If officials at Toyota had hoped that two days of Congressional hearings - including the appearance of CEO and namesake Akio Toyoda - would quell safety concerns about the Japanese automaker's vehicles, they probably didn't achieve that goal.

"This is indeed a very embarrassing day," said Rep. John Mica (R-FL), who rapped both Toyota and federal regulators who oversee auto sales in the United States.

"I'm embarrassed for you, sir," Mica said to CEO Akio Toyoda, grandson of the company's founder, who flew from Japan to appear before a packed committee room in a U.S. House Office Building.

Toyoda offered yet another public apology for safety troubles that have dogged his company, saying his company would re-double their efforts on safety.

"I am deeply sorry for any accidents that Toyota drivers have exeperienced," Mr. Toyoda said.

But when pressed about the cause behind incidents of sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles, the Japanese chief shied away from placing the blame on internal electronics, and specifically the electronic throttle systems in the cars.

"I'm absolutely confident that there is no problem with the design" of the electronic throttle system, Mr. Toyoda said through an interpreter.

That left lawmakers puzzled and a bit aggravated - but maybe because of the language barrier - they didn't verbally blister the Japanese auto chief as much as they could have.

But it was clear how many of them felt.

"You said someone was 'safety deaf'," Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) asked of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

"Toyota," LaHood fired back without missing a beat.

"Toyota was safety deaf," said Cummings with a knowing shake of his head.

Lawmakers clearly were looking for more out of the carmaker's top dogs, especially a day after the testimony of a Tennessee woman, who said her car went out of control, zooming to 100 mph on the highway while she desperately tried to stop it.

But they didn't get the focus they were looking for.

That means more hearings and maybe more tough days in Congress for Akio Toyoda's company.

 

You can also follow Jamie Dupree on both Twitter and on Facebook.