Is unintended acceleration still a problem

Over the past year the target on Toyota over unintended acceleration has moved on to some new media favorite issue. After much discussion, much research, no definitive reason for the alleged unintended acceleration of Toyota vehicles specifically was announced. However, there are still daily occurrences of vehicles hurtling out of control. Is the problem solved? Was there ever really a problem with the vehicles?

Just days ago in Massachusetts, a man was in his home when his neighbor came barreling in to his yard through the fence and launched his car into the pool. The vehicle remained under water with the man driving sitting in the driver’s seat belted. The man who owned the home says he dove in, pushed the window down, unbelted the driver and pulled him out. The man inside lived. Media reports highlighted the driver’s age. Why? Isn’t this a case of unintended acceleration that should be investigated as a design defect to the car? The Chevy Impala lifted out of the pool was said not to be at fault.

Again, just days ago it was widely reported by almost every media outlet that a Kia Sorrento driven by a Missouri woman drove about 50 miles sometimes at speeds over 100 mph, all of which was captured on police dash cams. Not only did the “throttle stick” but her brakes miraculously also stopped functioning. Every car enthusiast know that all passenger cars have brakes orders of magnitude stronger than their drivetrains and can always stop a car at full throttle. Not only did the brakes stop working the car also would not shift in to neutral. Or shut off. Those gremlins thought of everything.

The stories keep coming and sometimes the vehicles are blamed out of hand, other times the drivers are blamed. Will ever really know the truth?

Video and Picture Courtesy of Youtube.com and CBSNewsOnline