Could Toyota’s source code hold the answer to its sudden acceleration problems? Possibly, and it’s currently working with attorneys to smooth out how this code will be analyzed in its ongoing unintended acceleration legal woes.
For those of you too fried to remember, Toyota had a bit of a flub a couple years ago regarding unintended acceleration in some of its vehicles; the problems were originally blamed on floor mats, poorly designed pedals, and driver error.
Currently, plaintiffs and their attorneys are still fighting for a proper explanation and compensation even though “the [U.S.] government’s comprehensive review of Toyota’s source code found no electronic causes of [unintended acceleration] in Toyota vehicles.”
Plaintiffs’ attorneys believe there may be some flaws in the code that could have led to the accidents, but Toyota is working hard to prevent people from getting their grubby mitts on its “crown jewel”. Any viewing of the code would need to take place in a Pentagon-style safe room, and those involved would have to submit to palm and iris scans. Really.
In addition, software-related info would also have to wear RFID (radio frequency identification) tags to prevent any cats from getting out of any bags. Toyota was initially hoping to limit access to the code, which attorney Donald Slavik says is like performing a safety demonstration by taking a car’s “fender and throw[ing] it against a wall…What we’re going to be doing is something akin to crash testing a car. You need the whole car.”
According to both sides a compromise is almost at hand. Expect more info as the law dives deeper into the world of automotive programming.
By Phil Alex
Source: WSJ
