NHTSA plans to require a brake-throttle override system.
Federal safety regulators want to enact new rules requiring manufacturers to install brake-throttle override systems designed to cut power to the engine if a motorist inadvertently hits both pedals at the same time.
The proposed update by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – which still require a 60-day period for comment – was triggered by an increasing body of research revealing that driver error, rather than automotive defects, are responsible for a large share of so-called unintended acceleration crashes.
One of the most notorious incidents occurred in 2003 when an 86-year old driver misapplied the pedals and plowed through an open market in San Diego, killing 10 and injuring 63 others. More recently, Toyota recalled millions of vehicles in 2009 and 2010 due to unintended acceleration issues. Some were linked to a pair of potential defects. But a pair of recent studies blamed driver error involving misuse of pedals for a large number of incidents involving the Japanese maker’s products.
(New NHTSA study says older women most likely to crash after misusing pedals. Click Herefor that story.)
Toyota – like a number of other makers – has begun voluntarily installing brake-throttle override technology in a number of its products.
The new rules would revise Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 124, which regulates accelerator controls. But despite general industry support, the proposed regulations will now undergo a 60-day period for public comment.
If enacted as NHTSA proposes, all vehicle, regardless of type or weight, would be affected.
That could lead to some criticism. Performance drivers often use a technique called heel-and-toe to use both brake and throttle simultaneously during certain aggressive maneuvers, including shifting and cornering. Manufacturers might seek exceptions for performance vehicles – or the ability to disable the override system, as some cars allow a driver to temporarily disable a vehicle’s electronic stability control.
But Ray LaHood, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, is clearly pressing for the new “pedal misapplication” standard.
“America’s drivers should feel confident that anytime they get behind the wheel they can easily maintain control of their vehicles — especially in the event of an emergency,” said U.S. Transportation “By updating our safety standards, we’re helping give drivers peace of mind that their brakes will work even if the gas pedal is stuck down while the driver is trying to brake,” Sec. LaHood declared.