Toyota Founder Kiichiro Inducted into Automotive Hall of Fame

July 22, 2018

Nagoya- Toyota Motor Corp.'s late founder, Kiichiro Toyoda, has been inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in the United States, the top Japanese automaker said Friday.

Kiichiro's vision and entrepreneurial spirit at the time of the founding were rated highly, according to the company.

He is the third person from Toyota to receive the honor, after the late former President Eiji Toyoda and current Honorary Chairman Shoichiro Toyoda.

The award ceremony, held on Thursday in Detroit, was attended by Toyota officials including Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada.

"As a successor and his grandson, I am very grateful and proud," President Akio Toyoda said in a statement.

Kiichiro was born the eldest son of the late Sakichi Toyoda, who invented an automatic loom, in 1894. He set up an automobile department at Toyoda Automatic Loom Works Ltd., currently called Toyota Industries Corp. in 1933.

Kiichiro produced the first prototype vehicle in 1935. Two years later, he established Toyota Motor Co., now called Toyota Motor Corp. Jiji Press