The Mark Saylor Incident - Toyota Vehicle Safety Concerns

Background

• Date of Incident: August 28, 2009
• Individuals Involved: Mark Saylor, wife, daughter, brother-in-law
• Vehicle: Loaner car from a Toyota dealership
• Situation: Car was speeding at 120 mph, unable to brake
• Outcome: Car crashed into a ravine, all passengers killed
• 911 Call: Lasted 17 seconds, went viral, family blamed Toyota

Toyota's Response

• Public Reaction: Thousands of complaints of unintended acceleration
• Fatalities: Estimated 90 people died in Toyota vehicles over 5 years
• Recalls and Fines:
  • 10 million vehicles recalled over 2 years
  • $1.2 billion fine to US government
  • $1.1 billion on a class action lawsuit

Investigations and Theories

Initial Explanation

• Cause: Blamed on loose floor mats causing unintended acceleration
• Action: Massive recall initiated by Toyota

Malcolm Gladwell's Argument

• Theory: Brakes should always overpower engines
• Experiments: Both Gladwell and Car and Driver show brakes should stop the car even with full throttle
• Muscle Memory Issue: Drivers, in unfamiliar cars, may press the wrong pedal (pedal error)

NHTSA and NASA Report (2011)

• Findings:
  • Most cases showed brake pedal wasn't touched
  • Identified "pedal error" where drivers unintentionally pressed the gas instead of the brake

Further Discoveries

Power Assisted Brakes

• Flaw:
  • Power-assisted brakes lose effectiveness if the brake pedal is lifted while the car is floored
  • Consumer Reports test showed lifting the brake even once results in loss of power assist

Conclusion

• Mark Saylor's Incident: Combination of loose floor mat and power-assisted brake failure
• Real World Implications: Lifting foot off brake reduces braking power making it difficult to stop