As a follow up to his March 3, 2010 article, Roy Exum claims that Toyotas greatest strength is not the simple fact that the company makes what many believe are the safest and most reliable cars in the world. Instead, he is convinced that Toyota's greatest "trump card," the one thing that will determine a brilliant rebound and further solidify its position as the largest automobile manufacturer in the world, is its people.
Quotes from the story:
I am convinced Toyota has been wronged, this despite acknowledging evidence there have been issues with gas pedals, floor mats, transmissions, leaky oil lines or whatever.
[People] urged me to "Buy American," to not overlook the valiant efforts General Motors is making and Ford's recent triumphs. I heartily agree, but, in my way of thinking, when 175,000 Americans are employed each day by Toyota and the company continues to invest literally billions of dollars in our nation, only a fool - or a misguided member of Congress - would fail to recognize such a significance.
http://chattanoogan.com/articles/article_170444.asp
Showing posts with label accleration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label accleration. Show all posts
Friday, March 12, 2010
NY Times: Braking Bad
This is an article from the New York Times relating that most unintended accleration issues are unfortunately due to driver error, not mechanical. Panic reactions are hard to over come.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/opinion/11schmidt.html?ref=opinion
In this opinion article by Richard A. Schmidt, who served as an expert for Audi and testified in court on many occasions regarding the unintended acceleration cases in the 1980s, explains that his research of more than 150 cases for Audi showed that in most cases the driver who intended to push the brake pushed the accelerator instead. He further goes on to explain how the current Toyota situation is very similar to that of the cases against Audi in the 1980s and that ultimately, the US governments suggested fix of smart pedals will ultimately provide clearer evidence of driver error.
Quotes from the story:
Smart pedals might help prevent more such accidents if the cause of unintended acceleration turns out to be some vehicle defect. The trouble, unbelievable as it may seem, is that sudden acceleration is very often caused by drivers who press the gas pedal when they intend to press the brake.
In 1989, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration concluded that the incidents of unintended acceleration by the Audi 5000 were mostly caused by this kind of pedal error not some electro-mechanical defect in the vehicle.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/opinion/11schmidt.html?ref=opinion
In this opinion article by Richard A. Schmidt, who served as an expert for Audi and testified in court on many occasions regarding the unintended acceleration cases in the 1980s, explains that his research of more than 150 cases for Audi showed that in most cases the driver who intended to push the brake pushed the accelerator instead. He further goes on to explain how the current Toyota situation is very similar to that of the cases against Audi in the 1980s and that ultimately, the US governments suggested fix of smart pedals will ultimately provide clearer evidence of driver error.
Quotes from the story:
Smart pedals might help prevent more such accidents if the cause of unintended acceleration turns out to be some vehicle defect. The trouble, unbelievable as it may seem, is that sudden acceleration is very often caused by drivers who press the gas pedal when they intend to press the brake.
In 1989, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration concluded that the incidents of unintended acceleration by the Audi 5000 were mostly caused by this kind of pedal error not some electro-mechanical defect in the vehicle.
LA Times: Toyota hysteria; "Way over the Top"
LATimes.com Opinion: Toyota hysteria; Reaction to its cars safety record is way over the top
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-fumento9-2010mar09,0,3126393.story
An opinion editorial piece written by Michael Fumento regarding his personal opinions that the media hype surrounding the Toyota recall situation has been blown completely out of proportion creating unnecessary hysteria.
Quotes from the story:
Sudden acceleration in Toyotas over the last decade has been linked with -- which doesn't mean "caused" -- 52 deaths, according to NHTSA. It was just 19 before the current publicity. A Los Angeles Times investigation brought it up to 56, including those culled from lawsuits. Whatever the count and cause, that's too many. But it's also out of 20 million Toyotas sold, and out of the 420,000 Americans NHTSA says died in motor vehicle accidents that decade.
Edmunds.com found that while Toyota was third in U.S. car sales from 2001 through 2010, it was 17th in NHTSA complaints. Thus, even if every sudden-acceleration complaint proved valid, Toyotas are among the safest cars made.
Toyota directly and indirectly employs about 200,000 Americans, and directly invests more than $18 billion in this country every year. The Toyota Camry, built in Kentucky and Indiana, is the most "American" car on the market, according to Cars.com.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-fumento9-2010mar09,0,3126393.story
An opinion editorial piece written by Michael Fumento regarding his personal opinions that the media hype surrounding the Toyota recall situation has been blown completely out of proportion creating unnecessary hysteria.
Quotes from the story:
Sudden acceleration in Toyotas over the last decade has been linked with -- which doesn't mean "caused" -- 52 deaths, according to NHTSA. It was just 19 before the current publicity. A Los Angeles Times investigation brought it up to 56, including those culled from lawsuits. Whatever the count and cause, that's too many. But it's also out of 20 million Toyotas sold, and out of the 420,000 Americans NHTSA says died in motor vehicle accidents that decade.
Edmunds.com found that while Toyota was third in U.S. car sales from 2001 through 2010, it was 17th in NHTSA complaints. Thus, even if every sudden-acceleration complaint proved valid, Toyotas are among the safest cars made.
Toyota directly and indirectly employs about 200,000 Americans, and directly invests more than $18 billion in this country every year. The Toyota Camry, built in Kentucky and Indiana, is the most "American" car on the market, according to Cars.com.
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