Lecture on the Mark Saylor Incident and Toyota's Unintended Acceleration Issue

Introduction to the Incident

• Date: August 28th, 2009
• Mark Saylor's car: A loaner from a Toyota dealership
• Passengers: His wife, daughter, and brother-in-law
• Incident: Car accelerated to 120 mph, unable to brake, resulting in a fatal crash after driving into a ravine
• 911 Call: Recorded and went viral, highlighting the inability to stop the car

Public and Legal Reaction

• Blame placed on Toyota by the public and victims' families
• Reports of similar unintended acceleration issues across various Toyota models
• Toyota's response:
  • Recalled 10 million vehicles over 2 years
  • Paid $1.2 billion fine to the US government
  • Spent $1.1 billion on a class-action lawsuit

Initial Theories and Investigations

• Early blame placed on loose floor mats causing unintended acceleration
• Malcolm Gladwell's Podcast:
  • Suggests that brakes should stop a car even if the accelerator is engaged
  • Conducted experiments showing brakes overpowering the engine

The Concept of Muscle Memory and Pedal Error

• Unfamiliar vehicles can lead to muscle memory issues
• Drivers may mistakenly press the gas instead of the brake
• 2011 NHTSA and NASA report found many drivers in such cases didn't touch the brake pedal

Power Assisted Brakes - The Overlooked Factor

• New findings: Power-assisted brakes can lose functionality if the brake is lifted
• Consumer Reports' testing:
  • Highlighted the issue with power-assisted brakes losing power if lifted
  • Demonstrated how this could prevent a car from slowing down effectively

Conclusion

• Mark Saylor's incident likely caused by a combination of a loose floor mat and the power-assisted brake issue
• Importance of understanding vehicle mechanics and differences when driving unfamiliar cars
• Ongoing implications for automotive safety and consumer awareness