Excuse me but can this Toyota story get any more odd?
Monday began here in Washington DC with a radio report citing a Toyota memo that appeared to gloat that the company had saved one hundred million dollars by convincing US authorities to limit a vehicle recall three years ago.
By lunchtime, however, things had got far worse for the Japanese car giant when Toyota said it had received subpoenas from a US Federal Grand Jury, related to problems with acceleration and braking systems in Toyota cars.
In other words Toyota's widely reported safety issues were now being elevated to the level of a possible criminal investigation. It means someone from the firm's HQ will have to answer questions before a Federal Grand Jury about the unintended acceleration of some Toyota vehicles and the faulty breaking of the hybrid Prius.
Depending on the evidence criminal charges may follow.
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