A government analysis of vehicle data has found driver error, not the vehicle, appears to be the cause of a number of Toyota unintended acceleration cases, according to a USA Today report citing a person with knowledge of the data who did not want to be identified because the information is not yet public.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is doing the probe, had no comment. Electronic data recorders (EDR) on some Toyota vehicles are providing NHTSA with definitive information about driver error in some otherwise unexplained incidents. NHTSA and government scientists also are analyzing whether software could be causing runaway vehicles. No report is expected soon. Read more from USA Today.NHTSA has requested that the National Research Council (NRC) appoint an independent committee with appropriate expertise to review past and ongoing industry and NHTSA analysis and research to identify possible causes of unintended acceleration and make recommendations on (a) NHTSA research, rulemaking, and defects investigation activities and (b) human, infrastructure, and financial resources required for NHTSA to assure the future safety of electronic throttle control and other electronic vehicle control functions.
The project is being undertaken by the NRC’s Transportation Research Board (TRB) and Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences’ Board on Energy and Environmental Systems and Computer Science and Telecommunications Board. See the project’s full scope as part of the NRC’s Current Projects System.
Driver Error Cited in Some Toyota Acceleration Cases
