Re: 2008 Prius Cruise Control Resume Led to Runaway

 

On 11/6/09 6:51 AM, in article hd16ad$p9o$1@news.eternal-september.org, "C.


I don't see anything in the story about also pressing the accelerator.  I
think maybe somebody's assuming "facts not in evidence".

At any rate, pressing the brake pedal is supposed to (required to?) cut off
the cruise control.  Clearly from what is said in the story, it didn't.
That's grounds for a recall right there.

 



We dont know that the cruise control is really at fault.

I dont think there is any ground for recall until the facts are known.
There is
a lot of speculation and there might be a problem, but we dont really know
that
yet.  And a recall without a firm fix is wasted effort.

The implications are too big to suspect that this story will be swept under
the
carpet.

 



Didn't you read the part where I said " Here is what I think may have
happened..." I was postulating as to what might have happened. I am
sure the person driving the car doesn't believe he had pressed both
pedals at once..otherwise there would have been no story. If you
remember the old Audi 5000 unintended acceleration case, it was
eventually concluded that pressing both pedal inadvertently was the
actual cause of the unintended accelration - although few if any of
the people who had an accident becasue of the "unintended
acceleration" ever admitted this was the case. However, once shift
interlocks were insalled to prevent shifting the car into gear without
pressing on the brake, the problem disappeared. I am thinking that if
you pressed resume from a speed much lower than the set point speed
and the car's cruise control jerked and/or accelrated roughly in an
attempt to get back to the set point speed, a driver might panic and
feel that the car was running away. As a response, the driver might
accidentally (and unknowingly) press both pedals at the same time. If
this happens, even though the cruise control disengaged, the
acceleration continues because the driver's foot is pressing on both
pedal. In fact, it might be worse - resulting in additional pressure
on both pedals as the driver tries to control a car he feels is out of
control. I have persoanlly done something similar when stopping at
light...but knowing what had happened I did not compound the problem
and nothing bad happened. Someone who gets confused and panics, might
continue to press on both pedals. Just a theory.....it might be wrong,
but I think it is possible.


Did you read my whole theory? One a paniced driver is pressing on both
pedals at once, it doesn't matter whether the crusie contrl is engaged
or not.

Again, just a theory. No proof. But then I haven't seen any proof that
the crusie control was at fault either.

Ed