1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Prius American Idol, by Edmunds

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by zenMachine, Mar 2, 2010.

  1. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2007
    3,355
    300
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    It's sort of like "American Idol" for auto mechanics.

    Amid the controversy over Toyota's runaway cars, an automotive Web site is offering a $1 million prize to any tinkerer who can figure out the cause of the phenomenon.

    For now, the causes are shrouded in an engineering mystery. While the automaker says it has corrected the defects that caused sudden unintended acceleration by fixing floor mats and accelerator pedals, some safety advocates and drivers believe there is something awry in the engine electronics.

    The disagreement has left Congress and federal regulators grasping for answers as to whether the cars are safe.

    To settle the dispute, Edmunds.com is offering the prize money to elicit a "crowd-sourced" solution, one that emerges by inviting large numbers of people to think about it.

    washingtonpost.com
     
    #1 zenMachine, Mar 2, 2010
  2. PriusLewis

    PriusLewis Management Scientist

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2009
    1,002
    84
    7
    Location:
    Denver Metro
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    As a Management Scientist specializing in improving the software development process of companies, here's my take:

    It's the SOFTWARE, Stupids!

    Where do I get my million? :D

    [best consulting gig I've had!]
     
    #2 PriusLewis, Mar 2, 2010
  3. That_Prius_Car

    That_Prius_Car Austin Kinser

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2009
    1,282
    344
    3
    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    This sounds interesting.
    I can't wait to see what happens with this!
    : )
     
    #3 That_Prius_Car, Mar 2, 2010
  4. vegasjetskier

    vegasjetskier New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2009
    269
    29
    0
    Location:
    East Coast of Florida, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    From the article: According to the company, the prize will go to a person who can "demonstrate in a controlled environment a repeatable factor that will cause an unmodified new vehicle to accelerate suddenly and unexpectedly."

    OK, here's the factor I am introducing: a driver with Alzheimer's who mistakes the accelerator pedal for the brake. Please send my check via FedEx.
     
    #4 vegasjetskier, Mar 2, 2010
  5. a1a1a1

    a1a1a1 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2010
    144
    3
    0
    Location:
    So Cal
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I hope they don't have their own engineers working on it ...

    Google

    :)
     
    #5 a1a1a1, Mar 2, 2010
  6. kgall

    kgall Active Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2009
    984
    152
    2
    Location:
    Olympic Peninsula, WA
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    .
     
    #6 kgall, Mar 3, 2010
  7. kgall

    kgall Active Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2009
    984
    152
    2
    Location:
    Olympic Peninsula, WA
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Edmunds Error Detection Contest

    You can understand why edmonds might put the condition "unmodified new vehicle" on the contest, and the contest might catch the flaw if it is of a certain kind. For example, if it IS just the software, as PriusLewis suggests, then the error should be reproducible in any vehicle with the software.

    On the other hand, our PC engineering types, discussing this issue in other threads, have suggested that it COULD be such things as a defective silicon chip or a short. See the thread
    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] "Gilbert Report" on accelerator weakness
    (Not IS, just COULD BE, so far).
    Now, if that's what's going on, it will not be repeatable on a random unmodified new vehicle, because it won't have the defective part.
     
    #7 kgall, Mar 3, 2010
  8. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2008
    2,927
    782
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Re: Edmunds Error Detection Contest


    Actually that's pretty insightful, as the condition may manifest itself after some wear on the (yes, solid state) silicon hardware. Nvidia had a problem with some of their GPUs semi-recently, causing them to crash due to a weak die/packaging material set when they moved to a new process technology. However, this issue would only manifest itself after some extended period of time where the GPU was under use.
     
    #8 a_gray_prius, Mar 3, 2010
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)