GS69

Lexus to Install Brake Override on Entire LineUp

It's been ongoing for months--years, really--but we've all heard about Toyota/Lexus's efforts to remedy problems of sticking accelerators and unintended acceleration in their cars. From misleading statements to zip ties, Lexus finally has a solution: fix the vehicles.

So how will they do it? With a new brake override system that puts the engine at idle if the computer detects that the driver is applying the brakes but the car isn't slowing. That way, no matter the cause of the unintended acceleration, the car won't drag itself forward.

The rollout of the system has already started this month on the Toyota Camry and Lexus ES 350--the same model loaned out by a southern California Lexus dealer and driven by a California Highway Patrol officer who was unable to successfully stop to car, leading to an accident that killed all four people in the car. Several other cases of Toyota vehicles accelerating on their own have been reported recently.

Back in September of 2009, Toyota issued an official warning about potential unintended acceleration due to improperly installed floor mats. After a few temporary fixes, the company recalled 3.8 million vehicles to replace the mats. Of course, the whole recall was essentially a recall of the previous 2007 floor mat/gas pedal interefence issue, which wasn't adequately fixed in newer models.

Toyota believes the new brake override method will solve the problem once and for all. It plans to install the system on all Toyota/Lexus vehicles by the end of the year.

LexFather

Great, all the morons should rejoice!

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

nanny electronics cat is nanny

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

TO THE MORONS WHO DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE:

Take key out
Throw it out the window
Take the bus

Just saw a commercial last night on some law office recruiting "if you or anyone you know who owns a camry/ES who was injured in an unintended acceleration"

rominl

iTrader: (4)

hahaha this is america

nthach

Hate those ambulance chasers. Besides, if you don't know how to drive you shouldn't be living in the suburbs - but in a transit-friendly AND walkable city like San Francisco. Besides, the Muni is $70/month for a pass

mmarshall

I'm generally opposed to a bunch of electronic Nanny safety devices (the Infiniti lane-drift beeper, for example, has to be one of the most annoying), but this one just might have some merit. Though it (admittedly) makes the car more complex and (may) add a little to the price, I gave the whole matter some careful thought and I can't really come up with a negative reason for having one......it won't interfere with any other normal driving function (you WANT reduced power on the engine when you are braking, anyway), won't drive you nuts like some beepers do, doesn't require any driver input or distractions, and could save lives and vehicles.

Unintended-accelleration cases, BTW, did not start with Toyota or Lexus. Back in the mid-1980's, the major controversy over the Audi 5000 did a lot of damage to Audi's reputation.....it took them years to recover.

The G Man

How about the safety of the Toyotas that are already on the road? Are Toyota panning to retrofit those braking systems?

pagemaster

My father just received a letter from Toyota announcing the brake override to his car.

TCM55

I am curious to see how this would affect those who would want to be able to do a burnout, such as an IS F owner at a track. The wording isn't specific enough to say for sure, but my impression is that it would prevent someone from doing so.

JessePS

I hope it wont be on the LFA lol

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Nice. No sporting Lexus will be capable of left foot braking to rotate the car. If this is a reflash, my IS-F is never going back to Lexus for anything ever again.

IS-SV

So if I'm reading original post correctly, this will impact both new models and past models via a recall....

mmarshall

Why would you want to "rotate" the car on public roads anyway? Correct me if I'm wrong, but if that is the manuver I'm thinking of (a semi-drift), it is a manuver that is generally for the track or autocrossing, not the street. On the street, if you can't hold the car in a curve with normal tire adhesion without running the rear end wide, then you're generally cornering too fast for conditions. And usually, just letting up on the gas will cause the rear end to respond some (drop-throttle oversteer).

One other thing that the brake-override might prevent, in a manual-transmision car, is heel-and-toe downshifting (where you have your left foot on the clutch and you press both the brake and gas pedal with your right foot. That slows the car while at the same time inceasing engine RPM on a downshift so that you save wear on the synchros. Lexus, though, has only one MT car (the IS250 RWD), and most MT drivers don't bother to heel-and-toe anyway....it takes a certain amount of skill and practice.

IS-SV

Are you aware that he tracks his car (on a closed course)?