In a Feb. 4 post on Nanotech: the circuits blog Brooke Crothers explored some of the history behind Toyota’s recall and brought up some very interesting points.
The recall woes Toyota has been experiencing have been portrayed as mechanical in nature. But, there are underlying software issues that may prove to be a lurking danger. In 2002 Toyota and Lexus began equipping its vehicles with electronic throttle control, which replaced mechanical components like throttle cables and linkages with computers and servomotors. This drive-by-wire system was intended to provide drivers with smoother acceleration, better gas mileage and a safer all around driving experience.
The old mechanical technology was not perfect by any means. Engineer and electrical engineering consultant, Antony Anderson explains that mechanical throttles could jam, but “An uncommanded wide open throttle was almost an impossibility.” Increasingly, technology has been replacing the traditional mechanical components found in cars. The result is a modern vehicle that has nearly every aspect of its operation controlled by computers and other electronic systems. “What happens today is that the driver is made the fail safe for the electronics,” says Anderson.
The recent spate of recalls and accidents are not the first time that accelerator issues have surfaced with Toyotas. In 2005 a man was backing out of his driveway in a 2002 Toyota Camry when it suddenly accelerated into a utility box; he maintains he never touched the accelerator. In fact, the large-scale implementation of drive-by-wire coincided with a jump in reports of cars accelerating on their own. Toyota has publicly said that its investigation has found no evidence of an electronic cause for the acceleration, but will continue to look for any glitches.
The rub lies in how computer-controlled cars deal with these glitches, faults and other problems. What happens if your computer has an electric brain fart; starts to think that it’s Michael Shumaker; and tells the engine that it would be a good idea to go to wide open throttle? You’d think that some part the system would detect the problem and fix it or at least make a note of it, but you’d be wrong. As soon as a vehicle is turned off, or disabled in a crash the record of that error is erased from the computers memory; if it was recorded in the first place.
Many of these incidents can also be explained by inexperienced drivers dealing with throttle hesitation. If the drive-by-wire throttle hesitates, i.e. you press the pedal and nothing happens, some drivers may depress the pedal further. Eventually, when the computer catches up to all this the vehicle could experience a burst of acceleration because you’ve stepped on the gas. Cars have become much more than just a collection of cogs, gears and wheels. The sophistication of the modern car has distanced the driver from the machine. Many people do not understand how their cars work, or only understand parts of its operation. It’s vitally important that people understand that the feeling of control they have behind the wheel is an illusion. Power steering, anti-lock brakes and drive by wire throttle all replace simple mechanical systems with more complex and expensive alternatives; alternatives that are not infallible.
Today’s driver is reduced to little more than a button-pushing monkey, the car and its computer brain dispensing treats when the right button is pushed. This ads further distance between car and driver by giving the computer final say on the majority of the decisions. It’s entirely plausible that self-driving cars could be on the road within our lifetime; advanced radar cruise control; cars that park themselves; and other innovations may make the driver an endangered species. This also means the days of the backyard mechanic are numbered.
Modern cars require specialized tools and computers for maintenance, so you won’t get far with a floor jack and a torque wrench. This is the high price we pay for the modern conveniences crammed under our hoods. Simple vehicle maintenance that could be done in an afternoon has become rocket science. Case in point, someone could change the spark plugs in a 1986 Oldsmobile with minimal experience and limited tools, but performing the same task on a 1996 Oldsmobile would require a vehicle hoist and a trained technician.
All of this new technology and not just the bits intended to make driving safer need to be more closely scrutinized and regulated. There has to be a concerted effort to prevent incidents like the recent problems at Toyota. Unfortunately, no system is infallible. Accidents happen; that’s why they’re called accidents. But, consumers need to demand more accountability from manufactures, especially when products are causing injury and death. Having the president of the company say that he’s sorry just doesn’t cut it.
The biggest question in this whole mess is why there has not been more recalls from other manufactures that supposedly use the same faulty accelerator components. Have people forgotten that this accelerator problem was originally blamed on a floor mat? The chance that a brand wide problem can have two causes could be plausible, but it becomes increasingly improbable when new causes begin to crop up for the same problem.
Other car manufactures and the media are getting far too caught up in Toyota-bashing or Japan-bashing when we need to concentrate on industry wide manufacturing standards and corporate accountability. Consumers deserve to be able to buy products without fear of catastrophic failure plain and simple, why is that so hard for manufacturers and corporations to comprehend?
No comments:
Post a Comment