Toyota apologizes for handling of safety issues

WASHINGTON (AP) — The president of Toyota's U.S. operations is apologizing for the company's slow handling of sudden acceleration problems in its vehicles, saying it took too long to confront the issue.

Toyota's James Lentz, certain to face hostile questioning today at a congressional hearing, says in prepared testimony that Toyota had poor communications within the company, with government regulators and with its customers.

Also being heard from today are drivers like Rhonda Smith, a Sevierville, Tenn., woman whose Toyota-made Lexus suddenly zoomed to 100 mph as she tried to get it to stop - shifting to neutral, trying to throw the car into reverse and hitting the emergency brake. Finally, her car slowed down before she crashed.

Smith's description of her nightmare ride in October 2006 will precede testimony by safety experts - and set the tone for the hearing. Toyota executives and the secretary of transportation also will be at the witness table.

Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's investigative panel will be armed with preliminary staff findings that Toyota and the government failed to protect the public.

Toyota, which has recalled 8.5 million vehicles to fix acceleration problems in several models and braking issues in the 2010 hybrid Prius, is bringing apologies to the hearing.