At the Automotive Hall of Fame induction ceremony on September 24 (Japan time), Chairman Akio Toyoda gave a speech that moved many in attendance. Here, we showcase the event.
“So, wherever the road takes us, let's enjoy the ride together! Thank you very much.”
Chairman Akio Toyoda finished his speech to thunderous applause.
This episode of Toyota Times News features Chairman Toyoda's induction ceremony at the Automotive Hall of Fame.
Despite facing a recall crisis shortly after becoming the president of Toyota, Chairman Toyoda rebuilt trust alongside his colleagues and has now taken his place in the Automotive Hall of Fame, the oldest of its kind in the U.S.
Speaking from the podium with a mix of both humor and passion, Chairman Toyoda drew laughter and applause from the audience again and again.
Toyota Times covered the ceremony in an article on September 24, but the video captures the energy in the room in a way that words on a page cannot.
Yuta Tomikawa also reports on the current state of Detroit, the Motor City where the ceremony took place, and visits the Hall of Fame Museum, which showcases past inductees.
On the monument engraved with the inductees' names, Akio Toyoda's name sits side by side with that of his father, Shoichiro Toyoda.
(See this article for more on how Toyota's Hall of Famers Kiichiro Toyoda, Eiji Toyoda, Taiichi Ohno, Shoichiro Toyoda, and Chairman Akio Toyoda are connected to the U.S.)
Watch the video to feel Chairman Toyoda's gratitude to everyone who shares his love of cars as well as his hopes for the future of the automotive industry.