The really sad thing about all this is that we will probably never know the real cause. Lawyers on both sides will supress the accurate data and promote speculation that supports thier argument. Government posturing, will be just that as they really don't care about a solution, only milking the problem as long as possible for publicity. It will all end up with Toyota's insurance company writing a bunch of checks to lawyers and politicians, which really only spreads the paying out amoungst us all. I never did hear a complete technical cause of the Firestone/Ford tire issue of some years ago, maybe I missed it.
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How to Stop Runaway Vehicles (Use Brake)
- Thread starter Kirk Freeman
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- automotive
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Yup they have a transporter in the back room...
As others have said, when you turn your key off, most cars steering wheels lock. That can be just as bad as WOT.
I have heard the audio tape of the accident and the driver seem panicked. I thought he was a trained state trooper to think under high pressure situations and had extensive high speed training. I do agree throw it in neutral apply brake come to the stop and then turn key off.
indytechnerd
Master
Not entirely true, when you turn your key to "Lock", the steering wheel locks, but you can turn off the engine without locking the steering wheel.
I'm pretty skeptical of the "it just kept accelerating to 88MPH*, and I couldn't get it to stop" line. People should understand their vehicle's operation at least a little above the basics of driving a car.
*1st to catch the reference gets a rep
Sudden acceleration without brakes happened to me.
In my wifes Astro Van.
Her van is different than my car and it caused a confluence of events.
I was backing up in the driveway and because of the difference in the car and the day of the week and probably my biorhythms, I picked up my foot off of the accelerator and just missed the brake.
My foot slipped right off of the side and hit the accelerator.
It took two stabs at the brake to find it again and by then I was in the grass.
I pushed on the brake, but I think I got a piece of the accelerator too.
The grass was slippery, and the stupid anti-lock brakes kicked in.
Luckily the fence stopped any further progress.
It wasn't going very fast and scratched the bumper and I had to pack some dirt around the fence post (it didn't even break the post).
It's embarrassing, but it happens.
It wasn't GM's fault.
Just a bad day.
I believe that there really is a problem, but no where near as bad as is being made out by the media.
Like has been already posted, we will never know what the real problem was by the time the government and the lawyers are done.
Too bad.
In my wifes Astro Van.
Her van is different than my car and it caused a confluence of events.
I was backing up in the driveway and because of the difference in the car and the day of the week and probably my biorhythms, I picked up my foot off of the accelerator and just missed the brake.
My foot slipped right off of the side and hit the accelerator.
It took two stabs at the brake to find it again and by then I was in the grass.
I pushed on the brake, but I think I got a piece of the accelerator too.
The grass was slippery, and the stupid anti-lock brakes kicked in.
Luckily the fence stopped any further progress.
It wasn't going very fast and scratched the bumper and I had to pack some dirt around the fence post (it didn't even break the post).
It's embarrassing, but it happens.
It wasn't GM's fault.
Just a bad day.
I believe that there really is a problem, but no where near as bad as is being made out by the media.
Like has been already posted, we will never know what the real problem was by the time the government and the lawyers are done.
Too bad.
I deal with high tech stuff all day that does stuff that was (1) unexpected, (2) intermittent, and (3) bad.
I hear, and say to people, all the time - "well it worked fine for me". But when I say it, I do not assume that means no fail has happened. It just means that it was working at the time I tested it, nothing more.
The more complex you make a system the more complex you make the diagnostic process and the more complex you make determining user error versus equipment induced failure.
Are there idiots and panic'ed people who make mistakes? Oh, yeah.
Are all these accidents based in idiots? I am not going to say that.
Is a drive by wire car safe? Surely. Can they fail? I would bet so. And what would that fail look like? Lord only knows...
I'm just not ready to blame each and every user as I have just seen way to many strange things with computers.
I hear, and say to people, all the time - "well it worked fine for me". But when I say it, I do not assume that means no fail has happened. It just means that it was working at the time I tested it, nothing more.
The more complex you make a system the more complex you make the diagnostic process and the more complex you make determining user error versus equipment induced failure.
Are there idiots and panic'ed people who make mistakes? Oh, yeah.
Are all these accidents based in idiots? I am not going to say that.
Is a drive by wire car safe? Surely. Can they fail? I would bet so. And what would that fail look like? Lord only knows...
I'm just not ready to blame each and every user as I have just seen way to many strange things with computers.
Exactly, it has to be programmed not to shut off until held down for a certain amount of time. Read my post. It was Toyota, not me who programmed theirs to shut off while moving after being held down for 4 seconds.
Get back to you when I have a thought about why it's not a good idea? WHERE DID I SAY IT WAS A GOOD IDEA? I was just stating what the manufacturers were doing, not that I aggree with it.
I test automotive software for a major manufacturer for a living, and our software is programmed that as soon as you place the transmission in neutral, the transmission goes into neutral instantly! Regardless of speed. Regardless as to throttle position. If you turn the ignition off, it also automatically shifts into neutral.
And yes, think about it every time a big-rig passes you on the highway. The throttle is drive by wire, and if it has an automatic, it too is shift by wire.
Toyota has chosen it's new theme song for their new car promotions. 
Lala Song Player - I Can't Drive 55 by Sammy Hagar
Lala Song Player - I Can't Drive 55 by Sammy Hagar
Indykid,
What language is used for automotive software?? C++?? I am curious to know... tnx.
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You can NEVER be too rich or too thin.
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+1
I'm not buying these stories very much either.
A state trooper, trained in high speed driving and conditioned not to panic in life threatening situations, can't figure out one of several ways to stop a runaway vehicle. But takes the time to pick up the phone and call 911.
Hell... Even if you panic, yank the key out and lock the steering column, as long as you mash the brakes, there's a good chance you can stop before you hit something. At the very least you won't be going very fast when you do hit something.
