Reporting from Washington - Under relentless questioning from a congressional panel, a top Toyota executive said Tuesday that the automaker hadn't ruled out electronics as a potential cause of sudden acceleration, and conceded that fixing floor mats and sticking gas pedals would "not totally" solve the problem.
James E. Lentz, Toyota's top U.S. sales executive, also apologized for a series of missteps that allowed the sudden acceleration problem to go unchecked for years, ultimately leading Toyota to issue nearly 10 million recall notices and temporarily halt sales of eight models.
Sudden acceleration, he said, "has many, many causes," adding that transmission software problems, faulty cruise control and even engine revs caused by engaging the air conditioner could trigger sudden acceleration events. (!!!)
David Gilbert, a professor of automotive technology at Southern Illinois University, said he had been able to "defeat" a key part of the safety features built into the electronic throttle control system on Toyota vehicles in just 3 1/2 hours. "The initial findings question the integrity and consistency of" Toyota's throttle system, he said.
James E. Lentz, Toyota's top U.S. sales executive, also apologized for a series of missteps that allowed the sudden acceleration problem to go unchecked for years, ultimately leading Toyota to issue nearly 10 million recall notices and temporarily halt sales of eight models.
Sudden acceleration, he said, "has many, many causes," adding that transmission software problems, faulty cruise control and even engine revs caused by engaging the air conditioner could trigger sudden acceleration events. (!!!)
David Gilbert, a professor of automotive technology at Southern Illinois University, said he had been able to "defeat" a key part of the safety features built into the electronic throttle control system on Toyota vehicles in just 3 1/2 hours. "The initial findings question the integrity and consistency of" Toyota's throttle system, he said.
