edited - sorry, didn't see similar topic in the sandbox. Go there if you're interested...

There is a Thread about this in the Sandbox, that's where OT (off-topic) stuff goes.

And that lady was driving a Lexus that does not have mechanical linkage - it's shift by wire.

T.C.

Ah, shift-by-wire, that's a possiblity.

Admins, please move to sandbox, thanks.

"With data like Smith's, you'd expect to see abandoned Toyota's everywhere. Instead, I see them all around me in traffic, and we're still driving ours and taking the kids to school in it. My neighbors are still driving theirs. Why? Because people are either ignorant of what Smith is reporting, don't understand it, or (as in my case) don't believe her story."

Why?

Why do people still drive with their cellphones stuck in their ear, when it's a pretty well established fact that it's a danger equal to or greater than blowing a .08? Why do people still smoke and chew tobacco?

For that matter, why are the "investigating" congressman and senators the ones with the strongest financial and political ties to Toyota?

And, FWIW, I strongly agree with a number of automotive experts that Toyota has an as yet to be fixed software problem, and it ain't gonna be fixed by all the posturing congressman and all the floormats, pedals, and apologizing in the world. German manufacturers chose to use a system that essentially disables the throttle when the brakes are applied, even a little bit. Toyota "could" have chosen a similar system, but didn't, and Autoweek reported today that such a system has been installed in cars on the assembly line since sometime in January.

The Cap'n

That drive by wire is going to kill Toyota.
Somethings going on in the electronics, emi or a software issue.

We had an '03 BMW 740i in here yesterday. Drive by wire, shift by wire, electric parking brake ............................. Oh, and the WONDERFUL i-drive system. Scary.

The Cap'n

I smell a major conflict of interest,. . . and a rat!!

Not directly related, I know, but... I did some consulting work for TTTech several years ago. They are and have been very serious about by-wire technology. It works for aerospace applications. It can work for automotive applications, but you can't take shortcuts.

Skip

Are aerospace electronics made in China?

Car related is perfectly fine in the garage. No need to move it.

IMO, there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the concept of electronic throttles. They offer many advantages, including custom profiling of tip-in characteristics, ease of integration into cruise control, ease of calibration, more options on where the TB's can be placed, elimination of issues with cable or linkage friction. The control system can also be engineered to be fail-safe in nature, and you can integrate a lot of safety features (e.g. automatic throttle cut on heavy braking) that would be difficult to do with a mechanical linkage.

As for mechanical linkages, they're subject to jamming open, just like electronic linkages.

The issue here isn't electronic or mechanical, it's doing good engineering. Toyota blew it when they didn't initially incorporate a throttle cut under braking into their system, just like most other manufacturers. They're quietly adding this to their system when cars come in for the pedal/mat fix.