UPDATE 1-US says driver error possible in NY Prius crash

Thu Mar 18, 2010 6:44pm EDT

* Data recorder shows throttle "wide open"

* NHTSA findings appear to favor Toyota

* Police say premature to draw conclusions (Recasts, updates with details, police, Toyota )

WASHINGTON, March 18 (Reuters) - U.S. safety officials believe driver error may be behind the crash in New York of a Toyota Motor Corp (TM.N) (7203.T) Prius that has been investigated as a possible case of unintended acceleration, federal investigators said on Thursday.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that an analysis of the 2005 hybrid's "black box" data recorder found no braking just before it hit a stone wall in the Westchester County town of Harrison on March 9. The agency also said the throttle was "wide open", prompting investigators to suspect the gas pedal may have been inadvertently applied instead of the brake.

Police said it was premature to draw conclusions in the second of two recent high-profile complaints of unintended acceleration in Toyota's best-selling Prius.

Toyota has recalled more than 8.5 million vehicles worldwide since October for unintended acceleration due to loose floor mats that can jam the accelerator and gas pedals that do not spring back as designed.

The recalls cut across Toyota's product line.

NHTSA and Toyota are again investigating whether unintended acceleration could also be tied to non-mechanical or equipment causes, specifically any problem with the software-run electronic throttles. Toyota says that component is sound and NHTSA has never found any problems in previous investigations.

A Toyota spokeswoman said the company would not comment on the Harrison case until police release the results of their investigation.

Acting Chief Anthony Marraccini said police must evaluate the data, but that a full report would be ready soon.

"It is absolutely premature to make any conclusive determination regarding this investigation and it's important to keep in mind that some of the data obtained is simply an instantaneous snapshot of the event and not a streaming video," Marraccini said.

The data recorder captures speed, braking, throttle position and other parameters in the seconds just before and after a crash.

In the New York crash, a 56-year-old woman pulling out of a driveway zoomed across a busy street and into a wall, knocking out some large boulders.

The woman, a housekeeper who was not identified, sustained a knee injury, according to a report filed with the federal safety agency's consumer complaint database.

Police said floor mats were not a factor in the New York case, which followed a more widely publicized incident a day earlier.

James Sikes, 61, said his 2008 Prius accelerated unexpectedly and uncontrollably as he passed another vehicle on a San Diego-area freeway. He eventually stopped the car with the help of police.

Police said they had no reason to doubt Sikes. NHTSA said tests on the car were inconclusive and it may never know if anything unusual happened with the vehicle.

Toyota said it found no evidence to support Sikes's account, saying there was nothing to indicate he applied the brakes forcefully enough to stop the speeding vehicle. NHTSA said braking systems worked properly in follow-up tests. (Reporting by John Crawley in Washington and Bernie Woodall in Detroit; Editing by Bernard Orr)

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Comments (5)
joesmo wrote:
The Hybrid car is pretty simple. Car, gas engine, battery, generator, electric engine. But getting it to all work like a Prius is not. It Toyota decades and billions of $ of intense research and development and were initially launched in the marketplace at unprofitable prices. It took years of field testing to work the bugs out. GM doesn’t have the time, resources, focus, and money to properly develop the Volt. It certainly can not plan to market a vehicle that plans to be unprofitable. Batteries, regenerative capabilities, deadly voltage, electric propulsion, braking, and gas engine power working seamlessly in all conditions reliably and durably and allowing possible total electrical motivation required invention and deeper understanding of electrical and battery properties. Each factor in itself is pretty much mostly understood and can be replicated but working all together had never been done before. It is getting all these working together under changing conditions which Toyota learned. For instance, as the battery drains, it’s measures change. As this occurs, all other parameters need adjustment. As the battery charges, the same occurs. As the battery ages. As the temperature changes. As vehicle load changes. As driving style changes. So how the hell do you do this at an economical price for everyday use?

Don’t forget GM must launch a car that won’t electrocute, explode or catch fire, while driving and during a collision.

The Prius is in its third generation. GM has not sold one. This is the very car that was promised would save GM by Lahood and the NHTSA who is in charge of the direction to success. The U.S. government must find a way, any way, to do so as time is running out very very quickly. The failures of GM and Chrysler was not just an inconvenience and a result of bad luck or circumstances. Deep philosophical changes were required throughout, top to bottom. GM is a huge, huge mammoth of a company that was losing so much money it is almost inconceivable. Well, it was actually. They are so up to their eyeballs trying to stop the bleeding, they are not able to invent a brand new, business changing, very complicated technology. Toyota has the luxury of time and $. They were able to take a pretty relaxed approach, thinking and testing all the different variables. The Prius in no way was a make or break product with an absolute time deadline. GM needs a big breather to compose itself and really get their Hail Marry shot at the electric car right. It is not only GM’s survival in question but it is Obama’s administration’s goal to energy self sufficiency and ability to survive without oil. A world without oil is doomsday for all of us. Unless,…

Mar 18, 2010 9:57pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
joesmo wrote:
MSN was first to mass publish that the U.S. is now believing cosmic rays are now a valid possibility. But the U.S. government, again, has no evidence. Is this really the American way? Is this really how Americans want their government to operate? These kinds of government tactics occur in countries where genocide is not uncommon. This is war. War means killing people. And if innocents die, well, that is the cost of success. But this is economic war, so no one is actually killed with bullets and bombs. Toyota has no choice and they knew that from the very beginning. They cannot fight back against the U.S. government. They cannot even appear to be fighting. But can’t Americans just make better cars and compete fairly? Isn’t this the American way? Not by cheating, lying and propaganda. Why is everyone in the American auto industry so greedy? They were just given $100 billion and it just vanished. Gone! Nothing changed.

Mar 18, 2010 9:57pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
joesmo wrote:
watch MSN news as there will be more negativity towards Toyota than most sources. It is all about media persuasion as government and influential powers are now fully versed and are using more aggressively than ever before. The U.S. government understands, accepts and is now fully utilizing the massive, powerful and influential audience reach of the internet. They realized it is real and began exploiting heavily after witnessing Obama’s vast and swift success. Why do you think Lahood brought in an ex-CFO of Microsoft to GM? Because he understands manufacturing technology? What does Microsoft expertly manufacture? Not durable goods! They are only expert at managing and controlling information. We are living in a very unique moment of historical significance. l believe those who control information will be those who control society. What government in the world would not take maximum advantage of this relatively new medium to subtly, discreetly mold and shape what it wants it’s people to believe?

Mar 18, 2010 9:58pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
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