Apple's Wozniak: Toyota may have software trouble

AFP ^ | 02/02/10

[TigerLikesRooster]

Apple's Wozniak: Toyota may have software trouble

Tue Feb 2, 10:22 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak suggested Tuesday in media interviews that Toyota's troubles with a defective accelerator pedal may have to do with software, after his Prius sped up while in cruise-control.

"Since my foot never touches the pedal," Wozniak told ABC News, the problem "cannot be a sticky accelerator pedal.... There might be some bad software in there."

He said the problem in his Prius might be related to the random acceleration issue that has forced Toyota into a massive recall of eight million vehicles worldwide and a halt to US sales and production of eight affected models.

The Prius, a best-selling hybrid, is not one of the vehicles under recall.

Wozniak, who founded Apple Computer -- now Apple Inc -- with Steve Jobs in the 1970s, said he tried unsuccessfully to get Toyota's and US authorities' attention after his 2010 Prius acceleration problems cropped up while he was in cruise control months ago.

[sportutegrl]

You do know that Al Gore’s son was arrested for doing 100 mph in a Prius?

[Still Thinking]

Figures he’d own a Prion.

[Jabba the Nutt]

I had an engine accelerate out of control once. I had taken my Ford Windstar through the car wash. It was the coldest day of the year. About 5 minutes later, the car started accelerating out of control. I braked at first, then put it in neutral and turned off the engine.

Luckily, I was on a straight road with no traffic. I let the van sit for a few minutes. I figured somehow the computer box got wet and caused a problem. Sitting there would let the heat of the engine melt whatever had frozen up.

That worked. Started it up, drove off. Never had a problem since. But it is scary and could be a very dangerous situation. Plan ahead, know what to do, if it happens to you. These type of emergency situations should be covered in driver's education and maybe through driving license renewals.

[Eagles2003]

As soon as the press releases from Toyota said there was no electrical problem I was doubly sure it wasn’t just a minor pedal problem.

These cars use a “fly-by-wire” system where there is no direct mechanical link cable between the pedal and the throttle body.

Something is getting hosed between the actual pedal the throttle body and computer control.

They’re trying to cover it up like the Toyota vans that required the engine to be pulled to replace the spark plugs, so they made the service interval 60K miles for a tune up. Plugs didn’t last 60K back then.

Or the Nissan vans that caught on fire because the fuel delivery system to the engine kept breaking. Nissan refused to service the vans, made excuses like no parts, and offered sweetheart deals like $3000 over the value of the van to sell another Nissan.

How many old Toyota or Nissan vans are on the road? Zero, haven’t seen one in mucho many years.

[catnipman]

Woz is probably correct. The Toyota accelerator pedal is a continuously pressable button that sends a signal to the automobile control unit (computer) that in turn controls a throttle actuator.

This is totally unlike the mechanical linkages that have been used since the automobile was invented. It’s highly probable there’s a software problem.

The MSM has failed to mention Toyota is including a software change with the recall that causes the control computer to ignore signals from the accelerator pedal whenever the brake pedal is depressed. This doesn’t really fix any underlying software cause of self-initiated acceleration, but does end it when the brake pedal is pressed.

BTW, Woz is one of the most underrated geniuses and inventors of the 20th century, having single-handedly invented both the single-board computer and its BIOS.

[reagan_fanatic]

When this happens on a Prius, does it speed up rapidly from 40 to 43mph?

Going downhill it does, yes.

[EricT.]

Fly by wire? Why would they use such an expensive, over-engineered (and therefore fraught with potential problems) method to accelerate a vehicle?

[Lurking in Kansas]

You do know that Al Gore’s son was arrested for doing 100 mph in a Prius?

Yeah, going downhill, with a three mile run, and a 30 MPH tail wind.

[Mad Dawgg]

"When this happens on a Prius, does it speed up rapidly from 40 to 43mph?"

Blue Prius

[Wyatt's Torch]

I think Wozniac ought to stick to marketing overpriced consumer electronics.

They (he and Jobs) have done awfully well doing that... and the APPL shareholders thank them for it...

[antiRepublicrat]

Why would they use such an expensive, over-engineered (and therefore fraught with potential problems) method to accelerate a vehicle?

With a combination electric/gas drivetrain we are a long way past just pushing open a butterfly valve with a mechanical linkage.

[tubebender]

Put on your Tin Foil Hats. I heard someone on the radio say the problem could be related to interference from High Voltage Power lines...

[EricT.]

I can see it on a Prius hybrid, but the original post makes it sound like all Toyota vehicles use this method.

[EricT.]

That was pretty much the point I was making.

[tubebender]

I just checked with a shop and he said some vehicles still use mechanical throttle linkage but all Toyotas use Fly by Wire...

[NormsRevenge]

Woz says it’s scary when he’s zooming along and his Prius super-accelerates to 97 mph..

Software glitch? Power lines?

Bring back push button transmissions

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Figures that a hardware guy would blame software. ;^)

[Eagles2003]

See post #25 from catnipman. There is no mechanical linkage, asking for trouble.

[McGruff]

I find it hard to believe Toyota designed a sticking gas pedal. A software glitch sounds quite reasonable and I are a software engineer.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“When this happens on a Prius, does it speed up rapidly from 40 to 43mph?”

Yes over a mile.
The those steep downhill mountain roads make a hybrid dangerous to drive.