The president of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, today apologized for the recall of its models in an interview on public television NHK.

"We are extremely sorry for having caused discomfort to customers," said president of the Japanese group, interviewed on the sidelines of the Davos Forum in Switzerland. Toyota is looking for reasons for the problem and explain to customers to allay their fears, "he added.

Up to 1.8 million: the number of cars sold in Europe that the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota will recall at its plants, a lack of accelerator pedal already detected in the United States, Canada and China .Toyota had announced the recall Europe before yesterday, but without the encryption.

Eight models concerned

A statement from Toyota, "the precise number is still under consideration, but could reach 1.8 million vehicles" recalled in Europe. Eight models are concerned: AYGO, iQ, Yaris, Auris, Corolla Verso, Avensis and RAV4. But "no Lexus or any other Toyota model is affected," says the group.

The cause of the recall is a defective design of the accelerator: in some cases, the pedal may stay locked in position down free credit report .The same problem has already caused the recall of 270,000 cars in Canada, 75,000 in China and 2.3 million primarily in the United States, where the group has even had to suspend production and sale of eight models, an unprecedented step.

"There is no need or intention to stop production in Europe," says Toyota Friday, who said he uses the more contentious parts for cars sold on this continent. The Japanese group says he tries to normalize the situation as quickly as possible, saying he has "found a solution to the problem" and that it will provide instructions to all its customers when its effectiveness will be verified .

Tadashi Arashima, head of Toyota Motors Europe, has also tried to reassure by saying that the accelerator problem "happens only in very rare circumstances.The action announced is a preventive measure, intended to ensure the highest standards of quality for all consumers. " "We recognize that the current situation creates concern, and we deeply regret," he further stressed.