WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp apologized  for letting safety standards slip during a period of fast  growth and vowed to respond more quickly to    consumer  complaints as two days of congressional hearings       crucial  to the automaker’s reputation began yesterday.

President Akio Toyoda said he was “deeply sorry” for  accidents caused by safety problems with Toyota vehicles and  detailed a set of reforms that would shift control of recall  decisions away from the automaker’s Japanese headquarters.

The world’s largest automaker is seeking to repair damage  over unintended acceleration and braking problems that have led  to the recall of more than 8.5 million vehicles globally.

“We pursued growth over the speed at which we were able to  develop our people and our organization, and we should  sincerely be mindful of that,” Toyoda said in written testimony  for a hearing scheduled for today. Toyota’s recent safety problems revolve around sticky  accelerators, accelerators that can be pinned down by loose  floor mats and a braking glitch affecting its hybrid models.

But many lawmakers, some Toyota owners and safety experts  fear Toyota’s current recalls do not cover all complaints of  runaway acceleration and also want reforms at the National  Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Rhonda Smith, driver of a Toyota Lexus in a 2006 incident  where her car reached 100 mph (160 kph), told lawmakers yesterday she felt Toyota and NHTSA had dismissed her belief that  the vehicle’s electronics were to blame.

“Shame on you, Toyota, for being so greedy. And shame on  you, NHTSA, for not doing your job,” Smith, who at times was  tearful, told the House Energy and Commerce Committee panel.