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Toyota pays tribute to Clarkson as he asks press, fans to leave producer alone

Say what you will about Toyota, but the Japanese brand was generally treated pretty well by former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson, despite the fact that the show routinely destroyed the brand's vehicles in each encounter. Whether it was a Hilux of some vintage, his attempts at annihilating a Kiwi Corolla (technically an Auris) or his honest attempts at reviews, the now-unemployed host has enjoyed quite a history with Toyota. It's hardly surprising, then, that the behemoth automaker's UK arm has put together a Clarkson montage, following the host's firing. There are some classic clips, featuring the vehicles mentioned above, as well as some amusing moments featuring the host himself. While the motoring world is still reacting to Clarkson's firing yesterday, the host has already broken his silence on the matter after getting intercepted by the media while cycling through London. "All I would like to say is, I wish people would leave Ois alone, because none of this is his fault," Clarkson told the media while deflecting questions about his potential arrest, the BBC reports. "Ois," of course, refers to Oisin Tymon, the Top Gear producer Clarkson physically and verbally assaulted following a full day of filming. Clarkson is a polarizing character, to be sure, but it takes a big person to make that kind of statement following his firing from a show he was so integral to. Check out Toyota's video up top, and then click over to the BBC to see Clarkson's comments to the media.

Watch Congress sample Toyota's i-Road 3-wheeler concept

Toyota brought its new i-Road, a three-wheeled, all-electric low-speed vehicle that debuted in 2013 at the Geneva Motor Show, to the Capitol for some of our elected officials to test out. As easy as it is to forget that politicians are people, too, it was refreshing to see a human side to many of them as they zipped about one of the Capitol's many meeting rooms.
We'd say their reactions were surprisingly positive. Of course, some were just down there because Toyota is a big presence in their respective districts, but the bulk of the senators and representatives seemed like they just wanted to zip about the makeshift indoor course on the leaning trike.
Take a look below at the video from Bloomberg.

NHTSA investigating 30,000 Toyota Camry Hybrids for brake assist problems

Older model Toyota Camry Hybrids are under investigation by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for potential braking problems. Enough complaints have poured into the NHTSA website that the agency is now taking a look at the problem, which could affect around 30,000 vehicles from the 2007 and 2008 model years. According to Reuters, 59 complaints have been submitted revolving around an "intermittent loss of assisted braking" which means the car takes longer to stop. Interestingly, the rate of complaints is increasing. Toyota is reportedly cooperating with NHTSA and there has not yet been an official recall on the Camry Hybrids. In 2006, Toyota said Brake Assist was "an electronic function that senses an emergency stop and applies increased braking power once the driver touches the brake pedal." When Toyota unveiled the 2007 Camry Hybrid, it proudly stated that the new Brake Assist function would be standard. Other Toyota hybrids have had problems with their brakes in the past, including the 2010 Prius and Lexus HS 250h hybrid. You can read some of the complaints about Brake Assist in the Camry Hybrids to the NHTSA here. People are saying that the "Check VSC" lights can come on before the brakes loose some of their power and a lot of them are being quoted repair costs of over $3,000 by Toyota dealers. Featured Gallery 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid View 38 Photos News Source: Reuters Green Toyota Hybrid brakes