Toyota announced today that Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda has passed away at the age of 97. Son of Kiichiro Toyoda, the company’s founder, and father of Akio Toyoda, the company’s current Chairman of the Board, Shoichiro represented his family on the company’s board for 57 years, making him Toyota’s longest-serving director.
Dr. Toyoda began his career with Toyota in 1952, and eventually earned his doctorate in engineering, writing his thesis on the topic of fuel injection. He served in several positions throughout his career, and became the president of the Toyota Motor Corporation in 1982.
In his time in that position, he became responsible for how American customers likely think of the company. He led the Toyota through its entry into North American manufacturing, and was also there during the creation of Toyota’s luxury brand for the continent, Lexus.
Read: Toyota CEO, President And All-Round Car Guy Akio Toyoda Is Stepping Down
Dr. Toyoda is also credited with recognizing the importance of American input in order to make its vehicles more appealing to the country’s buyers. When he took the helm of the company, every Toyota in the U.S. was imported. By the time he stepped down in 1992, 40 percent of them were built in the country.
A central figure in Toyota’s global expansion, Dr. Toyoda also greenlit the company’s first plants in Canada and Europe.
Before ascending to the top of the company, Toyoda also played a critical role in establishing the company’s quality control system. That would eventually lead to the company’s reputation as a maker of reliable cars, and would help Lexus compete against the German establishment.
Shoichiro Toyoda assumed the position of honorary chairman from 2009 until his death, on February 14, 2023, from heart failure. Toyota writes that a funeral service will be held for close family members, but the Toyota Motor Corporation will hold a farewell gathering where more people can pay their respects.
