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| Science & Technology |
| USDoT: It's Stupid Drivers, Not Dangerous Toyotas |
| 2010-07-14 |
| The U.S. Department of Transportation has analyzed dozens of data recorders from Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles involved in accidents blamed on sudden acceleration and found that at the time of the crashes, throttles were wide open and the brakes were not engaged, people familiar with the findings said. The results suggest that some drivers who said their Toyota and Lexus vehicles surged out of control were mistakenly flooring the accelerator when they intended to jam on the brakes. But the findings don't exonerate Toyota from two known issues blamed for sudden acceleration in its vehicles: sticky accelerator pedals and floor mats that can trap accelerator pedals to the floor. The findings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration involve a sample of reports in which a driver of a Toyota vehicle said the brakes were depressed but failed to stop the car from accelerating and ultimately crashing. The data recorders analyzed by NHTSA were selected by the agency, not Toyota, based on complaints the drivers had filed with the government. The findings are consistent with a 1989 government-sponsored study that blamed similar driver mistakes for a rash of sudden-acceleration reports involving Audi 5000 sedans. The Toyota findings, which haven't been released by NHTSA, support Toyota's position that sudden-acceleration reports involving its vehicles weren't caused by electronic glitches in computer-controlled throttle systems, as some safety advocates and plaintiffs' attorneys have alleged. More than 100 people have sued the auto maker claiming crashes were the result of faulty electronics. NHTSA has received more than 3,000 complaints of sudden acceleration in Toyotas, including some dating to early last decade, according to a report the agency compiled in March. The incidents include 75 fatal crashes involving 93 deaths. However, NHTSA has been able to verify only one of those fatal crashes was caused by a problem with the vehicle, according to information the agency provided to the National Academy of Sciences. That accident last Aug. 28, which killed a California highway patrolman and three passengers in a Lexus, was traced to a floor mat that trapped the gas pedal in the depressed position. Toyota has recalled more than eight million cars globally to fix floor mats and sticky accelerators. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #8 Maybe Toyota, with all their money and connections could send the Yakuza after some of Barry's people. Maybe do the old Ginzu action them. Send Barry a message and some body parts. |
| Posted by: Sporong and Tenille6082 2010-07-14 19:52 |
| #7 Obama is a sock-puppet for the unions. Not surprising that his administration would go after Toyota. |
| Posted by: DMFD 2010-07-14 19:07 |
| #6 The only Toyota union plant was in Fremont, CA and it closed in 2010. Tesla recently purchased this plant. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-07-14 14:43 |
| #5 Interesting point there John, compounded by the fact most Toyota plants are non union attacking Toyota makes sence. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2010-07-14 13:14 |
| #4 I have not driven or even seen the interior of one of these vehicles - is there anything which would have kept the driver from shifting the vehicle into neutral during an uncontrolled acceleration, human or electrically caused? Fergoddsakes don't shut the engine off, and ferdoublegoddsakes don't shut the engine off and lock the steering system. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2010-07-14 11:54 |
| #3 Machines don't generally pick on old folks. Although it does seem that way sometimes. |
| Posted by: mojo 2010-07-14 11:38 |
| #2 Toyotas don't have a crash data recorder (air bag module) module that can be readily read by accident reconstructionists. Ford, GM, and Chryler do. Toyota is able to read their vehicle data. Looks like NHTSA also has the capability. If Toyota made their crash data available to accident reconstructionists, some of their problems might go away. I've always thought some of these claims were scams; others driver error and maybe just possibly some throttle problems--but doubtful. Cars are designed such that braking forces are about three times greater than acceleration forces. The car ought to be capable of stopping under runaway acceleration if such a thing should happen. I have been suspicious about this being a political problem. Obumble takes over GM and Chrysler. Ford didn't take stimulus funds so they don't have to cow-tow to the Feds other than meet Fed standards. Obumble is beholden to the unions, so he insures their jobs and continuity by taking over American car firms. Payoffs for 2008 votes and contributions. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-07-14 09:59 |
| #1 As a rule of thumb used in acupuncture medicine, "If a patient complains of a problem, there is a problem, whether or not you can find it. Keep looking." This is one of the most profoundly scientific statements the Orient has ever produced, and can be applied to an amazing array of circumstances. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-07-14 09:13 |