Bloomberg: Regulators Hired by Toyota Helped Halt Investigations

For God's sake, don't let it taste human blood!

 

It's not a vampire, but.... it may be mystical. carry a gun with silver bullets just in case you Really need to stop it.

 

Don't be silly: You need a wooden stake. Silver bullets are for SUVs.

Tom

 

Sounds like the ex-regulators were quite 'effective' for Toyota....

Unfortunately, problems like acceleration and brake system failures don't magically go away. They also get bigger with time. What could have been contained to maybe 1.0 million cars is now an 8 million car (and probably more) problem.

 

Only thing that surprises me about this story is the claim that GM and Ford did not have former NHTSA folks on their staffs.
Anyone being investigated (for a problem anyway) generally wants the investigation as limited as possible, and tries to hire the folks who know the most about the investigator to help them.
I would be interested in knowing whether there were "revolving door" rules covering ex-NHTSA employees at the time, and whether anyone broke those rules. Breaking those rules by a company would be a problem.

 

Apparently there is no 'cooling off' period for ex-NHTSA employees to take a job with a company that is subject to NHTSA jurisdiction. There should be the same 2 year stand-down period for former NHTSA employees as there is for ex-congressional representatives taking lobbying jobs.... But that is basically closing the barn door after the horse has bolted. For the moment, Toyota has to fix the problems with their cars and there should be an expanded investigation of the complaints that did not receive a proper investigation as a result of the actions of the ex-NHTSA employees.

Oh, and the ex-NHTSA employees at Toyota should be fired.

 

Do you think there could be 'smoking gun' or two in all of this?

 

I have no idea whether a 'smoking gun' (or two or more) exists. However, the potential for disruption is real in the RICO action being pursued by a former Toyota attorney (Biller?). If that lawsuit gets traction, there is no telling where it will go and what will come to light. If anything criminal is found, then all bets are off. Congress will be back in Toyota's face with gusto.

If Biller's RICO action is allowed to proceed, I imagine the Toyota apologists on this board and elsewhere will go bonkers (they are already gnashing their teeth and otherwise seething). If anything criminal is found, Toyota will be in free-fall. As it is, Toyota is going to be writing a check with at least six zeroes after the one and before the decimal point for a civil penalty regarding the safety issues that are the subject of the present recalls. I imagine the civil penalty will exceed what Toyota paid their ex-NHTSA lobbyists....

I wonder how large the short position is on Toyota shares? (On the theory that short positions are a bet that a 'smoking gun' or more is going to be found....)

Stay tuned.

 

There is a theory in some political circles that in the absence of ending regulations, you install anti-regulators to administer the agency ... putting the Fox in charge of the chicken coop. From what I've seen of the NHTSA and the "Bell the Hybrid" nonsense, I am sympathetic to that point of view:

• 4-5,000 pedestrians killed every year since 2001
• No blind killed by a hybrid
• Tacit support for "Bell the Hybrid"

The NHTSA staff have all but stood on a massive pile of dead pedestrians while supporting HR 734 and S 841. But it also took Congressional action to get back-over accidents looked at by the NHTSA (at least there are annual fatalities associated with this risk.)

The NHTSA collects quality data and has skilled staff. But when I look at how far they've bent over to manufacture a risk not found in their own data, it has to come from the leadership having lost focus on the blood on our streets.

Bob Wilson

 

Or, having the focus deflected by outside interests.

 

this means nothing. there have been several hundred investigations over unintended acceleration covering EVERY major manufacturer and nearly every model since the early 90's. i posted a link in another thread. download the file... one model after another...

 

The only reason that Toyota is renewing its 'commitment' to its customers is because it is faced with losing a bunch of sales. Already new incentives are being created as part of the attempt to retain customers. If it weren't for the erosion of customers, the incentives would not be available.

 

You think? Toyota should just keep its mouth shut for awhile. The more they talk about their renewed customer commitment, the more disingenuious they appear to the public.

 

I wonder how many lives have been saved by the lower emissions from Toyota's hybrids?

 

Are you serious?

 

" ... You want truth? ... that you are a slave, Neo ... like everyone else, you were born into bondage ... born into a prison that you can not smell or taste or touch ... a prison of your mind ... "

My favorite line from 'The Matrix'.

This is the kind of thought that happened during Y2K ... the great wringing of hands ... and, "... oh my gawd ... the computers will shut down all of society ... we'll all be thrown back into the stone age ... doom doom I tell ya". um ... no ... the drama aint all some would make it to be.

sheesh ... it's hard to believe how simple we are. No one remembers exploading Pintos? ... no one remembers the tobacco industry cover ups? ... ho yeh ... those industries were put right out of business by the criminal courts, right? NO? Your kidding! but but how can it be?


.

 

A perfect example of a Toyota apologist going bonkers. And the future of Biller's RICO action is still pending.