Personal Injury Law

DOT Seeks Help From NASA, NAS To Solve Unintended Acceleration Problems

By Regan Zambri & Long

Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, founding partner 

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The Washington Post reports that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has designated nine NASA experts to help solve the "scientific mystery" surrounding unintended acceleration in Toyotas. Moreover, "a separate panel from the National Academy of Sciences" will investigate unintended acceleration and on-board electronics "across the industry." The Post notes the lack of consensus among automotive experts over whether there could be an electronic fault causing unintended acceleration in Toyotas.

"The increasing complexity of engines, which run on multiple microprocessors and lots of software, has complicated the discussion." The Post adds that DOT is expected to announce today that its Inspector General "has been asked to review whether federal safety regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have the personnel to adequately handle the complex engineering questions that arise in such investigations."

The Los Angeles Times also covers this story, noting that the "two investigations follow pressure from Congress on federal safety regulators to address persistent questions about the causes of unintended acceleration, and whether the problems stem from faulty computer-controlled electronic throttle systems."

These developments make clear how extensive and complex the problems are, and further cast doubt on the ability of federal agencies to handle investigations on their own.  This is yet more evidence as to why it is important to have access to civil courts, so that full investigations can be conducted, the truth can be revealed, and safety measures can be put in place to protect consumers from further injuries.

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Full post as published by DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog on March 30, 2010 (boomark / email).