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Runs in the family
Further to our recent exchange of e-mails regarding runaway cars, did you see the report on main TV channels last night showing a lady and her husband giving evidence to the USA Congressional Review Committee who are investigating this matter? If not try BBC and ITV player to view it. They apparently put their vehicle into neutral and even REVERSE but it still sped along even, I believe, accelerating. Fortunately something happened so they survived to tell the tale unlike the other family (and there are now apparently others as well).
As a former Chief Fire Officer I had experience of service radios installed in cars etc., causing interference and problems as a result of manufacturers fitting more and more electronically controlled systems. Years ago I had a Sierra which, if you switched on the cruise control then pressed the transmit switch for the service radio, would accelerate. It seemed there was no resolution other than not to use both together. However, as you know, accelerator pedals on many modern cars are no longer connected to the injection system by a cable - the transponder sends a radio signal instead. What if the frequency of mobile phones (which are actually radio transmitters) or some other piece of radio equipment imitates the accelerator transponder signal? We have the recipe for a real problem. Manufacturers will tell you they cannot guarantee that their vehicle electronic systems will not interfere with or cannot be interfered with by external electronic signals - witness we have to switch off phones in hospitals and on board planes for a similar reason.
As a former Chief Fire Officer I had experience of service radios installed in cars etc., causing interference and problems as a result of manufacturers fitting more and more electronically controlled systems. Years ago I had a Sierra which, if you switched on the cruise control then pressed the transmit switch for the service radio, would accelerate. It seemed there was no resolution other than not to use both together. However, as you know, accelerator pedals on many modern cars are no longer connected to the injection system by a cable - the transponder sends a radio signal instead. What if the frequency of mobile phones (which are actually radio transmitters) or some other piece of radio equipment imitates the accelerator transponder signal? We have the recipe for a real problem. Manufacturers will tell you they cannot guarantee that their vehicle electronic systems will not interfere with or cannot be interfered with by external electronic signals - witness we have to switch off phones in hospitals and on board planes for a similar reason.
Asked on 15 May 2010 by M.J., via e-mail
Answered by
Honest John
Toyota has categorically stated that its cars CANNOT unintentionally
accelerate. The pedal might stick and the car run at that throttle opening. But the car will not continue to accelerate because its systems prevent that. Toyota would not have printed this if the company was not certain. I am 99% sure that 99% of 'runaway' crashes are caused by drivers driving automatics one-footed and jabbing their right feet on the accelerators instead of the brakes, then denying it and blaming the cars. Fortunately many car ECUs can now be interrogated to tell a court exactly what did happen. But anyone who expects any car to precisely obey the inputs of his right foot is a fool. You cannot completely control any car in all circumstances with just one foot. You have two feet, so use two feet.
accelerate. The pedal might stick and the car run at that throttle opening. But the car will not continue to accelerate because its systems prevent that. Toyota would not have printed this if the company was not certain. I am 99% sure that 99% of 'runaway' crashes are caused by drivers driving automatics one-footed and jabbing their right feet on the accelerators instead of the brakes, then denying it and blaming the cars. Fortunately many car ECUs can now be interrogated to tell a court exactly what did happen. But anyone who expects any car to precisely obey the inputs of his right foot is a fool. You cannot completely control any car in all circumstances with just one foot. You have two feet, so use two feet.
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