Toyota

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TITLE="Suzuki">Suzuki</A></div> <div> <A HREF="tesla_motors.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tesla Motors">Tesla Motors</A></div> <div> <B>Toyota</B></div> <div> <A HREF="vw.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="VW">VW</A></div> <div> <A HREF="zhongxing_automobile.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Zhongxing Automobile">Zhongxing Automobile</A></div> <div> <A HREF="other_cars.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Other CARS">Other CARS</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#3300FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>Toyota family of brands . . .</B></FONT> <A HREF="scion.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Scion">Scion</A>   Toyota   <A HREF="lexus.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lexus">Lexus</A></div> <div> <B>Made By:</B> Toyota Motor Company</div> <div> <B>Started Business:</B> 1937</div> <div>  <B>Corporate Official site:</B> <A HREF="http://www.toyota.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.toyota.com">www.toyota.com</A></div> <div>  <B>Dealer Official site:</B> N/A</div> <div> Review their Stock TOYOTA MTR CORP SP  (<A HREF="http://host.businessweek.com/businessweek/Corporate_Snapshot.html?Symbol=TM" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://host.businessweek.com/businesswee">NYSE:</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="http://host.businessweek.com/businessweek/Corporate_Snapshot.html?Symbol=TM" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://host.businessweek.com/businesswee">TM</A></FONT>)</div> <div> HotV8 Special Report</div> <div> <I>Wall Street Journal</I> reported 08-08-2007</div> <div> that Toyota Motor Corp. was delaying the launch of hybrid vehicles that use lithium-ion battery packs by at least two years due to problems with the battery packs overheating and posing a fire risk.</div> <bR> <div> APRIL U.S. AUTO SALES</div> <div> Toyota & Honda April sales down</div> <div> DaimlerChrysler, BMW, Mitsubishi Up!</div> <bR> <div> Tundra aims to pick up Detroit 3 conquests</div> <div> 5/7/07</div> <div> Nearly half of the customers trading in vehicles for the redesigned, full-sized Toyota Tundra pickup are trading in Toyotas -- not Fords, Chevys, GMCs or Dodges.</div> <div> In fact, in the first three weeks of April, the percentage of Toyota trades for the Tundra was up sharply from last year, according to Power Information Network.</div> <div> Trade-ins from Detroit brands were down.</div> <bR> <div> Toyota to slow U.S. factory expansion</div> <div> 6/20/07</div> <div> NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Top executives at Toyota Motor Corp. are concerned the automaker has built too many factories in the United States and are urging it to hit the brakes on new plant building, The Wall Street Journal reported today on its Web site.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Index</I></div> <bR> <div> Toyota started out as the automobile department of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd., in Japan</div> <div> In 1937 the Toyota Motor Company was founded</div> <div> and by 1947 over 100,000 vehicles had been produced</div> <div> The first Toyota arrived in the U.S. in 1957</div> <div> Today more than half of the Toyotas sold in America are produced there</div> <div> Toyota markets cars worldwide through its overseas network of more than 160 importers/distributors and numerous dealers</div> <div> half of the customers trading in vehicles for the redesigned, full-sized Toyota Tundra pickup are trading in Toyotas -- not Fords, Chevys, GMCs or Dodges</div> <div> Toyota's Drunk Driver Detection</div> <div> Watch-Out, Big Brother is controlling Your Life!</div> <div> Toyota is developing a system that inhibits driving if it finds</div> <div> too much alcohol in your bloodstream or detects abnormal steering input. </div> <div> <A HREF="#toyota_drunk_driver_detection" TITLE="Toyota">CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY</A></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="a9973120.jpg" border=0 width="115" height="18" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> We harness statistics to rank the 50 states according to their friendliness to motorists</div> <div>  <a href="http://autos.aol.com/article/general/v2/_a/best-states-for-driving/20070102165009990001">- Best States for Driving - AOL Autos</a>  </div> <div> <IMG SRC="acab47f0.jpg" border=0 width="180" height="127" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Toyota Reports Record Quarterly Profit</div> <div> <I><B>02-06-2007</B></I></div> <div> By YURI KAGEYAMA </div> <div> <B>TOKYO (AP) - Toyota, hot on the heels of General Motors to become the world's No. 1 automaker, reported a 7.3 percent jump in quarterly profit Tuesday on booming sales in North America and Europe that offset sluggish demand in Japan. </B></div> <div> Toyota Motor Corp. recorded group net profit of 426.8 billion yen ($3.6 billion) in the three months ended Dec. 31, up from 397.6 billion yen the same period the previous year.</div> <bR> <div> Quarterly sales climbed a solid 15.2 percent to 6.15 trillion yen ($51.2 billion) from 5.33 trillion yen a year ago, as the remodeled RAV 4 sport utility vehicle and Camry mid-sized sedan sold briskly in North America, and demand was strong for the Yaris compact in Europe, Toyota said in a release.</div> <bR> <div> ``Toyota's numbers are super, super strong,'' said Koji Endo, auto analyst with <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" >Credit</FONT> Suisse First Boston Securities in Tokyo. ``To be honest, it's hard to find anything bad at this point.'' </div> <div> Toyota did not comment on where it might build its next U.S. factory to keep up with strong demand there. American newspapers have reported that Chattanooga, Tenn., and Marion, Ark., are among the finalists.</div> <bR> <div> Net profit and sales reached a record for any quarter, said Senior Managing Director Takeshi Suzuki. ``We believe our company wide efforts have contributed to these results,'' he said in a release.</div> <bR> <div> Toyota, with its reputation for reliable, fuel-efficient cars, has gotten a big boost lately from the rise in oil prices. It also is a leader in producing hybrids, which use electricity and gasoline.</div> <bR> <div> Toyota has long beaten struggling General Motors Corp. in profitability, but it still trails GM in annual global vehicle production. </div> <div> Last month, Toyota said global vehicle production topped 9 million in 2006, at 9.018 million vehicles, marking the fifth year straight of growth.</div> <bR> <div> GM its group automakers produced 9.18 million vehicles worldwide in 2006 - about 162,000 vehicles more than its Japanese rival. </div> <div> Toyota, which also makes the Lexus luxury line, surpassed DaimlerChrysler AG as the No. 3 auto seller in the U.S. for the first time in 2006, according to data from automakers. Ford Motor Co. remains No. 2 in the U.S.</div> <bR> <div> Toyota kept its vehicle sales forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31 unchanged at 8.47 million vehicles. During the October-December quarter, it sold 2.16 million vehicles worldwide, up 8.9 percent from a year ago. </div> <div> Vehicle production, meanwhile, rose 9 percent to 2.09 million units in the quarter.</div> <bR> <div> Toyota said a weak yen, which boosts the value of overseas earnings, added 30 billion yen ($250 million) to the third quarter, while cost reductions efforts contributed another 20 billion yen ($167 million).</div> <bR> <div> It also held steady its forecasts for the full fiscal year through March, projecting earnings of 1.55 trillion yen ($12.9 billion) on 23.2 trillion yen ($193 billion) sales. </div> <div> Toyota shares, which have climbed a third in value over the past year, closed up 1.8 percent in Tokyo at 7,960 yen ($66). </div> <bR> <div> 02/06/07 06:28 © Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained In this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.</div> <bR> <div> Toyota may add five new plants in N.A.</div> <div> So they can sell you more of their high priced Junk!</div> <div> Posted Jan 12th 2007</div> <div> In a scant four paragraphs, the Detroit News dropped the bomb that Toyota is considering adding five more plants in North America over the next ten years.</div> <bR> <div> The minimal information provided was procured from sources that wanted to remain anonymous, as Toyota hasn't decided to voice the plans publicly at this time.</div> <bR> <div> The article states that one plant would be built in the southeast U.S., while another plant would find a home south of the border in Mexico.</div> <bR> <div> Such a move on Toyota's part would bring their total number of plants up to 12 in North America, with the additional five creating 10,000 jobs with a cost of around $5 billion. Source: Detroit News...</div> <bR> <div> GM claims Toyota has more pull in Washington DC</div> <div> Posted Jan 10th 2007</div> <div> Bob Lutz is giving Us a Heads-Up, on the special treatment Toyota seems to be getting from Washington, D.C. lately.</div> <bR> <div> GM's vice chairman for product development, Lutz was quoted as saying he thinks Toyota is spending a lot more on politics nowadays because they seem to have even more clout than world number one GM in lobbying power.</div> <bR> <div> Political power is important when government regulations are being considered and can mean a great deal in advancing certain innovations, or steering automotive development towards one company's products over another's.</div> <bR> <div> "Toyota outspends us.</div> <bR> <div> They have more congressmen and senators than we have," Lutz told a group of reporters Tuesday at the North American International Auto Show.</div> <bR> <div> "Toyota has more clout in Washington than we do."</div> <bR> <div> <B>"I try not to go to Washington too often," he added. "I find it profoundly depressing.</B></div> <bR> <div> "Perhaps it has something to do with all of the US plants being built by Japanese firms of late.</div> <bR> <div> Toyota alone employs 39,000 workers in six US plants with the possibility of adding... 5 more?</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="aa990180.png" border=0 width="400" height="280" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Toyota Prius hybrid sedan </div> <div> Base price: $22,175</div> <div> City/highway miles per gallon: 60/51</div> <div> Annual fueling cost: $631</div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="ad054e10.jpg" border=0 width="340" height="225" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>The RAV4</B></div> <div> was one of the first SUVs to be based on a car platform when it was initially introduced in 1996, and the third-generation 2006 RAV4 is considerably longer and wider than its predecessor, providing improved interior space and comfort.</div> <bR> <div> The standard engine is a 166-horsepower 2.4-liter and a 269-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 is available with a gate-shift 5-speed automatic transmission.</div> <bR> <div> The interior offers more room with a more modern design, and for the first time a third-row seat is offered.</div> <bR> <div> Adding to the interior versatility is Toyota's new Easy Flat seating system, which allows the 60/40 split-folding rear seats to be folded flat using one lever—without removing head restraints or seat cushions.</div> <div> SUV, less than $30,000 </div> <div> Toyota Rav4 </div> <div> <B>Cost:</B> $23,000 to $27,000 </div> <div> The Rav4 was redesigned for 2006, adding more room and an optional third row of seats. An optional V6 engine gives smooth performance and good power while provided just 1 mpg lower fuel economy in Consumer Reports' testing. </div> <div> The Rav4 also got top marks for reliability and crash protection. </div> <div> The newly redesigned Honda CR-V is another good choice, the magazine said. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>2007 Toyota Tundra</B></div> <div> Toyota once again shows the do not know how to make a truck to meet Americac's neeeds!</div> <bR> <div> If your looking for a <B>Real Truck</B> try The all new International!</div> <bR> <div> or try the Best selling Pickup in America for the past 30 years, the Ford F150</div> <bR> <div> As this Toyota Tundra is <B>just like many of their CARS over Priced JUNK!</B></div> <bR> <div> Toyota acknowledged that size really does matter when it comes to full-size trucks, showing us its new Texas-sized Tundra Crew Max four-door pickup for the first time in Detroit.</div> <bR> <div> This also marks the first time we can reveal details about the best part of the ‘08 Tundra: the optional 5.7-liter V-8 that produces 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="a95e05d0.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="349" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Reviews December 4, 2006</div> <div> Toyota's Corolla: Bland But In Demand</div> <div> Toyota's second-best seller's success is due to its reliability and quality, not its performance or sex appeal</div> <div> by <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" >Thane Peterson</FONT> </div> <div> <B>Up Front</B></div> <div> <B>Toyota's Corolla</B></div> <div> Toyota Corolla sedan </div> <div> Base price: $14,205</div> <div> City/highway miles per gallon: 32/41</div> <bR> <div> The first time I ever reviewed a car for <I>BusinessWeek</I> a decade or so ago, I drove a Volvo sedan around for an afternoon, came home, sat down at my computer—and had nothing to say. "Nice car, drives pretty well," was about all I could think of.</div> <bR> <div> I have a similar feeling as I sit down to write about the 2007 Toyota Corolla. It's a nice enough car that will probably run forever. But you're never going to get excited about driving one.\</div> <bR> <div> It seems designed to avoid offending anyone rather than to inject a little excitement into an otherwise humdrum day.</div> <bR> <div> That doesn't prevent American consumers from adoring the Corolla, which is in its 37th year on the U.S. market.</div> <bR> <div> In the first 10 months of 2006, Corolla sales soared 13.2%, to 330,995 units.</div> <bR> <div> That's a much faster rise than for the Honda (<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" >HMC</FONT>) Civic (see BusinessWeek.com, 6/7/06, <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" >"Civic Virtues"</FONT>). Sales of that car are up 5.9%, to 272,886 units, during the same period.</div> <bR> <div> The average Corolla spends a mere 11 days on a dealer's lot before selling, according to the Power Information Network, turnover that's almost as fast as the Civic's eight days, and faster than the Mazda 3 (15 days) and the Ford (<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" >F</FONT>) Focus and Chevy Cobalt (24 days).</div> <bR> <div> For driving enthusiasts, though, the Corolla just got duller.</div> <bR> <div> That's because as of the '07 model year, Toyota (<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" >TM</FONT>) has dropped the sportier XRS version, which had a feisty 164-horsepower engine.</div> <bR> <div> The Corolla now comes in just three trim levels—all of them four-door, front-wheel-drive sedans with the same little 1.8 liter, 126-horse engine.</div> <bR> <div> By contrast, you can get the Civic in numerous variations, including a hybrid and the sporty Civic Si.</div> <bR> <div> The entry level Corolla CE, which starts at $14,825 with a manual transmission and $15,625 with an automatic, comes fairly well equipped, with a CD player, air conditioning, power mirrors, tachometer, 60/40 fold-down rear seat, tilt steering wheel, and a height-adjustable driver's seat.</div> <bR> <div> The Corolla S, the version of the car I drove, is similar except that it has what Toyota hyperbolically describes as "aggressive styling" (in my opinion, there's nothing aggressive about the Corolla), including a rear spoiler, body styling kit, fog lights, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The S starts at $15,870 with a stick shift and $16,670 with an automatic.</div> <bR> <div> The fanciest version of the Corolla, the LE, starts at $16,035 with a stick, $16,670 with an automatic, and adds fake wood interior trim (Toyota describes it as "wood-like"), remote keyless entry, and power windows and locks.</div> <bR> <div> Even on the LE, though, you can't get a navigation system as a standard option like you can on a Civic.</div> <bR> <div> The Corolla's big selling point is fuel economy. With a stick shift, it's rated to get an incredible 32 mpg in the city and 41 on the highway.</div> <bR> <div> In 360 miles of driving my automatic-transmission-equipped test car, I got 32.9 miles-per-gallon.</div> <bR> <div> That's very high mileage considering how hard I drive test cars—and about the same as the 33.1 mpg I got in the Civic.</div> <bR> <div> One reason the Corolla is so stingy on gas is that its co-efficient of drag, a measure of how slippery a car's exterior is, is just 0.30—same as the new BMW 335i Coupe.</div> <bR> <div> The Corolla buyer profile is older and more feminine than rival compact cars. Women make up 51% of Corolla buyers, as opposed to 45.5% for the Civic, 44.6% for the Ford Focus and 44.2% for the Mazda 3, according to the Power Information Network.</div> <bR> <div> Only 28.8% of Corolla buyers are under 35, according to Power, about the same as for the Focus but far less than for the Civic (37.4%) and the Mazda 3 (48.9%).</div> <bR> <div> The Corolla also can be a good compromise for those who prefer a domestic model built by the United Auto Workers.</div> <bR> <div> That's because about half of all Corollas sold in the U.S. are made at New United Motor Manufacturing, a Fremont (Calif.) Toyota-General Motors (<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" >GM</FONT>) joint venture that also produces Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks and Pontiac Vibes.</div> <bR> <div> The other half—in general, the ones sold east of the Mississippi—are made at a regular Toyota plant in Ontario. If you prefer one or the other, there's a plaque under the hood that lists the manufacturing location, the company says.</div> <bR> <div> Behind the Wheel</div> <div> The Corolla is an unabashed economy car, and it drives like one.</div> <bR> <div> Toyota says that with a manual transmission, the car will accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than nine seconds, but the fastest time I got in my test Corolla with an automatic was a pokey 10.1 seconds.</div> <bR> <div> That's much slower than the Honda Civic, with a 1.8 liter engine and automatic transmission.</div> <bR> <div> Another big difference is the sluggishness of the Corolla at speeds between 25 and 65 (the range in which most driving is done). Honda engineered the Civic to be the quickest car in its class in that speed range, and the difference is striking.</div> <bR> <div> The Civic's engine has a sporty whine when you punch it, and it's a lot zippier than the Corolla. So, for that matter, are the Mazda 3 (see BusinessWeek.com, 8/22/05, <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" >"A Mazda for Youths (and You)"</FONT>) and VW Rabbit (see BusinessWeek.com, 10/23/06, <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" >"VW's Rabbit Redux"</FONT>).</div> <bR> <div> The Corolla handles reasonably well for a small car. It has rack-and-pinion steering with speed-sensing power assist. The suspension isn't as sporty as the Civic's.\</div> <bR> <div> It's damped as you would expect for a family sedan and smoothes out the bumps reasonably well. There's no manual shifting option on the five-speed automatic transmission.</div> <bR> <div> The interior is well-made but plain. Leather seats aren't offered, even as an option on the LE. The plush inserts in the black cloth upholstery in my test car looked like they were cut out of a terry cloth robe.</div> <bR> <div> But my big problem with the seats is how uncomfortable they are. My back ached after I took this car out on the highway for a few hours.</div> <bR> <div> However, I have chronic back problems that were acting up, and I'd be curious to hear if Corolla owners find the seats uncomfortable, too.</div> <bR> <div> Another quibble: There isn't much storage in the Corolla's cabin. The bins in the two front doors are all relatively small, and there are no storage bins in the rear doors.</div> <bR> <div> The trunk is large for an economy car (13.6 cubic feet), but my test car had no pass-through between the seats for skis and other long objects.</div> <bR> <div> The rear seats fold down in a 60/40 pattern, but the seat bottoms don't fold up against the back seats (as they do in the Hyundai Accent and some other small cars) to create a flat storage area in back.</div> <bR> <div> Head and legroom in the front seat are adequate, unless you're well above six feet. The rear seats, as you would expect, are cramped, but not overly so.</div> <bR> <div> The Corolla has more rear headroom than the Civic and nearly five inches more rear legroom (35.4 inches vs 30.3 in the Civic). I'm 5' 10", and with the Corolla's front seat in a comfortable position for me, I had enough knee space in back.</div> <bR> <div> Buy it or Bag It?</div> <div> Toyota is holding the Corolla's base price down, despite the model's soaring sales. On average, Corolla prices only rose $100 from '06 to '07, an increase of just 0.6%.</div> <bR> <div> However, adding options causes the price to mount rapidly.</div> <bR> <div> For instance, you really should load up on airbags in a small car like this. Without side and side curtain airbags, the Corolla has a "poor" rating in side impact crashes from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (though it got an acceptable four stars from the National Highway Safety Administration).</div> <bR> <div> Yet side and side curtain airbags cost an extra $655.</div> <bR> <div> Stability control adds $650, antilock brakes $390. A sunroof goes for $750, alloy wheels $499, and an auto-dimming mirror $269. Even cruise control is optional: It's available as part of a $200 sound system upgrade.</div> <bR> <div> The Civic costs more, but that's partially offset by the fact that it comes with more standard gear, including antilock brakes and side and head airbags.</div> <bR> <div> On average, buyers pay $16,311 for a Corolla, according to the Power Information Network, nearly three grand less than the Civic's $19,068 average selling price.</div> <bR> <div> The Mazda 3 costs an average of $18,850. Among domestic nameplates, the Dodge Caliber ($18,141) is pricier, but the Chevy Cobalt at $15,122 and the Ford Focus, which at $14,386 is being heavily discounted, are cheaper than the Corolla.</div> <bR> <div> Should you buy a Corolla?</div> <div> If all you want is an economy car with a long history of reliability, it's an excellent choice.</div> <bR> <div> If I bought one, though, I'd go with the Corolla LE or CE, rather than the S. It just seems dumb to me to put a rear spoiler and other performance gee-gaws on a car this pokey.</div> <bR> <div> In this category, I'm a major fan of the Honda Civic, which got a thorough redesign last year. It has more distinctive styling than the Corolla, and it's a lot more fun to drive. Other fun-to-drive alternatives include the Mazda 3 and VW Rabbit.</div> <bR> <div> Diehard Corolla-lovers might consider waiting a couple years to buy a new one.</div> <bR> <div> The company confirms that Corolla will be revamped for the 2008 model year. A snappier design, a few more available options, and a little pizzazz would do wonders for this car. </div> <div> Peterson<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" > reviews cars for BusinessWeek.com</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="ad154ff0.jpg" border=0 width="340" height="255" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Minivan </div> <div> <B>Toyota Sienna</B></div> <div> <B>Cost: </B>$26,000 to $28,000</div> <bR> <div> When Consumer Reports first started releasing "Top Picks" in 1997, the minivan chosen was the Dodge Caravan/Plymouth Voyager. </div> <div> The Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey have traded the top spot ever since. With the addition of a more powerful engine, the Sienna takes it back after two years of going to the Odyssey. </div> <div> "It's a little bit quieter, a little bit more refined, little bit more comfortable than the Odyssey," said David Champion, head of Consumer Reports' auto testing. </div> <div> Champion also said that, for his personal use, he would go for the Honda. </div> <div> "I'm a bit more of a driver," he said. "I prefer the Odyssey. It's got a bit more of a sports car performance in a minivan."</div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="toyota_drunk_driver_detection"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>Toyota Drunk Driver Detection</div> <div> Toyota is developing a fail-safe system for cars that detects drunken drivers and automatically shuts the vehicle down if sensors pick up signs of excessive alcohol consumption, a news report said Wednesday.</div> <bR> <div> Cars fitted with the detection system will not start if sweat sensors in the driving wheel detect high levels of alcohol in the driver's bloodstream, according to a report carried by the mass-circulation daily, Asahi Shimbun.</div> <bR> <div> The system could also kick in if the sensors detect abnormal steering, or if a special camera shows that the driver's pupils are not in focus. The car is then slowed to a halt, the report said.</div> <bR> <div> The world's No. 2 automaker hopes to fit cars with the system by the end of 2009, according to the report. Calls to Toyota's headquarters in Nagoya rang unanswered on Wednesday, a public holiday.</div> <bR> <div> Nissan Motor, another Japanese car manufacturer, has already been experimenting with breathalyzer-like devices that could detect if a driver was drunken. Similar technologies, such as alcohol ignition interlocks, are in use in the U.S. and elsewhere.</div> <bR> <div> Concerns over drunken driving have surged in Japan following a series of alcohol-related accidents last year. In August, a drunken driver collided with another vehicle carrying a family of five, plunging them off a bridge and killing three children.</div> <bR> <div> The incident prompted stepped-up roadside spot checks by police, who also plan to stiffen penalties for drunken driving.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>