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

Toyota Prius Speeds Out of Control on SoCal FWY

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by PazPrius, Mar 8, 2010.

  1. malorn

    malorn Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2005
    4,281
    59
    0
    Location:
    "Somewhere in Flyover Country"
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    yes, I will take them in trade. We get a buy bid from wholesaler and/or toyota dealer(friend). so far the toyota dealer has taken them all. Highest bidder.
     
    1 person likes this.
  2. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2009
    13,563
    4,101
    0
    Location:
    Austin, TX, USA
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    From a quick search of toyota in your document (didn't read much)

    "The GM EDRs and some of the Toyota EDR models
    in our dataset also stored 5 seconds of pre-crash data
    including a record of vehicle speed,
    accelerator/engine throttle position, engine
    revolutions per minute and brake application."

    I would hope that a 2008 prius would have at least 5 seconds of data.
     
  3. Politburo

    Politburo Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2009
    971
    208
    0
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Thanks. Obviously I didn't read much either.
     
  4. don_chuwish

    don_chuwish Well Seasoned Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2009
    816
    182
    0
    Location:
    Southern Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    5 seconds of data won't do much good when the car was successfully slowed and stopped over a much longer period than that. If you want to catch the problem you'd need the data from the moment the car was powered on until it was powered off. Preferably even more than that, like days worth of power-on to power-off logs including the latest. That might just be a bit of safety legislation that comes out of this. Not really too hard to do with storage being so cheap now (and log files are small, especially when compressed).

    - D
     
  5. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2009
    13,563
    4,101
    0
    Location:
    Austin, TX, USA
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    Don,
    I agree completely that there should be long logs of data.

    I would think that 5 seconds of data would tell if the brake was pressed? Was the throttle pressed? Did the brake overide the throttle. Did the throttle disengage before the vehical slowed. Did the throttle get pressed and released, and brakes pressed and released to create the hoax many here are claiming.
     
  6. robbyr2

    robbyr2 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2008
    1,198
    149
    0
    Location:
    Commerce City, CO
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
  7. don_chuwish

    don_chuwish Well Seasoned Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2009
    816
    182
    0
    Location:
    Southern Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    The last 5 seconds of data in this case would show that the car was stopped, probably with the parking brake on, shifter in P and then turned off. That's assuming the alleged 5 second log is even kept in absence of an airbag deployment. I just don't have any hope that "black box" data will be much help in this situation.

    - D
     
  8. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2009
    13,563
    4,101
    0
    Location:
    Austin, TX, USA
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    you could be right. I would expect it would record until turned off at 50-55 mph and save that data. But Toyota does seem interested in not providing information. The car should have been turned off, and recordings kept. But I have no real knowledge of Toyota's routines.

    It was ancient times, but I worked on a test machine for delco airbag sensors. For test cases they were very interested in the gm data of non accidents as well as accidents.
     
  9. don_chuwish

    don_chuwish Well Seasoned Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2009
    816
    182
    0
    Location:
    Southern Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Woops, good point. I'd forgotten he powered it off at speed. If the UA was still ongoing at that point (assuming it was ever really UA) then maybe there'd be something.
     
    1 person likes this.
  10. ShaneSchofield

    ShaneSchofield New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2010
    4
    0
    0
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Can someone test out the "hill holder" feature at highway speeds? I'm curious as to what will happen.

    Take it up to 60mph, release accelerator, apply brakes with left foot. While holding brakes, floor the accelerator with right foot.

    If the car's logic isn't smart enough to override the throttle, the brakes will still be strong enough to bring the car to a stop. If you come to a complete stop, just remember to release the accelerator before releasing the brakes, or else you will speed forward.

    Oh yeah...do it in a rental ;)
     
  11. malorn

    malorn Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2005
    4,281
    59
    0
    Location:
    "Somewhere in Flyover Country"
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
  12. roverguy78

    roverguy78 Elite Lurking Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2006
    118
    24
    0
    Location:
    San Antonio, Texas
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    The only "frenzy" is the one that people like you and the media are trying to create. Oh my God, a couple Toyota's crashed today! It has to be because the cars went crazy, not because the drivers may have f***** up (which is the case in almost all vehicle accidents). :eek:

    How many other cars (regardless of make) were involved in crashes today? I was behind a late-model Ford pick-up that was being towed yesterday. It was wreaked. Can I blame the Ford for doing that to the poor driver?

    You're a complete fool. And I find it sad that this is how you spend your free time.


     
    1 person likes this.
  13. DanielRoss

    DanielRoss New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2010
    6
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Jose
    Model:
    N/A
    OK. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He meant to say HE was passing cars left and right. However, I have a problem with the not being able to hold onto the phone. Why wasn't it on speaker? If I was going 90 MPH, I would prefer both my hands on the wheel.
     
  14. robbyr2

    robbyr2 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2008
    1,198
    149
    0
    Location:
    Commerce City, CO
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    The first one is interesting in that this is only the second incident (after Mr. Sikes' Prius) I have found where the victim says the accelerator pedal pulled itself to the floor. I read through about half of the NHTSA complaints and it wasn't indicated that the pedal moved itself. Mr. Kane's report doesn't discuss any incidents of this. I thought it was interesting that about 1 in 15 complaints attached to Mr. Kane's report were that their car failed to accelerate when the pedal was pushed.
     
  15. malorn

    malorn Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2005
    4,281
    59
    0
    Location:
    "Somewhere in Flyover Country"
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Just a tad defensive, do you work for Toyota, Exponent or a toyota dealer? I doubt there were many other accidents where the driver is claiming SUA today.
     
  16. DeadPhish

    DeadPhish Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2005
    2,010
    353
    0
    Location:
    Outer Banks of NC.. Retired to play golf and poker
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Malorn loves to keep bringing up these isolated incidents but he continually ignores that every year in the US at least 8000 - 12000 people die in GM vehicles. This is by far the largest number of any maker in the the US.
     
  17. carz89

    carz89 I study nuclear science...

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2008
    444
    47
    0
    Location:
    San Diego
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Just a tad offensive.
     
  18. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    19,891
    1,192
    9
    Location:
    Nixa, MO
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hey, knock off the Malorn bashing..I read his post as being supportive that this issue is now a 'frenzy'--IOW lots of piling on by people and probably not substantiated. This kind of infighting gets nowhere and is off topic.
     
    1 person likes this.
  19. roverguy78

    roverguy78 Elite Lurking Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2006
    118
    24
    0
    Location:
    San Antonio, Texas
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Apparently, you can't come up with a valid response, so you just accuse anyone that disagrees with you for working for Toyota.

    And you doubt there were many other accidents where the driver is claiming SUA today... No kidding! Because if there were more, you'd be sure to let us know. And if someone in a vehicle that is not a Toyota claims SUA, that wouldn't get much media attention.


     
  20. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2005
    19,849
    8,153
    54
    Location:
    Montana & Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2018 Chevy Volt
    Model:
    Premium
    +1

    Danny started a thread about the driver being "full of it" ... so why not pile on over there. malorn can goad some of you just as easily there - as any where else. Remember ... he's been perfecting his anti-Prius skills on PC since 2005.
    ;)
    .