Theodore H. Frank: I am not afraid of my Toyota Prius

[FarCenter]

<snip>

We’re seeing the same pattern again today. Initial reports of a problem, followed by dozens of new reports “coming to light” as people seek to blame their earlier accidents on sudden acceleration.

Again, mysterious car components are at issue, this time, speculation of software or electronics going haywire. But if the problem is software, it is manifesting itself a lot like the Audi sudden acceleration did.

The Los Angeles Times recently did a story detailing all of the NHTSA reports of Toyota “sudden acceleration” fatalities, and, though the Times did not mention it, the ages of the drivers involved were striking.

In the 24 cases where driver age was reported or readily inferred, the drivers included those of the ages 60, 61, 63, 66, 68, 71, 72, 72, 77, 79, 83, 85, 89—and I’m leaving out the son whose age wasn’t identified, but whose 94-year-old father died as a passenger.

These “electronic defects” apparently discriminate against the elderly, just as the sudden acceleration of Audis and GM autos did before them. (If computers are going to discriminate against anyone, they should be picking on the young, who are more likely to take up arms against the rise of the machines and future Terminators).

<SNIP>

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/OpEd-Contributor/I-am-not-afraid-of-my-Toyota-Prius-87361597.html#ixzz0hzwk4rId

[paulsby]

1. nice

i remember the audi hysteria.

and the subsequent investigation that revealed it was... wait for it... crap

[leftofcool]

4. I remember the Ford Pinto scare

A couple of them blew up. Of course they were rear-ended in accidents. Pinto was a crappy car but not actually a death trap.

[HillbillyBob]

6. A friend of mine did die in a pinto that was hit from behind

the tank blew up and it was not a high speed crash either.
The car that hit them was only coasting up to a stop light..or as I was told(25mph).
What would happen is when the car was hit the doors would jam up.
I recall the Ford SUVs that would flip over at the drop of a hat too.
I have no idea of what the toyota problem really is..we have a Nissan Versa..it
will go too fast..but only when you put your foot on the accerlerator.

[mediaman007]

2. One guy's opinion.

Is he suggesting that age means you have no strength to step on a brake pedal? Does age limit the ability to put the transmission into neutral?

If they sell the cars to any age group, the cars should work for any age group.

[lefty2000]

5. Right You Are

But, the older you get, the greater is the probability of suffering from some impairment that could result in such an accident. We do not age at the same rate. I am 66 and sharp as a tack, but that could change in the blink of an eye. It could happen at any age, but it is more likely to happen to me than to a 20 year old.

[Ian David]

3. Christine is his friend. n/t

[spoony]

7. Am I supposed to be convinced by a National Review writer?

Who was the "first director of the AEI Legal Center for the Public Interest"? Nah, no thanks. Corporate stoolies don't hold a ton of sway with me.