At the beginning of June, there was a TOYOTA PRIUS ACCIDENT that injured 3 teenagers.
[REPORTED HERE:
3 Teens Seriously Injured — 1 Critically — After Being Struck By TOYOTA PRIUS]
Is that why TOYOTA'S PROPAGANDISTS are in overdrive?
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Is the Toyota Prius a safe car or is the accelerator problem too risky?
The Prius is safe. The accelerator problem was a problem that didn't happen on the Prius. It happened on some models of GMs, Fords, and Toyotas made in the U.S. that used the CTS pedal. The metal used in this pedal would deform after a few years and cause sticking. All three manufacturers had recalls for this, but only Toyota made the media. The Prius never used this pedal.
There was also the problem with the floor mat being jammed in the pedal. Although Toyota had the dealer modify the pedal to reduce the potential for jamming, the Prius has brake-override so that if you pressed firmly on the brake (even with the accelerator jammed) the brake would override the accelerator. In addition, the main cause of floor mat pedal jamming was the addition of a second mat over the factory mat. But really, floor mats, bottles, and other assorted items have been causing car pedals to jam since there have been cars. Note that not all Toyotas (including the rental Lexus that the CHP officer and his family lost their lives in) have brake override.
The Prius is one of the safest cars out there, and here's why:
1. There are four braking systems on the Prius:
- Regenerative brakes
- Friction brakes
- Engine brakes
- Parking brakes
2. Vehicle stability control:
- A system that prevents doughnuts during slippery conditions if you are going anything like a reasonable speed. Studies from Europe and Japan indicate that VSC reduces head-on collisions by over 30%. Other cars have this feature, but not in the Prius' price range.
4. Brake assist:
- A system that applies extra force to the brake pedal when it senses an emergency stop. Studies by Mercedes indicate that people press the brakes quickly but not hard enough. Brake assist compensates for this tendency.
5. Brake override:
- A system that stops the acceleration when the brake pedal is pressed firmly.
6. The smooth acceleration of the Prius (there are no gears that shift) helps prevent you rear-ending someone if they slow down right after stopping. (An old fashioned economy car typically has a very low first gear to disguise the fact the engine is small--this creates rapid acceleration up to about 10 mph after which the acceleration bogs down. The Prius smoothly accelerates up to it's maximum speed of about 105 mph which is controlled by the system.)
7. Optionally in the 2010 Prius:
- Radar pre-collision
- Lane keep
Many of these systems prevent the accident in the first place. The best accident is one you don't have.
Oh, and don't worry about the battery. The 2004+ Prius batteries are likely to last as long as the car.
- See more at: http://www.wikitechnet.com/2014/06/is-toyota-prius-safe-car-or-is.html#sthash.VyeCkLOE.dpuf
Parris Boyd
I just love it when articles pop up trying to mislead the public because too many folks are finding out the facts about acknowledged crook Toyota. Read "Toyota's killer firmware: Bad design and its consequences."
Embedded systems expert Michael Barr found electronic defects galore, resulting in a guilty verdict for Toyota in the landmark unintended acceleration case last October in Oklahoma:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA)
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA Discussions of Mr. Barr's findings are limited to a few trade journals because corporate-controlled mainstream media instituted a news blackout of the facts as soon as the Bookout verdict was announced. I've been blogging about the electronics issue.
Search "Beware of Toyota. Their next victim may be YOU..."
CharleneBlake
Don't be misled by this article. The Prius IS one vehicle with owner complaints of sudden unintended acceleration.
Toyota's ELECTRONIC throttle control system software was found to have glitches that could cause high speed, sudden unintended acceleration.
Worse, such an electronic glitch could render the fail-safe (way to stop the SUA) INEFFECTIVE. Result?
The Toyota could be a runaway stoppable only by impact. Even then, the engine will continue revving forward until something stops forward (or backward as the case may be) momentum. What has Toyota admitted to regarding ELECTRONIC sudden unintended acceleration? Absolutely nothing, of course!
It has washed its corporate hands clean of all things SUA-related since that huge $1.2 BILLION DOJ settlement.
In the meantime, the NHTSA and Toyota have received countless complaints about Toyota and Lexus vehicles "taking off," "having a mind of its own," "going airborne," etc.
Storefront crashes and crashes-into-buildings/homes continue with a disproportionate number attributed to Toyota and Lexus vehicles.
There's a HUGE push to show driver "pedal misapplication" and much reference to this being a problem with "elderly" drivers. Drivers own complaints (showing remarkable similarity if one compares notes among these types of accidents) are discounted.
Worse, drivers are discredited...some say even targeted...by those who wish to keep the truth from surfacing.
Let's see...have we seen an automaker hide key safety-related information before?
Have we seen any cases where the NHTSA has even covered for an automaker in such unconscionable actions? OK...you get the idea.
THINK...why would an automaker wish to keep ELECTRONIC sudden unintended acceleration a secret?
After all, isn't SUA history and just about pesky floor mats, sticky accelerator pedals, or better-yet driver error? NO!
That's just what the automaker would like you to believe...and there's a HUGE economic reason for that, isn't there?
Unfortunately, what you do not know about ELECTRONICALLY-induced SUA can be an issue as many of the current SUA victims are learning the hard way. An electronic sudden unintended acceleration event can result (and has!) in jail time for the driver. Why?
Speculation of "pedal misapplication" is all that is left when the historically-unreliable EDR (black box) shows no braking even when the driver has two feet on the brake and incurs foot damage (see Tanya Spotts Lexus case).
The Toyota electronic throttle control system software glitch has been found not to leave a fault code. The vehicle brakes which did NOT function at the time of the ETCS-i software glitch show no signs of a failure mode.
The DRIVER is assumed GUILTY and the vehicle is found fault-free. It continues to happen DAILY. Absence of proof is NOT proof of absence.
This electronic SUA problem is one that every driver should be concerned about. Drivers should be asking some tough questions of the automaker, Toyota specifically.
Let's not forget that these engines are complex and computer-driven. Electronics will have glitches. The important factor is how these glitches are handled within and what safety standards have been applied.
An electronic software glitch which renders a fail-safe ineffective is totally unacceptable. Don't make assumptions that strict safety standards have been applied when they have not!
CharleneBlake
Who knew that driving a Toyota or Lexus could result in jail time and worse if a sudden unintended acceleration accident occurred?
Toyota said all this is over because the recall has been done and it has paid its $1.2 billion fine.
THINK again if you believe that claim!
The real problem currently is ELECTRONIC SUA and accidents are happening daily.
Many of these involve vehicles in parking lots when braking is initiated.
Storefront crashes and crashes-into-buildings/homes are reported. Toyota finds the vehicle faultless...no code stored and EDR (black box) shows no braking.
However, Toyota and Lexus drivers report the vehicle "taking off" or "having a mind of its own."
These same vehicles have been reported going airborne from a standstill starting point in a parking lot!
Here are the critical issues:
Sloppily-designed Toyota electronic throttle system software (see Michael Barr's findings) equals RUNAWAY---a.k.a. sudden unintended acceleration----Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Worse?
The electronic fail-safe---a.k.a. the way to stop the runaway---is also rendered ineffective at the time of the SUA glitch (Michael Barr, embedded software expert). Translation?
Your runaway Toyota or Lexus is not going to stop until something stops it! Even worse?
Your Toyota or Lexus EDR---a.k.a black box---is going to record inconsistent, unreliable data (see Dr. Antony Anderson's findings). Problem?
You will be CHARGED for any deaths or injuries to others as a result of an accident your runaway vehicle causes based on the faulty EDR results and an assumption of "driver pedal misapplication."
More of a problem?
You may go to JAIL or prison if the EDR erroneously shows that you are not braking---which it has for others more often than not.
Essentially, you will be deemed not telling the truth or confused in media coverage because Toyota will say its EDR is accurate---even though it admitted this data was unreliable previously. Even a bigger problem?
If there is any chance a detail comes out that supports the driver, the media will take sides with the automaker and support your character assassination publicly.
Are you on prescription meds or any medications? Are you an older citizen? Are you a woman and older? Bingo!
Elderly pedal misapplication, according to media and Toyota.
Don't worry...all your skeletons will be dug up as Toyota goes full steam ahead to escape blame for faulty electronics!
Just keep track of all these mysterious vehicles-into-homes and storefront crashes and read the headlines. Read the PR propaganda supporting driver error. Toyota's $$ goes far and wide...even to the heart of the very agency commissioned to protect your SAFETY!
The DOJ and NHTSA are still looking the other way---a.k.a. protecting corporate interests. They do not want to open up the ELECTRONIC sudden unintended acceleration issue as then there will be a public cover-up scandal which rivals the best---or worst---of them.
All the above doesn't factor in the so far little-known in the U.S. whistleblower, Betsy Benjaminson.
She's has copies of hundreds of internal Toyota documents.
Many of these show clear evidence of concern over an electronic throttle system problem---a.k.a. "ghost in the engine"---and the lack of fix for it.
Betsy has a blog where she has posted some of the evidence. She's been the feature of several articles and a podcast interview outside the U.S. Google her name to find.
Toyota, the media, and the government seem to be handling each new suspicious runaway vehicle accident---a.k.a. driver states pressing brake when the vehicle takes off, becomes airborne, has a mind of its own, etc.---on a case-by-case basis.
Apparently, there is the hope that each case will blow over with little public attention. There is hope, too, that the public buys into the PR machine working overtime with law enforcement and media to BLAME the vehicle driver. SUA victim = SCAPEGOAT.
As far as Toyota is concerned, it is DONE with the topic of sudden unintended acceleration. Period.
It got the free pass with a huge U.S. Government fine---a.k.a. permission not to face the music regarding ELECTRONIC SUA.
Floor mats, pedals, driver error...done DEAL.
Toyota's well-orchestrated smoke screen continues aided and abetted by our very own safety regulatory agency. Can't beat that!
The sky's the limit now...think of all the untoward consequences for Toyota owners, not to mention the driving public.
Toyota is #1 in numbers of sudden unintended acceleration events. BUT...it is not alone!
This is an industry-wide phenomenon and not one automaker wants the public knowledgeable about ELECTRONIC sudden unintended acceleration.
CharleneBlake
Toyota and Lexus vehicles...especially the Toyota Camry...have taken the lead in terms of sudden unintended acceleration-related crashes, particularly storefront crashes.
Toyota vehicles have been found to have electronic glitches in the throttle system software (see Michael Barr's finding at embedded gurus dot com) which can result in a full-throttle condition with an ineffective fail-safe.
This is a serious state which can lead to fatality or significant injury.
A Toyota owner recently won a big court case (Bookout V. Toyota) against Toyota which involved death and injury to the Toyota Camry occupants.
In addition, Dr. Antony Anderson has analyzed the crash of a 2012 Toyota Highlander into a house.
He has compared the recordings of the EDR (black box) with the video footage caught in the home security system.
Dr. Anderson found discrepancies between the two.
He found inaccurate recording of the EDR. This is significant because often the driver of the vehicle which has crashed into a building or storefront is INCRIMINATED based on the EDR alone.
The driver is often braking at the time of the SUA initiation, but Toyota claims he/she is not doing so based in the EDR. In some cases prison time has resulted because the EDR results are accepted over the vehicle driver's sworn statement. Toyota owners BEWARE of Toyota's lack of support after an SUA event!
Sudden unintended acceleration is NOT a problem related only to the elderly or women; it is not a driver error problem; it is not a simple stuck accelerator pedal or drifting floor mat issue.
This is a DEADLY issue which the automakers, NHTSA, or the Department of Justice (I.e. Toyota's criminal investigation) have not properly addressed. In fact, there is strong DENIAL that the problem exists at all.
Yet...the crashes continue at an alarming rate now. Barriers placed in front of storefronts is a noble gesture. However, this is just a treat-the-symptom maneuver. The CAUSE must be recognized and fully addressed instead of being ignored.
CharleneBlake
REALLY?
The Toyota Prius is not affected by the Toyota recall?!? Perhaps that's PROOF then that there is an ELECTRONIC issue that initiates the sudden unintended acceleration events...especially those with symptoms experienced in this article.
http://xenophilia.com/your-prius-may-try-to-kill-you-accelerates-by-itself-toyota-denies-it/
CharleneBlake
Tell Elizabeth James that her Prius was safe. It wasn't the floor mats. How ludicrous a claim.
This problem involves the comes computer software in the Toyota ELECTRONIC control throttle system.
Expert embedded software engineer, Michael Barr found a problem that could also render the vehicle unstoppable due to the ineffective fail-safe.
The "shoe" fits but Toyota doesn't want to address the occurrence of these glitches.
It seems to be hiding behind the flawed NHTSA/NASA study which was far too brief to make any real conclusions.
As a matter of fact, the study conclusion was reached that more investigation would be needed.
The statement made publicly that there is no electronic cause for sudden unintended acceleration in a Toyota or Lexus is FALSE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-XJAddtkz8&feature=youtu.be
CharleneBlake
There is now a lot of information concerning Toyota’s embedded software regarding their ETCS-I (electronic throttle control system with intelligence) as a result of the October 2013 Bookout trial in Oklahoma.
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Sudden Unintended Acceleration Events – Prius Gen 3, 2011 Model In Uk May 02 2014 03:01 PM
http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/158898-sudden-unintended-acceleration-events-prius-gen-3-2011-model-in-uk/page-2
http://priuschat.com/threads/prius-c-moves-forward-when-shifting-in-reverse.117440/
http://priuschat.com/threads/after-losing-verdict-toyota-settles-in-sudden-acceleration-case.133794/
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Prius C Sudden Acceleration problem? Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' Tuesday at 2:24 PM.
http://www.ocweekly.com/2009-04-23/news/prius/
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After losing verdict, Toyota settles in sudden acceleration case Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' Sunday at 1:51 PM.
http://priuschat.com/threads/after-losing-verdict-toyota-settles-in-sudden-acceleration-case.133794/
(discussion of software findings)
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Prius Drivers Have Discovered the Hybrid Car Can Take Them On an Unexpected Adventure By PAUL KNIGHT Thursday, Apr 23 2009
http://www.ocweekly.com/2009-04-23/news/prius/
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Supreme Court turns away Toyota's appeal over brake lawsuits Greg Stohr Bloomberg News
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-07/toyota-rebuffed-by-supreme-court-on-prius-brake-lawsuits.html
(2010 Toyota Prius)
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No recall? Local woman one of thousands with Toyota headlight problems by Mike Colombo / News 4 and KMOV.com staff Posted on February 19, 2013 at 5:33 PM Updated Tuesday, Feb 19 at 5:41 PM
http://www.kmov.com/news/local/Local-woman-one-of-thousands-with-Toyota-headlight-problems-191911091.html
(with 2:35 min video segment)
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Video: Michael Barr Speaks of Software That Kills Junko Yoshida, Chief International Correspondent 5/7/2014 12:21 PM EDT
http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1322110
(with 6:08 min video)
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Toyota Code Could Be Lethal Written by Harry Fairhead Wednesday, 26 February 2014
http://www.i-programmer.info/news/91-hardware/6995-toyota-code-could-be-lethal-.html
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Toyota's killer firmware: Bad design and its consequences Michael Dunn - October 28, 2013
http://www.edn.com/design/automotive/4423428/Toyota-s-killer-firmware--Bad-design-and-its-consequences
