I don't see anything in that article that would indicate they are "struggling" with modern engines, a water flow meter failed in the factory for cripes sake. Only 250 out of 44 thousand, nothing to see here.
Quote
Toyota announced that about 250 out of the 44,191 recalled vehicles will actually need their engine replaced
Quote
The problem started in September 2019 at a Toyota-owned factory in Tennessee that manufactures engine blocks for Toyota and Lexus vehicles. According to a written statement from the automaker, a water flow meter at the factory failed while some engine blocks were being cast. As a result, these blocks did not cool properly, which caused cracks to develop.