NASA Investigates Toyota Accelerator Problem

[zoemayne]

The floor mats were complete BS. If they were truly such an floor mat fitment issue than the gov would stop aftermarket all floor mat sales.

 

[Guest]

Spurious radiation or electromagnetic interference, gentlemen. The government is chasing "ghosts" by hiring NASA to help find the problem. Could it be? Anything is possible.

 

[alextheblue]

[citation][nom]manitoublack[/nom]funny how the throttle on my car never has any problems (Toyota Caldina GT-T) since it has a mechanical Throttle Cable, with dual spring returns. Imagine the cost to develop the drive by wire technology (and it does deliver better fuel economy, make it cheaper to implement cruise control and easier to implement traction control: AKA the fun limiter) but it also ruins throttle response (drive a car with multiple mechanical throttles and you'll know all about proper throttle response ) Cars with electronic throttles just feel dull. I don't what an ECU that can sharpen up throttle response, I just want it sharp all the time.[/citation]Properly engineered drive by wire setups have throttle response which is just as fast, if not faster. Look at all the highend sports cars that use them. Just because a Corolla has a lazy throttle doesn't mean that a 370Z automatically has a lazy throttle, just because they're both drive by wire.

Also, since traction control is soon going to be mandatory on all cars, they're all moving to drive by wire. Overall this is a good thing, as the newer more advanced traction control systems can handle forward acceleration on slippery footing better than you can by hand. If you disagree, think about it this way: Can you pump the brake faster than modern ABS? Traction control functions much in the same way, it can control your throttle and brakes much faster than a human can, and it can modulate brakes per-wheel (and modulate power per wheel to some degree too, thanks to advanced limited slip and AWD systems)

Traction control also helps the average driver in situations of undesired understeer or oversteer. But I agree, it IS a fun killer. That's the main issue I have with them, the government is probably going to force manufacturers to delete the "Traction off" buttons, and you'll have to plug something in the DLC to toggle it off and on directly via the ECM/PCM.

 

[cammmy]

[citation][nom]flyinfinni[/nom]Anyway- I don't think our government should be paying to investigate the issue- thats TOYOTA's job. Other cars are not experiencing the same issues, so why the heck do WE have to pay to figure out what TOYOTA screwed up?[/citation]

Toyota did investigate. They said it wasn't to do with the electronics. Congress weren't completely satisfied so they want NASA to investigate it to prove or disprove.

So in answer to your question "Why should we have to pay...".

Because your Congress say you do.

 

[eddieroolz]

Honestly, there are better ways to spend the $3M. This acceleration issue is not just limited to Toyota - so that must mean that the drivers are incapable of driving their own cars, period!

 

[lordfakie]

HUm, NASA = National Automotive Safety Administration?

Guess no more cash for space ships..Have anybody seen the shuttle replacements?, maybe they were using Toyota's Gas pedal for their throtlle, thats why they are so concern, maybe?

 

[Supertrek32]

[citation][nom]Abrahm[/nom]Why are we spending tax dollars to figure out the issues of a non-government company's products?[/citation]
Because most people in the nation would rather not have cars speeding toward them at 120 mph.

That said, Toyota should be getting the bill.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

No telling how this will play out. According to the Wall Street Journal the problem has resulted in increased sales of the Honda Insight hybrid.

 

[Guest]

so the administration didn't like the NHTSA answer and decided to fund a study which would probably prove inconclusive but enough for them to sling mud in the direction of Toyota to drive more customers towards GM.... which the government has a vested interest in....

 

[tghunt]

You know that the money to pay NASA for the investigation was part of the Health Bill. Come on, it makes perfect sense because they can justify it as protecting the health of the drivers that cant control their cars.

 

[Ciuy]

i guess electric cars are bad.

 

[snurp85]

If NASA is going to investigate this, I think it should be paid for by Toyota! Hell with the fact that the gov is concerned for the american safety... I dont want to waste my money on a bunch of people who are too stupid to put the car in neutral or turn it off and then step on the break, SHEEESH! Its people like them who also dont know how to drive in the snow and I think they deserve to be kicked off the road

Also... this sounds more like a glitch in the computer somehow. If you arent physically pushing on the pedal, the only possible way for you to speed up is if the on board computer is doing it. There is ether a programming error that results in this happening after "x" event happens, or a short circuit somewhere in the cruise control components that is a resulting in inadvertent acceleration

 

[kingnoobe]

While I agree with most of what yous aid uber. You're wrong with brakes being greater then the engine. You would easily burn out the brakes if you simply smashed them.

But like you already said if these idiots would simply shut off the engine they could easily come to a safe stop.

 

[figgus]

The government has no business wasting money to cover for private R&D expenses.

I guess this is more of Obama's craptacular "stimulus package"? What a waste...

 

[eyemaster]

[citation][nom]ben BOys[/nom]april fools guys. A PRIL FOOL'S![/citation]
That's tomorrow...

 

[h2o_skiman]

No one appears to mention or looking at other obvious issues.

I had a 1985 Dodge Daytona. One day while driving, it just died and would not restart. On many cars you can read out the codes from a blinking check engine light. I wrote down the codes, walked to a phone booth and called a Dodge dealer and gave him the codes. He said "It was foggy this morning. You a have moisture in your MAP sensor. Just leave the car off for 20 minutes and it will restart." 20 minutes after it stalled, it restarted. I had the issue about five times over the life of car. Always restarted after 20 minutes.

Point is, why is not possible with drive by wire systems for the opposite to occur? A little moisture someplace, or static build up on cables, a bad shield etc, causing the system to think you are pusing the pedal to floor. Moisture dries, or static bleeds off, and behold, no problem. Reproducing the cause, could be near impossible.

BTW, if Microsoft wrote the firmware code for Toyota, then we know the source of the problem. On the other hand, every Toyota would accelerate erratically most of the time.

 

[mrboycom]

Electric care are future. Quite and peaceful street all of us want.
However it should not be overprice.