ID :
159582
Wed, 02/09/2011 - 07:52
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/159582
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U.S. Probe Finds No Electronic Flaws in Toyota Vehicles
Washington Jiji Press)- The U.S. Department of Transportation said Tuesday that its probe on a series of unintended acceleration incidents involving Toyota Motor Corp. <7203> vehicles has discovered no flaws in their electronic control systems.
In a report to conclude the 10-month investigation, the department said that it has "found no electronic flaws in Toyota vehicles capable of producing the large throttle openings required to create dangerous high-speed unintended acceleration incidents."
The report said the two mechanical defects identified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration--sticking accelerator pedals and a design flaw that enabled accelerator pedals to become trapped by floor mats--"remain the only known causes" for these incidents.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said: "We enlisted the best and brightest engineers to study Toyota's electronics systems, and the verdict is in. There is no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas."
At a news conference, LaHood said Toyota vehicles are safe.
NHTSA launched the probe in March 2010 at the request of Congress, which thought potential electronic system flaws could have caused the unintended acceleration incidents. National Aeronautics and Space Administration engineers with expertise in computer controlled electronic systems and electromagnetic interference cooperated in the probe.
As part of the probe, the electronic circuitry in Toyota vehicles was evaluated, and more than 280,000 lines of software codes were analyzed. In addition, NHTSA and NASA engineers bombarded Toyota vehicles with electromagnetic radiation to see if such radiation could cause malfunctions resulting in unintended acceleration.
As a result, NHTSA and NASA identified "no evidence that a malfunction in electronics caused large unintended accelerations."
The top Japanese automaker recalled nearly eight million vehicles in the United States in 2009 and 2010 for the sticking accelerator pedals and the gas pedal entrapment by the floor mats. Toyota paid 48.8 million dollars in civil penalties to the U.S. authorities over a delay in the recalls.
Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. said in a statement Tuesday that it "welcomes the findings" by NHTSA and NASA. "We appreciate the thoroughness of their review," it said.
"We believe this rigorous scientific analysis by some of America's foremost engineers should further reinforce confidence in the safety of Toyota and Lexus vehicles," the company said.
"While today marks the end of our study with NASA, our work to protect millions of American drivers continues," NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said.
Auto industry analysts said that the vehicle recall problem that has rocked Toyota is expected to subside following the conclusion of the investigation.
A series of damages lawsuits filed against the automaker over the unintended acceleration and other problems involving its vehicles are seen to proceed in favor of the company, they said.
In a report to conclude the 10-month investigation, the department said that it has "found no electronic flaws in Toyota vehicles capable of producing the large throttle openings required to create dangerous high-speed unintended acceleration incidents."
The report said the two mechanical defects identified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration--sticking accelerator pedals and a design flaw that enabled accelerator pedals to become trapped by floor mats--"remain the only known causes" for these incidents.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said: "We enlisted the best and brightest engineers to study Toyota's electronics systems, and the verdict is in. There is no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas."
At a news conference, LaHood said Toyota vehicles are safe.
NHTSA launched the probe in March 2010 at the request of Congress, which thought potential electronic system flaws could have caused the unintended acceleration incidents. National Aeronautics and Space Administration engineers with expertise in computer controlled electronic systems and electromagnetic interference cooperated in the probe.
As part of the probe, the electronic circuitry in Toyota vehicles was evaluated, and more than 280,000 lines of software codes were analyzed. In addition, NHTSA and NASA engineers bombarded Toyota vehicles with electromagnetic radiation to see if such radiation could cause malfunctions resulting in unintended acceleration.
As a result, NHTSA and NASA identified "no evidence that a malfunction in electronics caused large unintended accelerations."
The top Japanese automaker recalled nearly eight million vehicles in the United States in 2009 and 2010 for the sticking accelerator pedals and the gas pedal entrapment by the floor mats. Toyota paid 48.8 million dollars in civil penalties to the U.S. authorities over a delay in the recalls.
Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. said in a statement Tuesday that it "welcomes the findings" by NHTSA and NASA. "We appreciate the thoroughness of their review," it said.
"We believe this rigorous scientific analysis by some of America's foremost engineers should further reinforce confidence in the safety of Toyota and Lexus vehicles," the company said.
"While today marks the end of our study with NASA, our work to protect millions of American drivers continues," NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said.
Auto industry analysts said that the vehicle recall problem that has rocked Toyota is expected to subside following the conclusion of the investigation.
A series of damages lawsuits filed against the automaker over the unintended acceleration and other problems involving its vehicles are seen to proceed in favor of the company, they said.
