You bring up some good points. People living in other parts of the country seem to have gotten an abbreviated description of the incident. When all the facts are presented it's easier to understand why the vehicle speed wasn't able to be controlled.
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Don't get it whats wrong with just stepping on the brakes?
That alone will slow you down if not stop you, then you can get your head together and put it in neutral.
Also if the gas pedal is sticking shouldn't it stay at the speed you were going and not accelerating?
Generally, I feel that electronics and computers that focus on the basics of vehicle performance ( efficiency, stability, performance, reliability, safety ) are plusses. Fuel injection, power steering, electronically assisted transmissions and Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) are good examples. My Jeep also has a All Wheel Drive system that works magic on ice, water and loose sand and gravel that greatly improves handling and control. Headlight, windshield wiper, and tire pressure systems also can assist the driver in operating the vehicle.
I think the problems with electronics and systems seem to arise when they take over or supplant the operator's skill sets or distances them from the basic acts of managing and controlling the vehicle. Skills require training, practice and constant use - otherwise, we lose them - so besides losing control, we lose ability.
Here are some of the luxury and convenience electronics that I think are problems;
- Idiot Lights instead of gauges or specific readouts. They are "In-specfic" and hide the normal operating ranges of the vehicle ( pressures, temperatures, rates, fluid levels ). I belong to the school of "You Cannot Manage/Control What You Cannot Measure". And, I think the majority of people ignore them.
- CruiseControl (just set the speed and sit back and relax)
- Parking Systems (you may be able to get your car to park itself, but just try to park someone else's)
- Entertainment Accessories
As far as the Spyder goes - I could do without (electronic) power steering. There are probably mechanical steering systems that would balance the effort/control/reliability/cost equation better.
I would like to see a more intelligent dashboard display. Three bars for engine temp? What is the temperature? What is a good temperature? Is that Oil or Water?
A scrolling error code of "check engine"? Check it for what? Oil? Seals and gaskets? Water? Why not give a code and tell you what it is?
Limp Mode? Why? What is wrong? I have not had this, but when a high percentage of the reports here show that turning the Spyder off and then turning it back on "clears the problem" or replacing a light bulb removes it, well, that is :cus:. Dangerous :cus:, to me. Extremely poor programming or system implementation. You are given a problem, but no information to act on and no ability to "override" or manage it.
The Vehicle Stability System (VSS)? That works for me - it keeps the Spyder in its physical control and operational limits. I have only felt it a few times, but its activation was greatly appreciated.
I know gears, but am no gear-head. I know programming and systems (realtime and computer) and know their advantages of control/performance enhancement and their downsides of unintended consequences and complexity. At this point in my life, I would rather only rely on systems that are focused on performance and control and remove those that may be nice to have, but are debilitating assists.
Tom
:agree: Exactly my thoughts. You can't program common sense and good diriving skills into a vehicle.
As for what to do if your SE5 soemhow gets stuck at full throttle when there is no way to put it in neutral; Using the kill switch and leaving the ignition in the on position should leave us with the engine off, but all other features working- anti lock brakes, DPS, etc. so it should be fairly easy to coast to a halt.
I do wonder if that is the case- that all the systems continue to work when activating the kill switch at speed.
I may have to try that...
The current Car and Driver disagrees with you in some ways- it says you ought to step ont he the brakes once time and hold them, and that the increased stopping distance between closed throttle and full throttle is only a few feet from 70 mph, and not quite 100 feet from 100mph.
The car will stop. It's all driver error and bad training.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...tion-tech_dept
Actually, it depended on the car, and they did recommend both feet on the brake pedal, which most drivers may not think to do. All cars slowed in their tests but one did not stop completely. Further application of that brake probably would have resulted in complete brake failure. For the high powered Roush car, which went three times the normal stopping distance, that situation could easily kill you. Stretching out 100 feet into a football field could put you into a wall. Bottom line, it should be instinctive in these situations to apply the brakes hard as a first reaction. It should at least help. As C&D said, shutting off the ignition on a modern car is a last resort, and not recommended...and they didn't even mention the steering lock issue.
All cars with a locking steering are supposed to have what's called a shift interlock. As long as the car isn't in park (or reverse in a manual trans), then you should only be able to turn the key off, but not to the lock position. I'm surprised you could do that with the Colt.:yikes:
http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/h18.pdf
. . . . . with all the postings on brakes and turning off the key and locking steering wheels - it just goes to show how many people "don't know" what will happen or what to do in a particular vehicle. And this from a bunch of people who have lots of experience. What chance does a "non-mechanical" person have?
At the very least it shows that there is not a Standard for Emergency Stopping across different manufacturers or even across model years.
Tom
For a great many people, this would be an exceedingly hard decision...or at least a slow one. In the heat of the moment, many wouldn't realize quickly enough that their lives are more important than a blown engine, so they might hesitate. Not putting a vehicle with an engine at full throttle in neutral is somewhat instinctive, and they would have to fight those first instincts. I have seen it on the race track, and real life drivers aren't as experienced, in general, as race drivers.
Here is a video of what Toyota recommends.
http://www.toyota.com/recall/videos/...procedure.html
It seems pretty clear and concise - and answers a lot of the questions above. Though, that pressing the "button" for 3 seconds seemed like an eternity. :yikes:
Tom