Toyota's $2,300,000,000 Mistake

Summary

In 2009, Mark Sailor's car crashed while traveling at 120 mph, killing all four passengers. Initially blamed on a loose floor mat, investigations later revealed a more complex issue. Malcolm Gladwell argued that brakes should overpower engines in such situations, but new findings showed that power-assisted brakes could fail if the driver unintentionally lifted their foot off the brake. This resulted in the inability to stop the vehicle, as experienced by Sailor. The tragic incident highlighted the dangers of pedal error and flaws in car braking systems, leading to recalls and major lawsuits against Toyota.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mark Sailor’s tragic accident in 2009, where he was driving a Toyota loaner car at 120 mph with his family, resulted in all passengers' deaths.
• 😀 Initially, the accident was blamed on loose floor mats, which were suspected of causing unintended acceleration.
• 😀 Toyota recalled 10 million vehicles and paid over $2 billion in fines and lawsuits to address the safety issue.
• 😀 Malcolm Gladwell argued that pressing the brake should overpower the engine, which was proven to work in multiple tests.
• 😀 Despite Gladwell’s findings, further research showed that power-assisted brakes had a fatal flaw in certain conditions.
• 😀 The real issue in Sailor's accident was a combination of a loose floor mat and the failure of power-assisted brakes.
• 😀 Pedal error, or unintentionally pressing the gas pedal instead of the brake, was found to be a common cause of similar incidents.
• 😀 In 2011, a report by NHTSA and NASA revealed that in most cases, the brake pedal was never pressed during these incidents.
• 😀 Drivers of unfamiliar vehicles, like Mark Sailor, may inadvertently press the gas instead of the brake due to muscle memory.
• 😀 Consumer Reports found that when the foot was lifted off the brake while the car was accelerating, the vehicle lost its braking power due to the power-assist failure.

Q & A

What happened during the Mark Sailor incident on August 28th, 2009?

Mark Sailor was driving a loaner car at 120 mph with his wife, daughter, and brother-in-law in the vehicle. The car's acceleration could not be controlled, and despite attempts to stop it, they crashed into a ravine, killing all passengers.

Why did the 911 call made during the incident become viral?

The 911 call, lasting only 17 seconds, was horrifying as it documented the passengers' desperate attempts to stop the car before their tragic crash. The call quickly garnered attention due to its emotional content and the tragic outcome.

What was initially believed to be the cause of the crash?

Initially, the crash was blamed on a loose floor mat that caused unintended acceleration, leading to a massive recall of Toyota vehicles to address this issue.

How did Toyota respond to the incident and the growing complaints?

Toyota recalled 10 million vehicles in two years, paid a $1.2 billion fine to the U.S. government, and spent $1.1 billion on a class-action lawsuit as a result of the mounting complaints about unintended accelerations in their cars.

What did Malcolm Gladwell argue in relation to the incident?

Malcolm Gladwell argued that in cases of unintended acceleration, the brakes would always overpower the engine if applied correctly. He conducted experiments to demonstrate that even when the accelerator was floored, the car could still be stopped using the brakes.

Why was Gladwell’s argument about braking challenged in the Sailor incident?

Gladwell’s argument was challenged because it was later revealed that Mark Sailor could not stop the car, not due to pedal error but because of a flaw in the power-assisted brakes of the vehicle.

What is pedal error, and how does it relate to unintended acceleration?

Pedal error occurs when drivers unintentionally press the gas pedal instead of the brake, especially when driving an unfamiliar vehicle. This was initially believed to be the cause of many unintended acceleration incidents, including Sailor’s crash.

What is the role of power-assisted brakes, and how did they fail in this case?

Power-assisted brakes use the engine's power to help slow the vehicle. In the case of Mark Sailor’s crash, the brakes lost their effectiveness when the brake pedal was released, even briefly, making it nearly impossible to stop the car.

How did Consumer Reports contribute to understanding the cause of the crash?

Consumer Reports tested Toyota vehicles with power-assisted brakes, showing that if the brake pedal was released, even for a moment, the power assistance was lost, and the car could not be stopped despite the brakes being applied.

What was the final conclusion about what caused the tragic incident?

The incident was caused by a combination of factors: a loose floor mat, pedal error due to unfamiliarity with the vehicle, and a flaw in the power-assisted brakes that lost their effectiveness when the brake pedal was released, preventing Mark Sailor from stopping the car.