• Los Angeles Times, Friday, April 9, 2010 10:49 AM

Toyota has toughed its approach to critics in recent weeks, including the implementation of SMART units -- Swift Market Analysis and Research Team -- that quickly examine reports of equipment malfunctions. They have been successful in discrediting several high profiles cases, but the effort has backfired in at least one instance.

SMART is part of a much broader public relations and legal strategy Toyota is using to confront critics, Ralph Vartabedian and Ken Bensinger report. Critics warn that they are playing with fire. "It is a very aggressive and misleading campaign," says Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety. "Toyota can't win this battle by slinging mud, but they are trying."

Congressional staffers, meanwhile, complain that Toyota lobbyists are trying to disrupt the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's investigation. And Automotive Newsreports that Toyota documents show it knew of pedal flaws as far back as 2006.

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