http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/02/c...n-acceleratio/

CNN revealed a confidential memo written in Japanese on the Anderson Cooper 360 show last night that it contends shows Toyota engineers found an electrical problem that caused sudden unintended acceleration in a pre-production test vehicle. The news organization commissioned three separate translations of the documents, though Toyota has objected to the accuracy of each.

Findings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and National Research Council have both supported Toyota's original explanation of sudden unintended acceleration being caused by either sticky gas pedals, trapped floor mats or human error. Toyota has never admitted that electronic or software issues were to blame for any reported cases of SUA, and every investigation into the matter has failed to identify the automaker as responsible.

Toyota does admit the document in question was not provided to the federal government during their investigations, but explains that "the test and document had nothing to do with unintended acceleration, or a defect, or a safety flaw of any kind." Rather, Toyota insists the document refers to pre-production testing of the company's adaptive cruise control system on a version of the Lexus LS 460 sold in Japan and Europe. A Toyota electrical engineer told CNN that the cruise control system acted exactly as it should when they input an abnormal signal, and that the test resulted in further refinements to the system.

We've embedded the CNN video report after the jump, which also includes anecdotal testimony from one Lexus owner who claims that she has experienced SUA in the period since federal investigators released their findings. Toyota inspected her vehicle and provided data from sensors in her car that showed in her case, acceleration was caused by pedal misapplication.

 

I think these "unintended acceleration" blow ups are by and large a bunch of hooey. I recall Audi and the excellent 5000 models being beat up by this charge in the mid-80's. The upside of this is I talked a buddy of mine in buying an excellent used 5000 for a song as their reputation and resale value tanked as a result.

Technically, these unintended acceleration claims are simply implausible on maybe a half dozen technical levels (How could a 100hp Audi motor barely able to deliver a .1G level of acceleration overpower a braking system capable of generating 1G's worth of retardation? Of both systems failing simultaneously? Without leaving any trace or evidence of a malfunction?). Of course today, what with computers and virtual automotive black boxes that can record system functions and malfunctions, it becomes painfully clear that most of these "incidents" are pedal misidentification and subsequent misapplication (thinking they pressing on the brakes when in fact they're jamming the gas pedal through the floorboards).

Interestingly it seems that foreign makes/models are disproportionately, though not solely, accused, so one wonders if there is a bit of xenophobia or something in action here, that is, beyond simply trying to gin up some personal financial windfall that is. A good take home is that if one is interested in a good used car on the cheap, immediately start scouring the classifieds for a car recently accused of unintended acceleration.

 

Liberals can find racism/bigotry/etc. as a cause in absolutely any situation. Must be a 6th sense.

 

I find liberals and leftists to be some of the most racist people on the planet. As they believe they know what's better for an entire race of people than the people themselves.

 

Just call'n em like I see em. Not sure how this could be construed as "racist." Nationalistic perhaps, but racist (which "race" of cars am I dissing?).

I don't recall many domestics getting tarred by sudden acceleration claims. If my observation is true, and sudden acceleration claims are generally bogus, then I'd be curious as to what other conclusions one might make.