The civil fine represented an acknowledgement that Toyota had violated federal laws designed to encourage vehicle manufacturers to report problems to reduce injuries and fatalities.
There is inevitably a tension between manufacturers desire to avoid costly recalls which often result in litigation and the need to have a reliable, prompt mechanism for recognizing and correcting safety defects.
Toyota's behavior seemed especially reprehensible as they has received many reports of problems dating back for a number of years. Doubtless the wrongful death and injury trials will focus on this behavior but it won't bring back those who lost their lives unnecessarily. https://www.maryland-law.com/blog/toyota-crash-deaths-tip-of-the-iceberg.cfm
The inevitable question will, the fine make any difference ? Toyota had become the world's largest car maker and the fine is a crumb compared to the vast profits they reaped, often at the expense of American car builders. https://www.maryland-law.com/practice_areas/maryland-car-accident-attorney-md-truck-lawyer-pg-county.cfm
This may be an example of the necessity of a vigorous civil justice system, where criminally negligent manufacturers disgorge their ill-gotten profits by way of exemplary or punitive damages