> It is a serious problem. Most "normal" people could figure
> out to hit the
> brakes, and shift into neutral. But most drivers aren't "normal!"
> Remember, we are NOT representative of the average car driving public.
With respect, Moose, I believe the problem goes deeper than that. I don't
fully understand the issues, but one of the people killed was a 20 year
veteran of the California Highway Patrol. After 20 years working CHP, I
have to believe he was reasonably adept at dealing with emergency
situations. Some of the salient points seem to be:
1) Shifting to neutral is not as easy as moving the lever til the pointer
shows 'N'. You apparently have to push one button/paddle to switch from
fully automatic to semi-manual, then a different paddle to walk through the
gears to neutral. However, since evidence seems to be mounting that the
problem is NOT a mechanical linkage problem, but rather the "throttle
computer" going rogue; there is at least some possibility in my mind that
the transmission computer was likewise unresponsive for the same reason.
2) On the model in question, there is no 'key' to turn off. There is a
button that you have to push and hold continuously for 3 seconds (some
people have reported that it takes longer) in order to shut the engine off.
This is not mentioned anywhere except a footnote in the user's manual (that
says "never do this"). And as in 1), this is a computer-controlled
function. If the computer doesn't work, the button doesn't work.
3) With the engine at full throttle, there is no vacuum to the brake
booster. With 300+ bhp available and no vacuum boost, it takes an
incredible amount of force on the pedal just to hold the car stopped.
Witnesses reported seeing the brakes "on fire", which implies to me that
they were overheated to uselessness anyway. This may be symptomatic of the
"I got it" syndrome, where the driver felt he could control the speed rather
than having to immediately stop the car; but it could also indicate that the
brakes (being the only control not operated by a computer) were the only
control still responding to driver input.
I work as a professional programmer on a somewhat similar network, bunch of
microprocessors talking to each other over CAN bus. In most cases, handling
of CAN traffic is done at a very high priority, so if CAN traffic is much
higher than expected, lower priority functions (like say, checking the power
button status) might not get done.
Toyota's stories of defective accelerator pedal assemblies, and thick floor
mats, simply do not explain the observed facts. And, the recalls do include
updated computer firmware. "Pay no attention to that man behind the
curtain."
YMMV, etc.
Randall
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