for normal roads," the company added.&nbsp;

Toyota said in a statement: "We will conduct our own thorough investigation into the cause of the accident, and we will continue to coordinate closely with the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to ensure that we prevent any incidents from occurring in the future."

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-paralympics-afghanistan-athletes-to-compete-in-games-after-evacuation-409080">Tokyo Paralympics: Afghanistan athletes to compete in Games after evacuation</a>

The organisers revealed that the accident took place on Thursday (August 26) afternoon and revealed that the man hit by the bus underwent "a full examination" and "no external injury was identified."

"The shuttle bus service in the Village has been temporarily suspended and operations will be resumed as soon as it is deemed safe to do so," organisers said.&nbsp;

Initially, neither&nbsp;organisers nor Toyota identified the person hit by the vehicle, but several local media outlets named the injured man as Kitazono.&nbsp;

Local media said the 30-year-old fell and will need two weeks to recover from his injuries. Public broadcaster NHK reported that his condition was "bad". His coach said he decided after talking to Kitazono and consulting with a doctor who treated him, the report added.&nbsp;

(inputs from agencies)

Technology: A curse or a blessing? An athlete's dream of winning an Olympics medal was shattered unexpectedly at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 after he was hit by a self-driving bus in the Paralympic Village in Japan's capital city.

Technology: A curse or a blessing? An athlete's dream of winning an Olympics medal was shattered unexpectedly at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 after he was hit by a self-driving bus in the Paralympic Village in Japan's capital city. Driverless autonomous electric vehicles grabbed eyeballs at Tokyo Games as they were being used like a shuttle service for all the athletes and officials. However, it appeared to be a curse for visually impaired Japanese judoka Aramitsu Kitazono, who was hit by a self-driving bus in the Paralympic Village that ruled him out of the Games. ALSO READ | From a village in Gujarat to a silver medal in Paralympics: Inspirational journey of Bhavinaben Patel Kitazono was scheduled to compete in the men's -81kg competition on Saturday (August 28) but did not start his match against Ukraine's Dmytro Solovey. Toyota, which developed the autonomous shuttle buses, has issued an apology and also suspended the operation of the vehicles after the accident. "We are very sorry that the accident has made many people worried," the company said. "A vehicle is stronger than a person, so I was obviously worried about how they were. It shows that autonomous vehicles are not yet realistic for normal roads," the company added. Toyota said in a statement: "We will conduct our own thorough investigation into the cause of the accident, and we will continue to coordinate closely with the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to ensure that we prevent any incidents from occurring in the future." ALSO READ | Tokyo Paralympics: Afghanistan athletes to compete in Games after evacuation The organisers revealed that the accident took place on Thursday (August 26) afternoon and revealed that the man hit by the bus underwent "a full examination" and "no external injury was identified." "The shuttle bus service in the Village has been temporarily suspended and operations will be resumed as soon as it is deemed safe to do so," organisers said. Initially, neither organisers nor Toyota identified the person hit by the vehicle, but several local media outlets named the injured man as Kitazono. Local media said the 30-year-old fell and will need two weeks to recover from his injuries. Public broadcaster NHK reported that his condition was "bad". His coach said he decided after talking to Kitazono and consulting with a doctor who treated him, the report added. (inputs from agencies)

Toyota issues apology as Japan's Aramitsu Kitazono ruled out after being hit by self-driving bus in Paralympics village

A basketball-playing robot CUE captured everybody's attention during the men's preliminary round Group B game between the United States and France on Sunday at the Tokyo <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-coachs-wild-celebration-goes-viral-after-australian-swimmer-wins-gold-watch-400732">Olympics</a> as it displayed its skills at halftime.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-pakistan-and-two-other-countries-make-awkward-entry-in-opening-ceremony-watch-400139">Watch:&nbsp;Pakistan and two other countries make awkward entry in opening ceremony</a>

The 6-foot-10-inch basketball robot has been created by Toyota. It uses sensors on its torso to judge the distance and angle of the basket and uses motorised arms and knees to execute set shots.

<img alt="Basketball Robot" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7585aaa-9b64-4d59-8856-0c0a7f638d54" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/3_51.jpg" />

The robot wearing jersey No-95 became the talking point of the game with its entertaining style of play. The robot is not a new feature as it had made its debut three&nbsp;years ago.

The robot can't dribble or jump but it can throw some deep winners as it showed off its skill hitting a free throw, a three-pointer and a half-court shot outperforming many star players and stole everybody's heart.

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Artificial Intelligence Basketball Robot CUE! 
 
Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Toyota?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Toyota</a> to developed a CUE Robot!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/artificialintellegence?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#artificialintellegence</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/toyota?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#toyota</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cybersecurity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cybersecurity</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cue</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/robot?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#robot</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/basketballrobot?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#basketballrobot</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/basketball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#basketball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wethenorth?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wethenorth</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/toyotacanada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#toyotacanada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abdullatifjameel?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abdullatifjameel</a> <a href="https://t.co/h8G9hs3LpB">pic.twitter.com/h8G9hs3LpB</a>
— Azhar Khan (@khanazharsemail) <a href="https://twitter.com/khanazharsemail/status/1236120488562372608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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How about a basketball match with the robot? 
Meet Cue, the robot that can shoot basketball with nearly 100% accuracy.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/robots?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#robots</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/roboticplayer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#roboticplayer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/artificialintelligence?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#artificialintelligence</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/basketball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#basketball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/robotforgames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#robotforgames</a> <a href="https://t.co/ESxTsitU11">https://t.co/ESxTsitU11</a>
— Avishkaar (@AvishkaarEdu) <a href="https://twitter.com/AvishkaarEdu/status/1402118460243546113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Toyota CUE Basketball Robot That Never Misses A Free Throw <a href="https://t.co/gwnae9MhJM">https://t.co/gwnae9MhJM</a> <a href="https://t.co/NOTMAfaCvU">pic.twitter.com/NOTMAfaCvU</a>
— gadgetking (@gadgetking) <a href="https://twitter.com/gadgetking/status/975791303786102786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The chances of CUE replacing the US all-star team may not be on the agenda anytime soon but from the looks of it, the US team may have picked a few tips from him during their embarrassing show against France on Sunday.

The star-studded US basketball team led by 11-time NBA all-star Kevin Durant were soundly beaten 83-76 by France which was their first defeat since the 2004 Athens Olympics.

<img alt="Basketball Robot" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8e5d53aa-afd1-4664-a9a7-39cb1001f6b2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/4_20.jpg" />

The determined French team came from behind to overpower the US team as the Americans missed their final nine shots. The French team was down 10 points but they came back fiercely in the final quarter to destabilise the US team which had no answers to French fury.&nbsp;

Durant himself had said earlier that the Tokyo Olympics won't be a "cakewalk" as his worst fears came true on Sunday.

Fournier top-scored with 28 points for France as the underrated team stunned the United States.

The USA will take on Iran in their next game on Wednesday while France will clash against the Czech Republic.

(With inputs from Agencies)

A basketball-playing robot CUE captured everybody's attention during the men's preliminary round Group B game between the United States and France on Sunday at the Tokyo Olympics as it displayed its skills at halftime.

A basketball-playing robot CUE captured everybody's attention during the men's preliminary round Group B game between the United States and France on Sunday at the Tokyo Olympics as it displayed its skills at halftime. Watch: Pakistan and two other countries make awkward entry in opening ceremony The 6-foot-10-inch basketball robot has been created by Toyota. It uses sensors on its torso to judge the distance and angle of the basket and uses motorised arms and knees to execute set shots. The robot wearing jersey No-95 became the talking point of the game with its entertaining style of play. The robot is not a new feature as it had made its debut three years ago. The robot can't dribble or jump but it can throw some deep winners as it showed off its skill hitting a free throw, a three-pointer and a half-court shot outperforming many star players and stole everybody's heart. Artificial Intelligence Basketball Robot CUE! Thank you #Toyota to developed a CUE Robot!#artificialintellegence #toyota #cybersecurity #cue #robot #basketballrobot #basketball #wethenorth #toyotacanada #abdullatifjameel pic.twitter.com/h8G9hs3LpB — Azhar Khan (@khanazharsemail) March 7, 2020 × How about a basketball match with the robot? Meet Cue, the robot that can shoot basketball with nearly 100% accuracy.#AI #robots #roboticplayer #artificialintelligence #basketball #robotforgames https://t.co/ESxTsitU11 — Avishkaar (@AvishkaarEdu) June 8, 2021 × Toyota CUE Basketball Robot That Never Misses A Free Throw https://t.co/gwnae9MhJM pic.twitter.com/NOTMAfaCvU — gadgetking (@gadgetking) March 19, 2018 × The chances of CUE replacing the US all-star team may not be on the agenda anytime soon but from the looks of it, the US team may have picked a few tips from him during their embarrassing show against France on Sunday. The star-studded US basketball team led by 11-time NBA all-star Kevin Durant were soundly beaten 83-76 by France which was their first defeat since the 2004 Athens Olympics. The determined French team came from behind to overpower the US team as the Americans missed their final nine shots. The French team was down 10 points but they came back fiercely in the final quarter to destabilise the US team which had no answers to French fury. Durant himself had said earlier that the Tokyo Olympics won't be a "cakewalk" as his worst fears came true on Sunday. Fournier top-scored with 28 points for France as the underrated team stunned the United States. The USA will take on Iran in their next game on Wednesday while France will clash against the Czech Republic. (With inputs from Agencies)

Olympics: Watch- Twitter explodes as CUE, the basketball robot, never misses a throw

Toyota has apologised and vowed to tackle workplace harassment after settling with the family of an employee who killed himself following repeated abuse by his boss.

The 28-year-old engineer died by suicide in 2017, after being regularly abused by his boss, including reportedly being told: "It would be better if you died."

His death was recognised as work-related in 2019 by a regional labour board, according to local media, and a Toyota spokeswoman confirmed Monday that the firm reached an out-of-court settlement with the family in April.

In a statement issued Monday, the automaker expressed sorrow over the man's death and said it "takes seriously the fact that the precious life of one of our important employees has been lost".

"We are developing and carrying out preventative measures to ensure that such a painful episode is never again repeated," it added.

It said the measures would include an expansion of the company's counselling system and strict punishment for harassment at work.

The details of the settlement were not disclosed.

Toyota said the supervisor accused of harassment was "punished" but also did not give further information.

Yoshihide Tachino, a lawyer for the man's family, said Toyota president Akio Toyoda had visited them to apologise directly.

"We are still feeling pain in our hearts over what happened to our beloved son," the family said in a statement.

"Whenever we think about him, we wish desperately to be able to see him once again."

Tachino said Japan remained "notorious" for poor working conditions.

"We used to see a lot of cases of deaths from overwork, but the number of complaints about workplace harassment is now increasing," he told AFP.

He said the Toyota settlement was "symbolic" and could have knock-on effects because the automaker is such a well-known and important firm in Japan.

Japan has long had the highest suicide rate among the Group of Seven advanced countries -- though regionally South Korea registers higher figures.&nbsp;

Authorities ramped up efforts to tackle deaths from overwork following the 2015 suicide of a young employee at Japan's biggest advertising agency Dentsu, who regularly logged more than 100 hours of overtime a month.

Toyota has apologised and vowed to tackle workplace harassment after settling with the family of an employee who killed himself following repeated abuse by his boss.

Toyota has apologised and vowed to tackle workplace harassment after settling with the family of an employee who killed himself following repeated abuse by his boss. The 28-year-old engineer died by suicide in 2017, after being regularly abused by his boss, including reportedly being told: "It would be better if you died." His death was recognised as work-related in 2019 by a regional labour board, according to local media, and a Toyota spokeswoman confirmed Monday that the firm reached an out-of-court settlement with the family in April. In a statement issued Monday, the automaker expressed sorrow over the man's death and said it "takes seriously the fact that the precious life of one of our important employees has been lost". "We are developing and carrying out preventative measures to ensure that such a painful episode is never again repeated," it added. It said the measures would include an expansion of the company's counselling system and strict punishment for harassment at work. The details of the settlement were not disclosed. Toyota said the supervisor accused of harassment was "punished" but also did not give further information. Yoshihide Tachino, a lawyer for the man's family, said Toyota president Akio Toyoda had visited them to apologise directly. "We are still feeling pain in our hearts over what happened to our beloved son," the family said in a statement. "Whenever we think about him, we wish desperately to be able to see him once again." Tachino said Japan remained "notorious" for poor working conditions. "We used to see a lot of cases of deaths from overwork, but the number of complaints about workplace harassment is now increasing," he told AFP. He said the Toyota settlement was "symbolic" and could have knock-on effects because the automaker is such a well-known and important firm in Japan. Japan has long had the highest suicide rate among the Group of Seven advanced countries -- though regionally South Korea registers higher figures. Authorities ramped up efforts to tackle deaths from overwork following the 2015 suicide of a young employee at Japan's biggest advertising agency Dentsu, who regularly logged more than 100 hours of overtime a month.

Toyota apologises in settlement over harassment suicide

In the story of how the modern world was constructed, Toyota stands out as the mastermind of a monumental advance in industrial efficiency. The Japanese automaker pioneered so-called Just In Time manufacturing, in which parts are delivered to factories right as they are required, minimizing the need to stockpile them.

Over the past half-century, this approach has captivated global business in industries far beyond autos. From fashion to food processing to pharmaceuticals, companies have embraced Just In Time to stay nimble, allowing them to adapt to changing market demands, while cutting costs.

But the tumultuous events of the past year have challenged the merits of paring inventories, while reinvigorating concerns that some industries have gone too far, leaving them vulnerable to disruption. As the pandemic has hampered factory operations and sown chaos in global shipping, many economies around the world have been bedeviled by shortages of a vast range of goods — from electronics to lumber to clothing.

In a time of extraordinary upheaval in the global economy, Just In Time is running late.

“It’s sort of like supply chain run amok,” said Willy C. Shih, an international trade expert at Harvard Business School. “In a race to get to the lowest cost, I have concentrated my risk. We are at the logical conclusion of all that.”

The most prominent manifestation of too much reliance on Just in Time is found in the very industry that invented it: Automakers have been crippled by a shortage of computer chips — vital car components produced mostly in Asia. Without enough chips on hand, auto factories from India to the United States to Brazil have been forced to halt assembly lines.

But the breadth and persistence of the shortages reveal the extent to which the Just in Time idea has come to dominate commercial life. This helps explain why Nike and other apparel brands struggle to stock retail outlets with their wares. It’s one of the reasons construction companies are having trouble purchasing paints and sealants. It was a principal contributor to the tragic shortages of personal protective equipment early in the pandemic, which left frontline medical workers without adequate gear.

Just In Time has amounted to no less than a revolution in the business world. By keeping inventories thin, major retailers have been able to use more of their space to display a wider array of goods. Just In Time has enabled manufacturers to customize their wares. And lean production has significantly cut costs while allowing companies to pivot quickly to new products.

These virtues have added value to companies, spurred innovation and promoted trade, ensuring that Just In Time will retain its force long after the current crisis abates. The approach has also enriched shareholders by generating savings that companies have distributed in the form of dividends and share buybacks.

Still, the shortages raise questions about whether some companies have been too aggressive in harvesting savings by slashing inventory, leaving them unprepared for whatever trouble inevitably emerges.

“It’s the investments that they don’t make,” said William Lazonick, an economist at the University of Massachusetts.

Intel, the American chipmaker, has outlined plans to spend $20 billion to erect new plants in Arizona. But that is less than the $26 billion that Intel spent on share buybacks in 2018 and 2019 — money the company could have used to expand capacity, Lazonick said.

Some experts assume that the crisis will change the way companies operate, prompting some to stockpile more inventory and forge relationships with extra suppliers as a hedge against problems. But others are dubious, assuming that — same as after past crises — the pursuit of cost savings will again trump other considerations.

Chaos on the Seas

The shortages in the world economy stem from factors beyond lean inventories. The spread of COVID-19 has sidelined port workers and truck drivers, impeding the unloading and distribution of goods made at factories in Asia and arriving by ship to North America and Europe.

The pandemic has slowed sawmill operations, causing a shortage of lumber that has stymied home building in the United States.

Winter storms that shut down petrochemical plants in the Gulf of Mexico have left key products in short supply. Andrew Romano, who runs sales at a chemical company outside Philadelphia, has grown accustomed to telling customers they must wait on their orders.

“You have a confluence of forces,” he said. “It just ripples through the supply.”

Dramatic increases in demand made pet food scarce and Grape-Nuts cereal all but disappear from American store shelves for a time.

Some companies were especially exposed to such forces given that they were already running lean as the crisis began.

And many businesses have combined a dedication to Just In Time with a reliance on suppliers in low-wage countries like China and India, making any disruption to global shipping an immediate problem. That has amplified the damage when something goes awry — as when an enormous vessel lodged in the Suez Canal this year, closing the primary channel linking Europe and Asia.

“People adopted that kind of lean mentality, and then they applied it to supply chains with the assumption that they would have low-cost and reliable shipping,” said Shih, the Harvard Business School trade expert. “Then, you have some shocks to the system.”

An idea that went ‘way too far’

Just In Time was itself an adaptation to turmoil, as Japan mobilized to recover from the devastation of World War II.

Densely populated and lacking in natural resources, Japan sought to conserve land and limit waste. Toyota eschewed warehousing, while choreographing production with suppliers to ensure that parts arrived when needed.

By the 1980s, companies around the globe were emulating Toyota’s production system. Management experts promoted Just In Time as a way to boost profits.

“Companies that run successful lean programs not only save money in warehouse operations but enjoy more flexibility,” declared a 2010 McKinsey presentation for the pharmaceutical industry. It promised savings of up to 50% on warehousing if clients embraced its “lean and mean” approach to supply chains.

Such claims have panned out. Still, one of the authors of that presentation, Knut Alicke, a McKinsey partner based in Germany, now says the corporate world exceeded prudence.

“We went way too far,” Alicke said. “The way that inventory is evaluated will change after the crisis.”

Many companies acted as if manufacturing and shipping were devoid of mishaps, Alicke added, while failing to account for trouble in their business plans.

“There’s no kind of disruption risk term in there,” he said.

Experts say that omission represents a logical response from management to the incentives at play. Investors reward companies that produce growth in their return on assets. Limiting goods in warehouses improves that ratio.

“To the extent you can keep reducing inventory, your books look good,” said ManMohan S. Sodhi, a supply chain expert at the City, University of London Business School.

From 1981 to 2000, American companies reduced their inventories by an average of 2% a year, according to one study. These savings helped finance another shareholder-enriching trend — the growth of share buybacks.

In the decade leading up to the pandemic, American companies spent more than $6 trillion to buy their own shares, roughly tripling their purchases, according to a study by the Bank for International Settlements. Companies in Japan, Britain, France, Canada and China increased their buybacks fourfold, though their purchases were a fraction of their American counterparts.

Repurchasing stock reduces the number of shares in circulation, lifting their value. But the benefits for investors and executives, whose pay packages include hefty allocations of stock, have come at the expense of whatever the company might have otherwise done with its money — investing to expand capacity, or stockpiling parts.

These costs became conspicuous during the first wave of the pandemic when major economies including the United States discovered that they lacked capacity to quickly make ventilators.

“When you need a ventilator, you need a ventilator,” Sodhi said. “You can’t say, ‘Well, my stock price is high.’ ”

When the pandemic began, car manufacturers slashed orders for chips on the expectation that demand for cars would plunge. By the time they realized that demand was reviving, it was too late: Ramping up production of computer chips requires months.

“The impact to production will get worse before it gets better,” said Jim Farley, chief executive of Ford, which has long embraced lean manufacturing, speaking to stock analysts on April 28. The company said the shortages would probably derail half of its production through June.

The automaker least affected by the shortage is Toyota. From the inception of Just in Time, Toyota relied on suppliers clustered close to its base in Japan, making the company less susceptible to events far away.

‘It all cascades’

In Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, Romano is literally waiting for his ship to come in.

He is vice president of sales at Van Horn, Metz &amp; Co., which buys chemicals from suppliers around the world and sells them to factories that make paint, ink and other industrial products.

In normal times, the company is behind in filling perhaps 1% of its customers’ orders. On a recent morning, it could not complete a tenth of its orders because it was waiting for supplies to arrive.

The company could not secure enough of a specialized resin that it sells to manufacturers that make construction materials. The American supplier of the resin was itself lacking one element that it purchases from a petrochemical plant in China.

One of Romano’s regular customers, a paint manufacturer, was holding off on ordering chemicals because it could not locate enough of the metal cans it uses to ship its finished product.

“It all cascades,” Romano said. “It’s just a mess.”

No pandemic was required to reveal the risks of overreliance on Just In Time combined with global supply chains. Experts have warned about the consequences for decades.

In 1999, an earthquake shook Taiwan, shutting down computer chip manufacturing. The earthquake and tsunami that shattered Japan in 2011 shut down factories and impeded shipping, generating shortages of auto parts and computer chips. Floods in Thailand the same year decimated production of computer hard drives.

Each disaster prompted talk that companies needed to boost their inventories and diversify their suppliers.

Each time, multinational companies carried on.

The same consultants who promoted the virtues of lean inventories now evangelize about supply chain resilience — the buzzword of the moment.

Simply expanding warehouses may not provide the fix, said Richard Lebovitz, president of LeanDNA, a supply chain consultant based in Austin, Texas. Product lines are increasingly customized.

“The ability to predict what inventory you should keep is harder and harder,” he said.

Ultimately, business is likely to further its embrace of lean for the simple reason that it has yielded profits.

“The real question is, ‘Are we going to stop chasing low cost as the sole criteria for business judgment?’” said Shih, from Harvard Business School. “I’m sceptical of that. Consumers won’t pay for resilience when they are not in crisis.”

In the story of how the modern world was constructed, Toyota stands out as the mastermind of a monumental advance in industrial efficiency. The Japanese automaker pioneered so-called Just In Time manufacturing, in which parts are delivered to factories right as they are required, minimizing the need to stockpile them.

In the story of how the modern world was constructed, Toyota stands out as the mastermind of a monumental advance in industrial efficiency. The Japanese automaker pioneered so-called Just In Time manufacturing, in which parts are delivered to factories right as they are required, minimizing the need to stockpile them. Over the past half-century, this approach has captivated global business in industries far beyond autos. From fashion to food processing to pharmaceuticals, companies have embraced Just In Time to stay nimble, allowing them to adapt to changing market demands, while cutting costs. But the tumultuous events of the past year have challenged the merits of paring inventories, while reinvigorating concerns that some industries have gone too far, leaving them vulnerable to disruption. As the pandemic has hampered factory operations and sown chaos in global shipping, many economies around the world have been bedeviled by shortages of a vast range of goods — from electronics to lumber to clothing. In a time of extraordinary upheaval in the global economy, Just In Time is running late. “It’s sort of like supply chain run amok,” said Willy C. Shih, an international trade expert at Harvard Business School. “In a race to get to the lowest cost, I have concentrated my risk. We are at the logical conclusion of all that.” The most prominent manifestation of too much reliance on Just in Time is found in the very industry that invented it: Automakers have been crippled by a shortage of computer chips — vital car components produced mostly in Asia. Without enough chips on hand, auto factories from India to the United States to Brazil have been forced to halt assembly lines. But the breadth and persistence of the shortages reveal the extent to which the Just in Time idea has come to dominate commercial life. This helps explain why Nike and other apparel brands struggle to stock retail outlets with their wares. It’s one of the reasons construction companies are having trouble purchasing paints and sealants. It was a principal contributor to the tragic shortages of personal protective equipment early in the pandemic, which left frontline medical workers without adequate gear. Just In Time has amounted to no less than a revolution in the business world. By keeping inventories thin, major retailers have been able to use more of their space to display a wider array of goods. Just In Time has enabled manufacturers to customize their wares. And lean production has significantly cut costs while allowing companies to pivot quickly to new products. These virtues have added value to companies, spurred innovation and promoted trade, ensuring that Just In Time will retain its force long after the current crisis abates. The approach has also enriched shareholders by generating savings that companies have distributed in the form of dividends and share buybacks. Still, the shortages raise questions about whether some companies have been too aggressive in harvesting savings by slashing inventory, leaving them unprepared for whatever trouble inevitably emerges. “It’s the investments that they don’t make,” said William Lazonick, an economist at the University of Massachusetts. Intel, the American chipmaker, has outlined plans to spend $20 billion to erect new plants in Arizona. But that is less than the $26 billion that Intel spent on share buybacks in 2018 and 2019 — money the company could have used to expand capacity, Lazonick said. Some experts assume that the crisis will change the way companies operate, prompting some to stockpile more inventory and forge relationships with extra suppliers as a hedge against problems. But others are dubious, assuming that — same as after past crises — the pursuit of cost savings will again trump other considerations. Chaos on the Seas The shortages in the world economy stem from factors beyond lean inventories. The spread of COVID-19 has sidelined port workers and truck drivers, impeding the unloading and distribution of goods made at factories in Asia and arriving by ship to North America and Europe. The pandemic has slowed sawmill operations, causing a shortage of lumber that has stymied home building in the United States. Winter storms that shut down petrochemical plants in the Gulf of Mexico have left key products in short supply. Andrew Romano, who runs sales at a chemical company outside Philadelphia, has grown accustomed to telling customers they must wait on their orders. “You have a confluence of forces,” he said. “It just ripples through the supply.” Dramatic increases in demand made pet food scarce and Grape-Nuts cereal all but disappear from American store shelves for a time. Some companies were especially exposed to such forces given that they were already running lean as the crisis began. And many businesses have combined a dedication to Just In Time with a reliance on suppliers in low-wage countries like China and India, making any disruption to global shipping an immediate problem. That has amplified the damage when something goes awry — as when an enormous vessel lodged in the Suez Canal this year, closing the primary channel linking Europe and Asia. “People adopted that kind of lean mentality, and then they applied it to supply chains with the assumption that they would have low-cost and reliable shipping,” said Shih, the Harvard Business School trade expert. “Then, you have some shocks to the system.” An idea that went ‘way too far’ Just In Time was itself an adaptation to turmoil, as Japan mobilized to recover from the devastation of World War II. Densely populated and lacking in natural resources, Japan sought to conserve land and limit waste. Toyota eschewed warehousing, while choreographing production with suppliers to ensure that parts arrived when needed. By the 1980s, companies around the globe were emulating Toyota’s production system. Management experts promoted Just In Time as a way to boost profits. “Companies that run successful lean programs not only save money in warehouse operations but enjoy more flexibility,” declared a 2010 McKinsey presentation for the pharmaceutical industry. It promised savings of up to 50% on warehousing if clients embraced its “lean and mean” approach to supply chains. Such claims have panned out. Still, one of the authors of that presentation, Knut Alicke, a McKinsey partner based in Germany, now says the corporate world exceeded prudence. “We went way too far,” Alicke said. “The way that inventory is evaluated will change after the crisis.” Many companies acted as if manufacturing and shipping were devoid of mishaps, Alicke added, while failing to account for trouble in their business plans. “There’s no kind of disruption risk term in there,” he said. Experts say that omission represents a logical response from management to the incentives at play. Investors reward companies that produce growth in their return on assets. Limiting goods in warehouses improves that ratio. “To the extent you can keep reducing inventory, your books look good,” said ManMohan S. Sodhi, a supply chain expert at the City, University of London Business School. From 1981 to 2000, American companies reduced their inventories by an average of 2% a year, according to one study. These savings helped finance another shareholder-enriching trend — the growth of share buybacks. In the decade leading up to the pandemic, American companies spent more than $6 trillion to buy their own shares, roughly tripling their purchases, according to a study by the Bank for International Settlements. Companies in Japan, Britain, France, Canada and China increased their buybacks fourfold, though their purchases were a fraction of their American counterparts. Repurchasing stock reduces the number of shares in circulation, lifting their value. But the benefits for investors and executives, whose pay packages include hefty allocations of stock, have come at the expense of whatever the company might have otherwise done with its money — investing to expand capacity, or stockpiling parts. These costs became conspicuous during the first wave of the pandemic when major economies including the United States discovered that they lacked capacity to quickly make ventilators. “When you need a ventilator, you need a ventilator,” Sodhi said. “You can’t say, ‘Well, my stock price is high.’ ” When the pandemic began, car manufacturers slashed orders for chips on the expectation that demand for cars would plunge. By the time they realized that demand was reviving, it was too late: Ramping up production of computer chips requires months. “The impact to production will get worse before it gets better,” said Jim Farley, chief executive of Ford, which has long embraced lean manufacturing, speaking to stock analysts on April 28. The company said the shortages would probably derail half of its production through June. The automaker least affected by the shortage is Toyota. From the inception of Just in Time, Toyota relied on suppliers clustered close to its base in Japan, making the company less susceptible to events far away. ‘It all cascades’ In Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, Romano is literally waiting for his ship to come in. He is vice president of sales at Van Horn, Metz & Co., which buys chemicals from suppliers around the world and sells them to factories that make paint, ink and other industrial products. In normal times, the company is behind in filling perhaps 1% of its customers’ orders. On a recent morning, it could not complete a tenth of its orders because it was waiting for supplies to arrive. The company could not secure enough of a specialized resin that it sells to manufacturers that make construction materials. The American supplier of the resin was itself lacking one element that it purchases from a petrochemical plant in China. One of Romano’s regular customers, a paint manufacturer, was holding off on ordering chemicals because it could not locate enough of the metal cans it uses to ship its finished product. “It all cascades,” Romano said. “It’s just a mess.” No pandemic was required to reveal the risks of overreliance on Just In Time combined with global supply chains. Experts have warned about the consequences for decades. In 1999, an earthquake shook Taiwan, shutting down computer chip manufacturing. The earthquake and tsunami that shattered Japan in 2011 shut down factories and impeded shipping, generating shortages of auto parts and computer chips. Floods in Thailand the same year decimated production of computer hard drives. Each disaster prompted talk that companies needed to boost their inventories and diversify their suppliers. Each time, multinational companies carried on. The same consultants who promoted the virtues of lean inventories now evangelize about supply chain resilience — the buzzword of the moment. Simply expanding warehouses may not provide the fix, said Richard Lebovitz, president of LeanDNA, a supply chain consultant based in Austin, Texas. Product lines are increasingly customized. “The ability to predict what inventory you should keep is harder and harder,” he said. Ultimately, business is likely to further its embrace of lean for the simple reason that it has yielded profits. “The real question is, ‘Are we going to stop chasing low cost as the sole criteria for business judgment?’” said Shih, from Harvard Business School. “I’m sceptical of that. Consumers won’t pay for resilience when they are not in crisis.”

How the world ran out of everything

Lyft will sell its self-driving division to a unit of Toyota Motor for $550 million, a move the ride-hailing giant said will help it turn a profit sooner than previously expected.

World Business Watch: Lyft sells self-driving unit to Toyota's woven planet

General Motors reported a modest rise in car sales in North America for the first quarter, but its operations continue to be hampered by a shortage of computer chips.

GM said on Thursday that it sold 642,250 cars and light trucks in the first three months of the year, up just 4% even though sales a year ago slowed sharply as the coronavirus pandemic took hold.

By contrast, Toyota Motor Corp. showed a strong rebound in sales compared with a year ago. The Japanese company reported that sales in North America jumped 22% in the first three months of 2021, to 603,066 cars and light trucks. Its March sales were a record high for that month.

Toyota’s big jump helped it outsell Ford Motor Co., which has also been hit by the semiconductor shortage. Ford’s sales in the first quarter were up just 1%, to 521,334. Stellantis — the company formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and France’s Peugeot SA — reported its U.S. sales increased 5% in the first quarter.

Ford and GM both enjoyed substantial increases in sales to individual customers at dealerships while reporting declines in sales to fleet operators like rental car companies and governments.

GM and Ford have had to halt or slow production at a handful of plants. GM has resorted to making some vehicles without parts containing computer chips with the intention of installing those components before sale when supply improves.

In a statement, GM said it hoped its strategy for building cars without some components would help it “quickly meet strong expected customer demand during the year.”

That approach to building cars “underscores the dire nature” of the semiconductor shortage, an analyst at CFRA Research, Garrett Nelson, said in a report. “One of the key questions is how much better the U.S. auto sales recovery can get from here.”

The chip shortage is reflected in GM’s unusually low inventory of 334,628 vehicles. That is about 76,000 less than at the end of the fourth quarter and is half the number of vehicles its dealers held in stock a year ago. Ford’s inventory was 56,100 lower than at the end of 2020.

GM’s sluggish sales were confined to its Chevrolet brand, whose sales fell 2% in the first quarter. That included a 13% decline in sales of its full-size Silverado pickup truck, a critical profit-maker for the company. The Buick, Cadillac and GMC brands reported strong sales in the quarter.

Toyota also reported a drop in sales of its full-size pickup, the Tundra. But the decline was more than offset by big increases in sales of its RAV4, Highlander and 4Runner sport-utility vehicles and cars from its Lexus luxury brand.

Also on Thursday, Honda Motor reported its first-quarter sale

General Motors reported a modest rise in car sales in North America for the first quarter, but its operations continue to be hampered by a shortage of computer chips.

General Motors reported a modest rise in car sales in North America for the first quarter, but its operations continue to be hampered by a shortage of computer chips. GM said on Thursday that it sold 642,250 cars and light trucks in the first three months of the year, up just 4% even though sales a year ago slowed sharply as the coronavirus pandemic took hold. By contrast, Toyota Motor Corp. showed a strong rebound in sales compared with a year ago. The Japanese company reported that sales in North America jumped 22% in the first three months of 2021, to 603,066 cars and light trucks. Its March sales were a record high for that month. Toyota’s big jump helped it outsell Ford Motor Co., which has also been hit by the semiconductor shortage. Ford’s sales in the first quarter were up just 1%, to 521,334. Stellantis — the company formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and France’s Peugeot SA — reported its U.S. sales increased 5% in the first quarter. Ford and GM both enjoyed substantial increases in sales to individual customers at dealerships while reporting declines in sales to fleet operators like rental car companies and governments. GM and Ford have had to halt or slow production at a handful of plants. GM has resorted to making some vehicles without parts containing computer chips with the intention of installing those components before sale when supply improves. In a statement, GM said it hoped its strategy for building cars without some components would help it “quickly meet strong expected customer demand during the year.” That approach to building cars “underscores the dire nature” of the semiconductor shortage, an analyst at CFRA Research, Garrett Nelson, said in a report. “One of the key questions is how much better the U.S. auto sales recovery can get from here.” The chip shortage is reflected in GM’s unusually low inventory of 334,628 vehicles. That is about 76,000 less than at the end of the fourth quarter and is half the number of vehicles its dealers held in stock a year ago. Ford’s inventory was 56,100 lower than at the end of 2020. GM’s sluggish sales were confined to its Chevrolet brand, whose sales fell 2% in the first quarter. That included a 13% decline in sales of its full-size Silverado pickup truck, a critical profit-maker for the company. The Buick, Cadillac and GMC brands reported strong sales in the quarter. Toyota also reported a drop in sales of its full-size pickup, the Tundra. But the decline was more than offset by big increases in sales of its RAV4, Highlander and 4Runner sport-utility vehicles and cars from its Lexus luxury brand. Also on Thursday, Honda Motor reported its first-quarter sale

Toyota sales surge, but GM and Ford’s rebounds are weaker

Toyota Motor Corp settled a lengthy Justice Department civil probe into its delayed filing of emissions-related defect reports for $180 million, the government said on Thursday.

Toyota settles US probe into delayed emissions defect reports for $180 million

Volkswagen is recalling more than 218,000 Jetta in the US to fix a fuel leak problem that can cause fires.

Volkswagen Jettas to be recalled to fix fuel leak

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Vice-Chairman Vikram Kirloskar on Tuesday confirmed that the company will invest over ₹2,000 crore in the next 12 months

Toyota says investing ₹2,000 crore on electrification of cars in India

Tesla on Wednesday became the world's richest car company after its shares witnessed record highs and the market capitalization overtook that of former numero uno Toyota Motors.

In the early morning trade, Tesla's shares gained 5 per cent to a record $1,133, taking the market cap to $209.47 billion, nearly $6 billion more than what Toyota's current value.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/tesla-shareholders-urged-to-oust-elon-musk-over-55bn-bonus-deal-309848">Tesla shareholders urged to oust Elon Musk over $55bn bonus deal</a>

With the latest surge, Tesla's worth has tripled the other US automaker giants General Motors (GM) and Ford Motor.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-man-erroneously-orders-28-tesla-cars-worth-15-million-309384">German man erroneously orders 28 Tesla cars worth $1.5 million</a>

Led by Elon Musk, Tesla has seen its lows and highs, however, the company's shares are seeing an upward trend since late 2019 after it met important production targets for its Model 3 car.&nbsp;

Since the start of this year, Tesla's shares rose more than 163 per cent, reflecting investors growing confidence in the company's ability to become a leader in electric vehicles.&nbsp;

The sales of US's other auto giants Ford and GM Motors were hit earlier in the quarter largely due to the coronavirus pandemic, which led to a halt in production for nearly two months.&nbsp;

Tesla on Wednesday became the world's richest car company after its shares witnessed record highs and the market capitalization overtook that of former numero uno Toyota Motors.

Tesla on Wednesday became the world's richest car company after its shares witnessed record highs and the market capitalization overtook that of former numero uno Toyota Motors. In the early morning trade, Tesla's shares gained 5 per cent to a record $1,133, taking the market cap to $209.47 billion, nearly $6 billion more than what Toyota's current value. Also read | Tesla shareholders urged to oust Elon Musk over $55bn bonus deal With the latest surge, Tesla's worth has tripled the other US automaker giants General Motors (GM) and Ford Motor. Also read | German man erroneously orders 28 Tesla cars worth $1.5 million Led by Elon Musk, Tesla has seen its lows and highs, however, the company's shares are seeing an upward trend since late 2019 after it met important production targets for its Model 3 car. Since the start of this year, Tesla's shares rose more than 163 per cent, reflecting investors growing confidence in the company's ability to become a leader in electric vehicles. The sales of US's other auto giants Ford and GM Motors were hit earlier in the quarter largely due to the coronavirus pandemic, which led to a halt in production for nearly two months.

Tesla dethrones Toyota to become world's richest automaker

Electric car maker Tesla has dethroned Japanese auto giant Toyota to become the world's most valuable auto maker with its shares touching new high at 1,000 dollars. Watch report.

Tesla overtakes Toyota: Tesla has a valuation of $182.87 BN

From the isolation, Tejerina and his wife, Geraldine, were inspired to find a way to help essential workers. They began cooking and delivering meals for police, doctors and nurses. Ever the marketer, Tejerina dubbed his project, "Taking Care of Those Who Care For Us."

Bolivian couple springs into action to feed coronavirus frontliners during lockdown

Two global auto giants are coming together to create the world’s fourth-largest car maker. Fiat Chrysler and the makers of Peugeot branded cars PSA have agreed on a binding merger making $50 billion auto firm.

"Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot SA (Groupe PSA) have today signed a binding combination agreement providing for a 50/50 merger of their businesses to create the fourth-largest global automotive original equipment manufacturer by volume and third-largest by revenue," the statement said.

"No plant closures resulting from the transaction," the statement added.

Volkswagen, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi and Toyota are the top-3 carmakers which combined produce nearly 9 million. PSA and FCA had announced their plans six weeks ago for a 50-50 share tie-up.

The deal is likely to close over the next 15 months with the headquarters in the Netherlands.&nbsp;While Fiat Chrysler would gain access to PSA's more modern vehicle platforms, helping it meet tough new emissions rules, PSA would benefit from profitable US business of Fiat Chrysler featuring brands such as Ram and Jeep.

Under the group, the sub-brands include Fiat, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Peugeot, Opel and Vauxhall.&nbsp;

Ranging from mass and premium passenger cars and trucks and light commercial vehicles, the $50 billion deal will see the two mid-sized auto firms coming together and the tie-up will the ability to reshape the global industry.&nbsp;

The PSA-FCA&nbsp;merger is also aiming for annual cost savings of over $4 billion by combining technologies which will also help carmakers in saving steep costs to develop cleaner models as more stringent emission targets set in across the world.

Two global auto giants are coming together to create the world’s fourth-largest car maker. Fiat Chrysler and the makers of Peugeot branded cars PSA have agreed on a binding merger making $50 billion auto firm.

Two global auto giants are coming together to create the world’s fourth-largest car maker. Fiat Chrysler and the makers of Peugeot branded cars PSA have agreed on a binding merger making $50 billion auto firm. "Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot SA (Groupe PSA) have today signed a binding combination agreement providing for a 50/50 merger of their businesses to create the fourth-largest global automotive original equipment manufacturer by volume and third-largest by revenue," the statement said. "No plant closures resulting from the transaction," the statement added. Volkswagen, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi and Toyota are the top-3 carmakers which combined produce nearly 9 million. PSA and FCA had announced their plans six weeks ago for a 50-50 share tie-up. The deal is likely to close over the next 15 months with the headquarters in the Netherlands. While Fiat Chrysler would gain access to PSA's more modern vehicle platforms, helping it meet tough new emissions rules, PSA would benefit from profitable US business of Fiat Chrysler featuring brands such as Ram and Jeep. Under the group, the sub-brands include Fiat, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Peugeot, Opel and Vauxhall. Ranging from mass and premium passenger cars and trucks and light commercial vehicles, the $50 billion deal will see the two mid-sized auto firms coming together and the tie-up will the ability to reshape the global industry. The PSA-FCA merger is also aiming for annual cost savings of over $4 billion by combining technologies which will also help carmakers in saving steep costs to develop cleaner models as more stringent emission targets set in across the world.

Fiat Chrysler, French carmaker PSA agree on mega merger

New world rally champion Ott Tanak announced on Thursday, four days after winning the title, that he was leaving Toyota to join rivals Hyundai next season.

The 32-year-old became the first Estonian to win the championship, along with co-driver Martin Jarveoja, in Spain on Sunday with one race to spare.

"We’ve been fighting closely against each other for a number of seasons. They have always had a competitive team and car, so now it will be interesting to see things from the other side," Tanak said on Twitter.

He will link up at Hyundai with Belgian Thierry Neuville, nine-times world champion Sebastien Loeb and Spaniard Dani Sordo.

Hyundai are leading Toyota in the manufacturers' standings by 18 points.

"We are involved in a very close fight for the title this season, and bringing Ott and Martin into the team from 2020 will enable us to continue to be at the forefront for the coming years," said team boss Andrea Adamo.

New world rally champion Ott Tanak announced on Thursday, four days after winning the title, that he was leaving Toyota to join rivals Hyundai next season. The 32-year-old became the first Estonian to win the championship, along with co-driver Martin Jarveoja, in Spain on Sunday with one race to spare.

New world rally champion Ott Tanak announced on Thursday, four days after winning the title, that he was leaving Toyota to join rivals Hyundai next season. The 32-year-old became the first Estonian to win the championship, along with co-driver Martin Jarveoja, in Spain on Sunday with one race to spare. "We’ve been fighting closely against each other for a number of seasons. They have always had a competitive team and car, so now it will be interesting to see things from the other side," Tanak said on Twitter. He will link up at Hyundai with Belgian Thierry Neuville, nine-times world champion Sebastien Loeb and Spaniard Dani Sordo. Hyundai are leading Toyota in the manufacturers' standings by 18 points. "We are involved in a very close fight for the title this season, and bringing Ott and Martin into the team from 2020 will enable us to continue to be at the forefront for the coming years," said team boss Andrea Adamo.

Rallying: New world champion Tanak leaves Toyota for Hyundai

Russia launches humanoid robot Fedor to assist astronauts on International Space Station

The self-driving car joint venture of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/uber-lands-1-billion-from-softbank-toyota-for-self-driving-unit-211646">SoftBank</a> Corp and Toyota Motor plans to begin operating in Southeast Asia next year, in its first overseas foray, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

Monet, which is developing an on-demand self-driving service platform, is planning to export a basic version of the system, Chief Executive Junichi Miyakawa said.

"Our first step will likely be to Southeast Asia, as applications like transportation services in smart cities, or airport shuttle systems," Miyakawa said, adding that Monet could begin introducing such services in 2020.

Monet is the first-ever alliance between Japan's No. 3 telco and its largest automaker. SoftBank Corp, a unit of investment behemoth SoftBank Group Corp, is the largest shareholder in the venture, which was announced last October, with a 40.2% share, while Toyota owns 39.8%.

It plans to roll out the on-demand bus and car services in Japan in the next year, and a platform to operate self-driving vehicles as early as 2023 based on Toyota's boxy "e-palette" multi-purpose vehicle.

Honda Motor Co and Toyota's truck-making subsidiary Hino Motors took a roughly 10% stake each in the venture in March, and Miyakawa said that it would soon take more investment from the domestic auto industry.

"We're planning to announce an expansion in our stakeholders sometime this month," he said.

The self-driving car joint venture of SoftBank Corp and Toyota Motor plans to begin operating in Southeast Asia next year, in its first overseas foray, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

The self-driving car joint venture of SoftBank Corp and Toyota Motor plans to begin operating in Southeast Asia next year, in its first overseas foray, its chief executive said on Tuesday. Monet, which is developing an on-demand self-driving service platform, is planning to export a basic version of the system, Chief Executive Junichi Miyakawa said. "Our first step will likely be to Southeast Asia, as applications like transportation services in smart cities, or airport shuttle systems," Miyakawa said, adding that Monet could begin introducing such services in 2020. Monet is the first-ever alliance between Japan's No. 3 telco and its largest automaker. SoftBank Corp, a unit of investment behemoth SoftBank Group Corp, is the largest shareholder in the venture, which was announced last October, with a 40.2% share, while Toyota owns 39.8%. It plans to roll out the on-demand bus and car services in Japan in the next year, and a platform to operate self-driving vehicles as early as 2023 based on Toyota's boxy "e-palette" multi-purpose vehicle. Honda Motor Co and Toyota's truck-making subsidiary Hino Motors took a roughly 10% stake each in the venture in March, and Miyakawa said that it would soon take more investment from the domestic auto industry. "We're planning to announce an expansion in our stakeholders sometime this month," he said.

SoftBank, Toyota autonomous car venture to launch in South East Asia next year

Toyota launched Premium hatchback Glanza for price of Rs 7.22 lakh, Glanza happens to be the Toyota's variant of Maruti Suzuki Baleno. Watch this video to know more.

WION Wallet: Premium hatchback Toyota Glanza launched

Uber's autonomous vehicle unit has raised $1 billion from a consortium of investors including SoftBank Group Corp, giving the company a much-needed funding boost for its pricey self-driving ambitions on the eve of its public stock offering.

Uber Technologies Inc said on Thursday that the investment valued its Advanced Technologies Group, which works to develop autonomous driving technology, at $7.25 billion. SoftBank will invest $333 million from its $100 billion Vision Fund, while Toyota Motor Corp and automotive company Denso Corp will combined invest $667 million.

Reuters had reported in March talks of the investment in ATG, which has locations in Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto.

The funding allows Uber to transfer some of the substantial cost of developing self-driving cars onto outside investors. That is likely to appease some investor concerns over Uber`s spending on the autonomous unit, which has topped $1 billion since the programme started in 2016.&nbsp;

The business unit brings in no meaningful revenue for Uber, which last year lost $3.03 billion. The company is not even offering free rides in the robot cars to passengers, like some of its rivals are, following a fatal crash last year in Arizona involving an Uber self-driving SUV.

Uber released its IPO filing this month and is preparing to launch is "roadshow," when it will pitch its company prospective investors, the week of April 29, setting up for an early May debut on the New York Stock Exchange.&nbsp;

Uber is expected to raise $10 billion at a $90 billion to $100 billion valuation, at least an 18 per cent jump from its current $76 billion valuation.

As part of the deal, ATG becomes its own legal entity but remains under the control of Uber with its financial performance folded into Uber`s. A new ATG board will be formed, with six seats from Uber, one from SoftBank and one from Toyota. Eric Meyhofer, currently the head of ATG, will take the title of CEO and report to the new board.&nbsp;

Such sizeable deals are unusual for companies so close to an IPO, because bringing in large new investors changes the company`s capital structure. The deal, however, will almost certainly require approval from the inter-agency regulatory group called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).&nbsp;

A law enacted last year expands that group`s powers to review minority stakes by foreign investors in startups with certain sensitive technologies, and self-driving technology is widely considered to have defence applications.

SoftBank`s investment in General Motors Co`s self-driving car unit Cruise is still under CFIUS review and is likely weeks away from a decision, even though that investment was announced more than a year ago.

Uber's autonomous vehicle unit has raised $1 billion from a consortium of investors including SoftBank Group Corp, giving the company a much-needed funding boost for its pricey self-driving ambitions on the eve of its public stock offering.

Uber's autonomous vehicle unit has raised $1 billion from a consortium of investors including SoftBank Group Corp, giving the company a much-needed funding boost for its pricey self-driving ambitions on the eve of its public stock offering. Uber Technologies Inc said on Thursday that the investment valued its Advanced Technologies Group, which works to develop autonomous driving technology, at $7.25 billion. SoftBank will invest $333 million from its $100 billion Vision Fund, while Toyota Motor Corp and automotive company Denso Corp will combined invest $667 million. Reuters had reported in March talks of the investment in ATG, which has locations in Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto. The funding allows Uber to transfer some of the substantial cost of developing self-driving cars onto outside investors. That is likely to appease some investor concerns over Uber`s spending on the autonomous unit, which has topped $1 billion since the programme started in 2016. The business unit brings in no meaningful revenue for Uber, which last year lost $3.03 billion. The company is not even offering free rides in the robot cars to passengers, like some of its rivals are, following a fatal crash last year in Arizona involving an Uber self-driving SUV. Uber released its IPO filing this month and is preparing to launch is "roadshow," when it will pitch its company prospective investors, the week of April 29, setting up for an early May debut on the New York Stock Exchange. Uber is expected to raise $10 billion at a $90 billion to $100 billion valuation, at least an 18 per cent jump from its current $76 billion valuation. As part of the deal, ATG becomes its own legal entity but remains under the control of Uber with its financial performance folded into Uber`s. A new ATG board will be formed, with six seats from Uber, one from SoftBank and one from Toyota. Eric Meyhofer, currently the head of ATG, will take the title of CEO and report to the new board. Such sizeable deals are unusual for companies so close to an IPO, because bringing in large new investors changes the company`s capital structure. The deal, however, will almost certainly require approval from the inter-agency regulatory group called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). A law enacted last year expands that group`s powers to review minority stakes by foreign investors in startups with certain sensitive technologies, and self-driving technology is widely considered to have defence applications. SoftBank`s investment in General Motors Co`s self-driving car unit Cruise is still under CFIUS review and is likely weeks away from a decision, even though that investment was announced more than a year ago.

Uber lands $1 billion from SoftBank, Toyota for self-driving unit

Honda, Hino hitch ride with self-driving car service venture of SoftBank, Toyota

Toyota Motor Corp and Suzuki Motor Corp on Thursday announced a basic agreement to produce cars for each other in India as Toyota aims to increase its market share in the fast-growing country dominated by its smaller rival.

The automakers said in a statement that the agreement would cover vehicles including gasoline hybrids.&nbsp;

Suzuki will supply its Baleno hatchback and Vitara Brezza compact SUV to Toyota, while Toyota will produce the Corolla sedan for Suzuki.

Toyota and Suzuki will produce the models for each other as original equipment manufacturers, and these will be included in each others' branded offerings, the companies said.

The agreement deepens a partnership announced by the two Japanese automakers a year ago, under which they will share expertise on new technologies and parts supply.&nbsp;

In November, Toyota and Suzuki said they would cooperate in selling electric cars in India from around 2020.

The automakers said in a statement that the agreement would cover vehicles including gasoline hybrids

Toyota Motor Corp and Suzuki Motor Corp on Thursday announced a basic agreement to produce cars for each other in India as Toyota aims to increase its market share in the fast-growing country dominated by its smaller rival. The automakers said in a statement that the agreement would cover vehicles including gasoline hybrids. Suzuki will supply its Baleno hatchback and Vitara Brezza compact SUV to Toyota, while Toyota will produce the Corolla sedan for Suzuki. Toyota and Suzuki will produce the models for each other as original equipment manufacturers, and these will be included in each others' branded offerings, the companies said. The agreement deepens a partnership announced by the two Japanese automakers a year ago, under which they will share expertise on new technologies and parts supply. In November, Toyota and Suzuki said they would cooperate in selling electric cars in India from around 2020.

Toyota, Suzuki agree to produce cars for each other in India

Toyota Kirloskar unveiled one of the most anticipated and much-awaited launches of the year, Yaris, at the ongoing Auto Expo 2018.&nbsp;

The launch of Yaris has catapulted the Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer to the B-High segment.&nbsp;

Some of the key features of Toyota&#39;s star sedan include power driver seat, 7 SRS airbags, roof mounted air vents, front parking sensors, all-wheel disc brakes, tyre pressure monitorings system, gesture control for the audio, among others.&nbsp;

The Yaris also comes studded with touchscreen navigation, faux leather seats, cruise control, stability control, auto projector headlamps, alloy wheels, shark-fin antenna, steering mounted controls, rear power outlets, rear camera, among others.

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HGpFL-q-oD8" width="560"></iframe>

The Yaris comes with a 1.5-litre dual VVT-i petrol engine along with a 6-speed manual or 7-speed CVT auto -- and no diesel variant.

The Yaris will be manufactured at Toyota&#39;s plant near Bengaluru and will be open for booking starting April 2018.

The compact sedan will lock horns with others in the segment like Hyundai&#39;s Verna, Honda City and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz.

The compact sedan will lock horns with others in the segment like Hyundai Verna, Honda City and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz

Toyota Kirloskar unveiled one of the most anticipated and much-awaited launches of the year, Yaris, at the ongoing Auto Expo 2018. The launch of Yaris has catapulted the Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer to the B-High segment. Some of the key features of Toyota's star sedan include power driver seat, 7 SRS airbags, roof mounted air vents, front parking sensors, all-wheel disc brakes, tyre pressure monitorings system, gesture control for the audio, among others. The Yaris also comes studded with touchscreen navigation, faux leather seats, cruise control, stability control, auto projector headlamps, alloy wheels, shark-fin antenna, steering mounted controls, rear power outlets, rear camera, among others. The Yaris comes with a 1.5-litre dual VVT-i petrol engine along with a 6-speed manual or 7-speed CVT auto -- and no diesel variant. The Yaris will be manufactured at Toyota's plant near Bengaluru and will be open for booking starting April 2018. The compact sedan will lock horns with others in the segment like Hyundai's Verna, Honda City and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz.

Auto Expo 2018: Toyota unveils compact sedan Yaris

Toyota Motor Corp said on Tuesday it was expanding its safety recall involving Takata Corporation front passenger airbag inflators to cover about 601,300 additional vehicles in the United States.&nbsp;

Takata and its US&nbsp;entity TK Holdings Inc filed for bankruptcy in June after it said it was recalling more than 100 million of its airbag inflators worldwide through the end of 2019 because they could inflate with too much force and spray metal fragments.

Air bags with the inflators have been linked to at least 180 injuries and 20 deaths, mostly in the United States including one in Louisiana that was identified last month.

The US&nbsp;National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Saturday posted a notice from Takata that said the company would recall another 3.3 million inflators for vehicles from automakers including Toyota, Honda Motor Co, BMW AG, Daimler AG, General Motors Co, Tata Motors, Jaguar Land Rover unit and Subaru Corp.

NHTSA said in November that 19 automakers had recalled 46 million inflators in 34 million US&nbsp;vehicles -- and by 2019 as many as 70 million US inflators will have been recalled. In June, the agency said only about 35 percent of vehicles recalled have been repaired to date.

In January 2016, Takata agreed to plead guilty to criminal wrongdoing and pay $1 billion to resolve a US&nbsp;Justice Department investigation into the inflator ruptures.

Takata and its US entity TK Holdings Inc filed for bankruptcy in June after it said it was recalling more than 100 million of its airbag inflators worldwide

Toyota Motor Corp said on Tuesday it was expanding its safety recall involving Takata Corporation front passenger airbag inflators to cover about 601,300 additional vehicles in the United States. Takata and its US entity TK Holdings Inc filed for bankruptcy in June after it said it was recalling more than 100 million of its airbag inflators worldwide through the end of 2019 because they could inflate with too much force and spray metal fragments. Air bags with the inflators have been linked to at least 180 injuries and 20 deaths, mostly in the United States including one in Louisiana that was identified last month. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Saturday posted a notice from Takata that said the company would recall another 3.3 million inflators for vehicles from automakers including Toyota, Honda Motor Co, BMW AG, Daimler AG, General Motors Co, Tata Motors, Jaguar Land Rover unit and Subaru Corp. NHTSA said in November that 19 automakers had recalled 46 million inflators in 34 million US vehicles -- and by 2019 as many as 70 million US inflators will have been recalled. In June, the agency said only about 35 percent of vehicles recalled have been repaired to date. In January 2016, Takata agreed to plead guilty to criminal wrongdoing and pay $1 billion to resolve a US Justice Department investigation into the inflator ruptures.

Toyota expands US Takata airbag recall to 600,000 extra vehicles

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