This is really not going much of anywhere. I answered specifically about the conspiracy comment, and never even said that was a common theme to begin with - just a gem that had come from US media. I also have explained twice the cruise control thing, and you simply do not get it. The car never does anything you don`t tell it to - it will stop and slow down if you tell it to. If the software didn`t do anything you weren`t specifically controlling at that moment, it would kind of defeat the purpose of cruise control, don`t you think?
The car doesn`t take off out of the blue. It`s just easier to set the speed higher, which is quite a bit different than being a "runaway".
If you want to pull a pity card and say I am heartless, feel free to do so. I try to think rationally about things and do research into actual statistics instead of making blind leaps based on my emotions.
You are saying Toyota was negligent, and I am saying we do not know this for certain - this is how corporations work, this is how investigations go, even though people want an instant solution - it isn`t that simple, etc. You say you want them to be BBQed in the media, and I just want the media to present facts without spin or sound clips from parents terrified of letting their kids play in the driveway in front of a parked Toyota... All the while flashing images of the 2010 Prius in the background (which wasn`t even involved in this recall). It leads people to believe there is far more danger than there really is.
To blow something out of proportion, there has to be something there to begin with. I have never said Toyota had no issues. I just take issue with the media going on and on and on and selling fear - not just with Toyota, but with all the stuff they do so with. Both in Japan and in the US.
You seem to be looking for a fight about the morality of not wanting Toyota to go belly up because of this, and... well... I`m not. I hope they get everything straightened out and bounce back. You do not seem to feel that way.
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I am just curious about all the deaths and lives ruined in this recall, as the KYODO news I am about to quote from today's Japan times says there have been 14 complaints in Japan, including one accident that led to two people slightly injured, and of the 100 complaints received by the NHTSA for the Prius, included two accidents that led to injuries. In the articles I am looking at right now, I am not seeing a death count, and it seems like that would be included if they are going to talk about injuries.
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The recall and the Prius issue are totally different things. The acceleration problem isn`t happening in Japan.
With the Prius, it only happens at low speeds (under 20 something kph, if I recall correctly) and one tire slips. The switch to ABS isn`t smooth, (and the ABS acts kind of weird when you are on non-slippy ground) so there is a split second where the brakes sort of lose strength and you have to push down harder. The car does move forward more than normal brakes because that`s how ABS works. There have been no deaths related to this, and due to the low speeds and the fact that you can stop if you press harder, it is doubtful there will be any. It is scary, and is a flaw that needs to be fixed - just not quite brakes failing.