What Grinds My Gears about the Recent Developments in Toyota's Unintended Acceleration-Saga
A few things happened in the past 24 hours that grind my gears on the subject of Toyota Motor Corp.'s "unintended acceleration" saga. The first thing that ticked me off were some smart-ass headlines for the findings of NHTSA-NASA study from the same sources that were bashing the Japanese company with Daily Mirror-like titles a little over a year ago. That's something like looking at the mirror and saying who's the dummy now... No need for further explanations on that.
The other is that, Toyota, its PR associates and even some news sites / blogs are focusing on the software-related findings and either leaving outside or playing down the two mechanical defects - a.k.a. the “sticking†accelerator pedals and a design flaw that enabled accelerator pedals to become trapped by floor mats. These defects lead to some 8 million vehicles being recalled in the United States alone.
Yes, the study by NHTSA and NASA found no evidence for electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration, but that doesn't mean Toyota is innocent for the rest of the sudden acceleration-related issues nor for neglecting to notify the government agency of the sticky pedal defect for more than four months after the company found out about it.
Read more »- A Case Of Sticky Throttles Or Sticky Limbs?
We would like to believe that carmakers have addressed all issues associated with sticky accelerator pedals and unintended acceleration caused by floor mat entrapment, but you can never be entirely sure. And then there's always the possibility of...
- Source Code: Toyota Fights To Limit Ecu Code Viewing In Legal Battle
Could Toyota's source code hold the answer to its sudden acceleration problems? Possibly, and it's currently working with attorneys to smooth out how this code will be analyzed in its ongoing unintended acceleration legal woes. For those of...
- Trapped Accelerator Pedals Come To Haunt Toyota And Lexus Again, 2.12 Million Vehicles Recalled In The Usa
The Toyota Group may be off the hook over suspicions of unwanted sudden acceleration caused by software-driven throttles after the findings of the NHTSA-NASA study, but the Japanese automaker is once again making headlines over trapped accelerator pedals....
- Oh, Fine: U.s. Slaps Toyota With $16.4 Million Dollar Penalty
With all the hubbub around Toyota's unintended acceleration debacle, the New York Times reports that the United States' Department of Transportation will be seeking the highest civil fine ever (per automotive recall) allowed by the Tread Act:...
- Orange County D.a. Sues Toyota To Prevent The Company From "selling Cars That Endanger The Public"
And the show goes on. Today, prosecutors in Southern California's Orange County announced that they have filed a civil lawsuit against Toyota over safety concerns with the Japanese automaker's vehicles. The OCDA is the first District Attorney's...