National Academy of Sciences Blames Toyota Unintended Acceleration Problems On Elderly Women?

Article indicates they are considering systems that prevent brake and accelerator from being pressed at the same time -- cut out engine when brake is applied-- this is going to be a problem for heel/toe manual downshifts and the occasional need to hold the car with the brake in an automatic while trying to a rev the engine for a max power launch. Why can't people just learn to drive without the need for all the electronic nannies? I've already had it with lane departure warnings, blind spot monitoring, laser cruise control, automatic parking, etc.

BMW and most of the German brands already have a Brake Override function should the accelerator pedal become stuck that pressing hard or slamming on the brake at the same time will slow the car down to a stop and reduce engine speed.

Brake Override

Brake override is also known as a smart pedal. In these brake systems, sensors recognize when the gas pedal and brake pedal are being pressed at the same time. They also recognize that this isn't how people normally drive, and that something is going wrong. The car's central computer then has a variety of ways it can slow the car down safely.

The technology was first used in the BMW 750 in the late 1980s as a performance enhancement for heel-and-toe race-style driving , in which a driver uses the heel and toe of one foot to control two pedals at the same time. Every BMW built since 2001 has had brake override. Chrysler was the next manufacturer to use brake override in its 2003 models. These days, several car manufacturers use the technology, with more soon to follow [source: Motavalli].

*** If Lexus had a clue they would install a similar system

my fault Lexus / Toyota have started to implement installing a Brake Override system in February 2010 . Almost 10 years after BMW. What took so long? Oh wait you had to have a huge recall to make a change.

honestly break override is not a safety concern. this really is in the same category as "radar detection self breaking system". is it nice to have? yes, is it mandatory? probably not.

there are certainly responsibility driver has to take, and this includes inspection of the vehicle to ensure safe driving, or pay attention to road condition to avoid collusion.

think about it, if we need to make sure the car is smart enough to detect and correct every mistake driver can make, why even bother with the driver?

How is it not a safety concern? Had the Lexus ES300 had that when the trooper had his foot lodged on the gas pedal and the brake at the same time they would still be alive today.....

This is not important why?

I love how I get deboosted for the fact that Toyota is not doing all it can to help make cars safer. I have a E23 735i with the M30 engine in it without any systems except ABS, yet I did upgrade my brakes to a Brembo system as I want my car to be able to stop when I want or need it to.

"Cars don't accelerate themselves. Mofo was doing 125mph when they crashed. If gas pedal was trapped by the carpet as the so-called experts claimed, car would continue at the same speed similar to setting the cruise control on." Really?? They don't? You are an idiot. If the accelerator pedal is mashed to the floor & you slam on the brakes, the brake override system will override the accerlation and bring the car to a dead stop .... How is this a bad thing? Funny though, TOYOTA said in February 2010 that they were going to upgrade every car produced after 2006. So if it is not important, why did Toyota spend all the money after the fact.

And why did it take Toyota almost 2 years to realize this? That should be the real question. BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, Chrysler & a few others already have a similar system in place & have had it for almost 7 years by the time Toyota acted.

because the same logic can be used to against all cars that doesn't have collusion avoidance system. "should my car had the collusion avoidance system, i could avoid the collusion"
or cars that doesn't have back up camera "should my car has the backup camera, i wouldn't crash to the car behind me"
or cars that cannot warn the driver if a bomb is planted underneath "should my car has the bomb detection, i would not drive the car"
or cars that cannot tell your fortune "should my car knows i will be fired today for taking a extended lunch, i would take the extend lunch"


my point is, the DRIVER need to take responsibility at some level. if i properly maintain the car and the break didn't work, it is the car's fault. if i step on the gas instead of brake? it is my fault. if i didn't inspect the floor mat that goes into the car and get the gas paddle to stuck? it is the person who put in the floor mat to blame.

Bull - No high speed UA proof found by NASA but low speed incidents no doubt - no way did drivers use the wrong pedal in Toyota's but not others such as GM's that had much, much lower incidence of UA per vehicle sold (Ford had many due to cruise control issues).

From last page - NASA's Kirsch summary in:
http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/UA/030311Kirsch.pdf
"NASA detailed analysis and testing did not find evidence that malfunctions in electronic throttle control caused large unintended accelerations, as described by some consumer reports.
NASA found a way that the electronic throttle control can fail, that combined with driver input, can cause the throttle to jump to 15 degrees open, but consumer reports of this condition is very low and it leaves evidence of occurrence.
NASA found ways that the electronic throttle control can fail that results in small throttle openings up to 5 degrees."

PS - I am not a Toyota owner or plaintiff
Ask for brake override computer add-on in your older Toyotas - insist on it

Oh God, what are the rest of us going to do that own older cars! My e30 325i doesn't have any of that. It does have ABS though. How will I survive. They need to get rid of this electronic throttle by wire crap. I hate it. It is so artificial and delayed. When I hit the gas in my 02 Discovery it responds instantly and has no delay in downshifting when I stab the go pedal(although it is slow, it responds quickly) Our 06 LR3 has good power but doesn't respond quickly at all and if you just punch it while rolling or passing it has a delay as the computer tries to figure what gear and how much throttle to use. Sometimes it feels faster at partial throttle. Oddly enough from a stop if you barely hit the gas it launches hard. Theres no connection between the driver and the vehicle like my Discovery. It seems to accelerate the same no matter wht position the throttle is in. On my discovery as I push the gas more you can feel and hear that the engine is working harder. My disco II has 188hp and my LR3 has 300, and I'd do anything to make it drive like my disco II.

the electronic throttles are so rubbery and artificial feeling. Give me back my throttle cable!

Blame Obama!!!

depends on if I want to powerslide or drift. On s serious note, you are missing my point entirely. My point is not that the technology is bad, its that people are becoming so complacent because of new technologies that substitute for things that should be common sense They lose common sense and become dumber and dumber. I am not against the technology but some of it just reminds me of how stupid people can be. There is a reason that when you change a serpentine belt the box says make sure engine isn't running, because some dumb ass either tried to change one with the engine running or would sue because the box didn't tell him to turn off the engine first. And I still hate electronic throttles because of how they have such an artificial and delayed response. I feel so disconnected.

And when did I ever say anything about BMW owners or anyone else stomping the brake and gas? Clearly you are confused. Try to re-read my post. It is about how I hate electronic throttle by wire and how disconnected and artificial it feels driving a vehicle equipped with it.