Positive News
U.S. finds no defect in Toyota's electronic throttles
DETROIT -- The U.S. Department of Transportation announced today that electric systems and electromagnetic interference did not play a role in the incidents of unintended acceleration involving Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles. Toyota has sought to recover from a recall crisis and accidents allegedly linked to unintended acceleration in some of its top-selling models.
"There is no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement to Reuters. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched the study 10 months ago at Congress' urging. With the help of NASA engineers, the study sought to determine if cases of unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus vehicles were caused by something other than sticky gas pedals and trapped floor mats.
In August, the government said it had not found any problems with the software-driven electronic systems in Toyota vehicles during the first six months of the study. Toyota, which has had electronically controlled throttles in its vehicles since 2002, has said its own tests ruled out electronic interference as a possible cause.
