The big red E-stop button.

Is there a hack to add a switch to shut down a car thats in runaway mode?

Almost all automated machines have a Red E-stop Button with a bright yellow background. When all else fails push the Red Button.

If you can shut down the ICE. You would not go far until the battery was discharged.

You press and hold the start button for 3 seconds.

A big red shutoff button would probably cause more crashes than it would prevent. Earlier versions of the Prius shut down immediately with one press of the power button. This proved to be a problem, and was fixed with a software update. You now need to hold the power button for three seconds. You can also shift to N by holding the shifter at N for a few seconds, shifting to R, or pressing the Park button.

Tom

Yep, and let's not get the Government involved - please.

Next thing you'll know, they will:
Demand sensors around all doors to ensure fingers are out before closure.
Sensors to distinguish alcohol from the driver area disabling Start.
Sensor to disable cell phones when in Drive.
No dark colored cars due to solar gain.
No white colored cars alowed on streets during snow storms.
No green or brown cars in the woods.
Limit the db level of sound system with a window down (hmm, may be a good idea...)
No adjustment of mirrors, seats, tilt steering when in Drive.
Not allowing changes to Nav when in Drive....oh, wait....

Perhaps we should demand a Big Red Button in Congressional Chambers.

Before someone rags on me about the Nav - I know it wasn't Congress/law, but the Legal folks... Just venting a bit.

The Prius is not an "automated machine", my driver's seat is not a factory floor, there is no "runaway mode" and this post is a deliberately incendiary bomb that reeks of trollfart.

I think the "answer" will be something as simple as a reflash that will reduce the ICE to idle whenever the brake pedal is pushed, sort of like how the cruise control is disengaged now.
Lord knows driver education couldn't be the answer.

I work at an industrial plant full of these Red E-Stop buttons. I fully understand and appreciate the need and intentions for these and personnel safety.

Working on the electrical and controls side of the business, I cannot tell you the number of manhours and downtime that has been spent due to someone inadvertently hitting one of these buttons by mistake. Also the number of hours troubleshooting a percieved problem when someone hits one of these and decides to reset it and run without telling anyone !!

While this may help solve one particular problem, my guess is that it will also create a major headache for others.

This may be the dumbest thread I've read on this site.....

I guess I don't understand what all the fuss is over, to me, it's VERY simple!

If you have a runnaway car/engine, just pull the gearshift to "N" for 2 seconds, and the problem is solved! The engine goes to idle, the power steering and brakes still have power and you just pull the car over and STOP!

David (aka Blind Guy)

I think we have a new spokesman. David, if you don't mind, our new motto will be: "Stopping the Prius? It's so easy, even a Blind Guy can do it."

Tom

I like it, but I can already see the Geico lawyers warming up their word processors

* Maybe that's what they need to say on the Placard they affix to the gearshift near the "N"!

David (aka Blind Guy)

Hey, as long as we're adding big red buttons, is there a hack to add a big red "Troll" button to the forum so threads can be stopped when they enter runaway mode?

I think that should be the new motto to, BTW do I get royalties on this?

I sure hope we never have a car engine runawy, with both a Blind Guy and a Blonde, we are in BIG TROUBLE!

LaDonna (aka blind guys wife)

Excellent idea!!!

David,

Now that you've taken care of this topic so well, would you mind going to Washington? Most of us like simple basic solutions as this one. Thanks.

I don't know... but if they had one of those flip up protector covers over the button, I wouldn't mind one one my dash. It's not like I can put anything on the dash anyway... wasted space.

So the kids can play "Deal or No Deal" while you're driving? Awesome.

If the car is runaway due to a simple throttle stuck under something heavy (mat, foot, brick, etc.), the shift to N, or the 3-sec OFF, would most probably work well.

However, if there is some "control computer" problem, it is quite possible that neither control will perform its intended function. But, even a Big Red Button does not prevent software-produced accidents.

Just yesterday, my Prius-III backed up with sudden unintended acceleration, with my foot only on the brake pedal. I recognized what was happening because it happened once before, just over 2 months ago, just a few days after I got the car. I suspect that some unusual element of timing and internal state of the computer and hybrid power system combine to produce this "abrupt" reverse acceleration as I am gently easing off my foot pressure on the brake pedal. Others have noticed this "bug".

Yes, in this case pressing the brake stops the car, and shifting to N and then R again "resets" the software so that further backing is the expected gentle movement.

However, the unexpected "jump" backward might have caused an accident, crashing the car into anything behind me. And, who would believe me when I said "The Prius-Bug did it, not Me!"?