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Brake Override? No, It's Accelerator Override!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by ronhowell, Mar 11, 2010.

  1. ronhowell

    ronhowell Active Member

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    Can we stop referring to the system about to be incorporated into future Toyotas as a "Brake Override"?

    It is not the brake that is being overridden .... it is the accelerator or CC. Anything in fact associated with making the car go. Part of effective communication is getting the terminology right, so that people really understand what we are saying, or intending.
    Yes, I know, people will say "well we all know what we're talking about". But that is an assumption, and not always a correct one.

    It pays to use the correct terminology.
     
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  2. robbyr2

    robbyr2 New Member

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    Not that I disagree, but "brake override" is the usage by Mr. Kane, Mr. Nader, Toyota, the media etc. I googled it and is so widespread...
     
  3. pjksr02

    pjksr02 Active Member

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  4. energyandair

    energyandair Active Member

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    I think that your terminology is clearer but as others say, "brake override" is common usage.

    It also seems to parallel use of "manual override" to mean overiding something by manual means.

    Perhaps for clarity we should avoid the contraction and say "brake pedal override of accelerator and cruise control"
     
  5. ronhowell

    ronhowell Active Member

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    Maybe so. But that simply perpetuates the problem. I realize that I'm probably indulging in some kind of Sisyphean exercise here, but the bottom line is that words have meanings.

    OTOH, there is the World Series! We all know what that means, don't we?
     
  6. DanielRoss

    DanielRoss New Member

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    I'll argue the other side. "Brake Override" is the correct term. It is short for "Brake overrides any other input". PR wise it is also good: Whatever the brake says overrides everything else. Brake wins. Yeah. With "accelerator override", where is the brake in that phrase? If you use "accelerator overrider" to indicate something that overrides what the accelerator is attempting, then you'll also need a "computer overrider" and other overriders to override all of the other unknown things that would prevent a car from stopping or doing what you want. Better to just stick with "tie goes to the brake"?
     
  7. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    A proper sentence was trimmed to a three word phrase. Then the last word of the three word phrase was dropped:

    • The brakes override vehicle acceleration.
    • brakes override acceleration
    • brake override
    One of the things we do in English is drop stuff ... usually to the total consternation of non-English speakers (probably why Parisians don't care for Americans ... or any English speakers.)

    Bob Wilson
     
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