The smart car has become the darling of the left, a symbol of how much the driver cares about the environment, with the popular Toyota Prius hybrid being the smartest car of all. But beware unsuspecting consumers; these environmental road warriors can be vicious when they turn on their human masters. This morning I watched footage of a Toyota Prius speeding out of control on a freeway, with the driver unable to stop it. Perhaps it never occurred to him to shift the automobile into neutral as he weaved through traffic.
Although Toyota is making the headlines these days, I think this reflects a greater problem in the new wave of "intelligent" automobile. To get to these higher fuel efficiency standards, you have to wire computers and electronics into the propulsion systems. Electrical systems are more vulnerable to malfunction than steel. I think Toyota is having the most problems right now because they have been selling the most cars with this new technology. Other "smart car" recalls aren't going to make the headlines because there just aren't nearly as many of them on the road.
Toyota does have some big problems. Rumours are starting that all these separate malfunctions (including "rapid acceleration") could be the result of using faulty electronics, which could have been built into many more models than we are currently aware of. Toyota wires electronics into its propulsion systems, and if it turns out to be even more widespread or other vehicle models from older years begin to malfunction, Toyota could be screwed. My lease expires on my Echo in a few months, and I might just tell Toyota "I'll give you $2000 for the car, take it or leave it." I'm guessing there are not many customers on Toyota lots these days, and individual dealerships have to be bleeding money on these recalls.
I saw on the news last week that this scandal of recalls hasn't hurt Toyota Canada one bit. The dealers are claiming that sales in this country have never been better. Personally, I don't believe it. I think the media are being paid off to report lies.
ReplyDeleteI think this reflects a greater problem in the new wave of "intelligent" automobile. To get to these higher fuel efficiency standards, you have to wire computers and electronics into the propulsion systems. Electrical systems are more vulnerable to malfunction than steel.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should stick to what you know, which is clearly not cars or engineering. Every car on the planet has "computers and electronics" that have been "wired" into them. This has been going on for decades now. This is because you can't accomplish the quantity and variety of data processing that a modern automobile requires with mechanical systems only. I'm not even sure it makes sense to compare "steel" with electronics in any fashion, since automotive systems are exactly that - SYSTEMS - and are composed of both electrical and mechanical subsystems that work together. You can't just pull out the electronics and put in "steel".
Thank you, a fake name. I will clarify my statement if it makes you feel better, the "smarter" the car, the more electronics required. The grand torino didn't filter acceleration commands through a computer. Perhaps it was over simplistic of me to say electronics are more prone to malfunction than steel, but I was being semi-sarcastic throughout the post. I'm sorry that you took it too seriously and literally.
ReplyDeleteI am not an expert on automobiles, but I am a Toyota driver. In fact my family has had at least one Toyota vehicle for my entire life, and I am currently driving an Echo which looks like a smart car. Despite all that I wrote above, I am likely to make Toyota an offer to purchase my 2005 model at the end of my lease.
This is a personal blog. Not consumer reports.
This Toyota issue is becoming quite bizarre. I recall the story starting out as a "sticking accelerator" problem; when did it become "unintended acceleration"?
ReplyDeleteUnless these Toyotas are drive-by-wire,(which they may be), I actually don't see how unintended acceleration could occur. The throttle plate is controlled by a cable connected to the accelerator pedal. The only way to open the throttle is to step on the gas.
A drive-by-wire system controls the throttle electronically, controlled by a servo. A software glitch here could easily cause a driveability problem.
being able to put your vehicle in neutral should be part of a driving lesson.
ReplyDeleteThe attack on Toyota in the USA is a US government conspiracy to knock Toyota from the top of the ladder as a car maker. The US government bailed our some US car makers to the tune of billions of dollars and now has a vested interest ensuring that Toyota does not do well.
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