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Oops....they're in deep doo-doo now, especially since they've denied an electronic issue could be at fault for 3 years.
ABC NEWS video story....
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ABC NEWS video story....
Print story.....
Expert: Electronic Design Flaw Linked to Runaway Toyotas
Auto Professor Says Defect in Toyota's 'Fail Safe' System for Acceleration Creates Dangerous Condition
A flaw in the design of Toyota's electronic acceleration system prevents the car's onboard computer from detecting and stopping certain short circuits that can trigger sudden speed surges, according to a professor of automotive technology, Dave Gilbert of Southern Illinois University's auto technology department.
As a result, Gilbert told ABC News, the Toyota computers will not record an error code, nor will they activate the "fail safe" system designed to shut down the power and put the car in the "limp home" mode.
"This is a dangerous condition, it is not fail safe," said Gilbert in an interview to be broadcast Monday on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.
"If there was this kind of fault, it will never set an error code," said Gilbert. As a result, he said, there will be "no fingerprints, no trail" when Toyota engineers inspect a car after an accident or incident of sudden acceleration.
In a statement posted on its website Monday night, Toyota said confirmed it was aware of Professor Gilbert's concerns and was prepared to evaluate his car and his methods, inviting ABC News to be present.
Toyota said what Dr. Gilbert demonstrated on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer appeared to be different than what he had originally described to Toyota's engineers.
In its statement, Toyota said based on what it understood Professor Gilbert to have described, "unintended acceleration would not occur."
Safety advocate Sean Kane, of Safety Research & Strategies, who first spotted the trend of owner complaints about "runaway Toyotas," says Gilbert's tests undercut Toyota's claims that its electronic system is not to blame for the sudden acceleration surges.
"This is clearly an electronic problem," said Kane, who is scheduled to testify Tuesday before the House Commerce Committee on the Toyota issue.
"The system is fallible, in fact, it's got some really troubling design strategies that are employed by Toyota that appear to be outside the norm. And their system clearly has design strategy that has a very slim margin of safety."
Auto Professor Says Defect in Toyota's 'Fail Safe' System for Acceleration Creates Dangerous Condition
A flaw in the design of Toyota's electronic acceleration system prevents the car's onboard computer from detecting and stopping certain short circuits that can trigger sudden speed surges, according to a professor of automotive technology, Dave Gilbert of Southern Illinois University's auto technology department.
As a result, Gilbert told ABC News, the Toyota computers will not record an error code, nor will they activate the "fail safe" system designed to shut down the power and put the car in the "limp home" mode.
"This is a dangerous condition, it is not fail safe," said Gilbert in an interview to be broadcast Monday on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.
"If there was this kind of fault, it will never set an error code," said Gilbert. As a result, he said, there will be "no fingerprints, no trail" when Toyota engineers inspect a car after an accident or incident of sudden acceleration.
In a statement posted on its website Monday night, Toyota said confirmed it was aware of Professor Gilbert's concerns and was prepared to evaluate his car and his methods, inviting ABC News to be present.
Toyota said what Dr. Gilbert demonstrated on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer appeared to be different than what he had originally described to Toyota's engineers.
In its statement, Toyota said based on what it understood Professor Gilbert to have described, "unintended acceleration would not occur."
Safety advocate Sean Kane, of Safety Research & Strategies, who first spotted the trend of owner complaints about "runaway Toyotas," says Gilbert's tests undercut Toyota's claims that its electronic system is not to blame for the sudden acceleration surges.
"This is clearly an electronic problem," said Kane, who is scheduled to testify Tuesday before the House Commerce Committee on the Toyota issue.
"The system is fallible, in fact, it's got some really troubling design strategies that are employed by Toyota that appear to be outside the norm. And their system clearly has design strategy that has a very slim margin of safety."
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