Toyota recall hearings

[dps]

I'm kinda surprised why you have congressional hearings for matters like this in the US. I mean, if I understand correctly, this is a purely private-to-private issue, with no public issue (e.g. misuse of power or corruption) involved.

Congress would hold hearings on whether or not shit stinks if it would allow the members to demagogue up a few extra votes come the next election.

[DGuller]

Though it would probably be a good idea to have the emergency brake be a strictly mechanical device that can't be overcome by the electronics.

Brakes are not controlled by electronics even now.  It's still hydraulic pressure, with power assist.  The power assist may not be there if the car is at full throttle, which would make the brakes less effective, but that's a mechanical shortcoming of the design.

I also have a quibble with "emergency brake" being mentioned.  "Emergency brake" is mostly a misnomer, it's really a parking brake.  If you got no brakes at all and are coasting, then the handbrake can slow you down just a tad, if it doesn't make your car swap ends.  It isn't even going to pretend to stop the car if your throttle is stuck.

[Monoriu]

I still hope to buy a Corolla by the time I retire 

I think this is a massive plan to boost the US automakers

[ulmont]

I also have a quibble with "emergency brake" being mentioned.  "Emergency brake" is mostly a misnomer, it's really a parking brake.  If you got no brakes at all and are coasting, then the handbrake can slow you down just a tad, if it doesn't make your car swap ends.  It isn't even going to pretend to stop the car if your throttle is stuck.

If your throttle is stuck, the emergency brake is going to blow your tire.  This happened to me when I had my emergency brake get stuck.

[Neil]

I'm kinda surprised why you have congressional hearings for matters like this in the US. I mean, if I understand correctly, this is a purely private-to-private issue, with no public issue (e.g. misuse of power or corruption) involved.

American legislators love to grandstand on shit that's none of their business, and public safety is always a good excuse.

[ulmont]

I'm kinda surprised why you have congressional hearings for matters like this in the US. I mean, if I understand correctly, this is a purely private-to-private issue, with no public issue (e.g. misuse of power or corruption) involved.

Congress has the power to regulate items (cars) that travel in interstate commerce (all of them), including setting safety standards.  Associated with that, they may conduct hearings to decide what type of legislation might be wise.

[DontSayBanana]

I'm kinda surprised why you have congressional hearings for matters like this in the US. I mean, if I understand correctly, this is a purely private-to-private issue, with no public issue (e.g. misuse of power or corruption) involved.

For starters, Congress gets involved in regulatory issues that are too big for an agency to handle on their own, such as the National Traffic Safety Bureau.  For another, if Toyota supplied fleet vehicles for Washington, D.C. or the federal government, then yes, there is a public issue in the form of doing business with the feds.

[Admiral Yi]

I very much doubt the US government has ever bought any Toyotas.

[Zanza]

Brakes are not controlled by electronics even now.  It's still hydraulic pressure, with power assist.  The power assist may not be there if the car is at full throttle, which would make the brakes less effective, but that's a mechanical shortcoming of the design.

Not necessarily. In modern cars, the electronics determine how much you actually want to break because humans usually break either too much or too little in dangerous situations. And the electronics can also initiate breaking by themselves if the sensors signal an imminent crash.

[Zanza]

I very much doubt the US government has ever bought any Toyotas.

Why not?
In the EU, all big public contracts are open for all bidders, including e.g. Toyota. I know that the Germany Army bought over 1000 Nissan SUVs last year.

[DGuller]

I also have a quibble with "emergency brake" being mentioned.  "Emergency brake" is mostly a misnomer, it's really a parking brake.  If you got no brakes at all and are coasting, then the handbrake can slow you down just a tad, if it doesn't make your car swap ends.  It isn't even going to pretend to stop the car if your throttle is stuck.

If your throttle is stuck, the emergency brake is going to blow your tire.  This happened to me when I had my emergency brake get stuck.

Not sure about that.  Your tire is only gong to blow out if the handbrake locks the wheel.  At high speeds, there most likely would not be enough power in the handbrake system to lock the wheel.

[DGuller]

Brakes are not controlled by electronics even now.  It's still hydraulic pressure, with power assist.  The power assist may not be there if the car is at full throttle, which would make the brakes less effective, but that's a mechanical shortcoming of the design.

Not necessarily. In modern cars, the electronics determine how much you actually want to break because humans usually break either too much or too little in dangerous situations. And the electronics can also initiate breaking by themselves if the sensors signal an imminent crash.

I forgot about that, but that's only in a few high end cars for now.  Even those systems aren't brake-by-wire.

[Zanza]

I forgot about that, but that's only in a few high end cars for now.  Even those systems aren't brake-by-wire.

The brake assist that increases braking power to maximum in emergencies is prescribed as standard by the European Commission starting in 2009. So every car sold in Europe must have this. It's not brake-by-wire, but I can imagine flukes with the electronics...


EDIT: Our latest prototype had a really cool feature: a congestion assistant. Up to speeds of 40 kph, it can follow the car in front of you by itself. That includes braking, accelerating and steering. So if you are stuck in traffic, you can just lean back and let the car drive.

[Martinus]

I'm kinda surprised why you have congressional hearings for matters like this in the US. I mean, if I understand correctly, this is a purely private-to-private issue, with no public issue (e.g. misuse of power or corruption) involved.

For starters, Congress gets involved in regulatory issues that are too big for an agency to handle on their own, such as the National Traffic Safety Bureau.  For another, if Toyota supplied fleet vehicles for Washington, D.C. or the federal government, then yes, there is a public issue in the form of doing business with the feds.

Sorry but the state acting in its capacity as a legal entity engaging in commerce is not a "public issue".

[Martinus]

I'm kinda surprised why you have congressional hearings for matters like this in the US. I mean, if I understand correctly, this is a purely private-to-private issue, with no public issue (e.g. misuse of power or corruption) involved.

Congress has the power to regulate items (cars) that travel in interstate commerce (all of them), including setting safety standards.  Associated with that, they may conduct hearings to decide what type of legislation might be wise.

Ok, if this is done to determine what kind of regulations are needed, then it's alright - but then it shouldn't be about "Toyota recall hearings" but about "car safety hearings". If it is there to "name and shame" however, then this encroaches dangerously on individual rights and separation of powers (since that kind of stuff is done by the executive and judicature through regulatory enforcement).