Toyota in the News Again..!

Thanks gang, I should know better..!

Yes Muntoo I agree.

My stability control has 3 Buttons commonly called.

Clutch
Accelerator
Brake.

All three are controlled by something called common sense.

Second that!

Yes, I drive a 1998 Prado (no ABS, thanks). I am really scared that I may have to replace it with a SAFE vehicle next time around!! SAFE that is according to some engineer half a planet away! I actually learned to drive using clutch, accelerator and brake (and steering), and I have used 'getting sideways' as an appropriate choice at times.
I am sure it would be possible (easy?) to roll a Prado, but actually I am really not that interested in driving so badly.
But maybe I have missed something.

That new Lexus is HOW MUCH mate !!!! ...

What about that model over there without all the blingy electronic doohickery that comes with a 4week driver training package ????

That much cheaper huh ??? ...

I'll take two ... one for the missus as well ...

It's not pathetic. It's very serious and Toyota wouldn't suspend sales if they didn't agree. I went and read the report at Consumer Reports and they make some fairly strong points.

They gave a couple of examples of the types of scenarios they are talking about, like encountering an obstacle on a bend and having to lift off the accelerator.

"Give me any car, i guarantee i can get it sideways if i push it to its LIMIT."

This is missing the point - in this scenario you are doing it on purpose so are anticipating what is going to happen. It's the cars behaviour in a scenario such as encoutering an obstacle mid corner that they are testing for. And since they can't test this scenario they have to re-create it and push the car to it's limit, then perform the test they perform.

It's just like seat belts - you never need them...until you have an accident and then they save your life. You don't the stability control in this car to work either 99.9% of the time, but that one time you lend your car to your 20 year old son and he's driving a little too fast around a bend in the wet...well, you want it to work.

Anyway, stability control does save lives, just like air bags, seat belts and other safety devices.

Pete

"You don't the stability control in this car to work either 99.9% of the time"

Sorry this should have read "You don't need the stability control in this car to work either 99.9% of the time".

Pete

Fixing hyperlink.

Consumer Reports

Dodger hits the nail squarely and firmly on the head.

I for one have been concerned at the level and type of these electronic driver "aids" that are filtering through to all makes and models these days. The only effect they are having is dumbing down dumb drivers even dumber.

Having had some rather toey high performance cars in the past, you need to be very careful about how they are driven lest you end up in the trees. It teaches you a lot about how cars behave when pushed, how torque and power delivery works, and most importantly, how to keep it all under control.

"I for one have been concerned at the level and type of these electronic driver "aids" that are filtering through to all makes and models these days. The only effect they are having is dumbing down dumb drivers even dumber."

The only affect? I don't think so. They save lives and enough studies have proven that. So there might be two affects - they dumb down drivers and they save lives.

I'm OK with the savings lives aspect of it.

Pete

Ok granted not the only effect. My (poorly articulated) point was they have the effect of masking a poor driver's poor driving.

Yes we all realise that but it doesn't immune us from potential issues with vehicles that sometimes share common platforms etc etc.

It is if you get a 3l diesel or 4l V6 petrol.

Make something idiot proof, you get a bigger idiot.

When i was working for a major company, the commodore vehicles we had, if you hit the accelorator pedal hard, then back off, then hit the accelorator pedal again you could get the back end out sideways. so any car it can be done the has stability control.

go and try it.

It's fun.

but seriously if you want to learn how to drive, learn in 1974 kingswood with 3 on the tree, and i'm only 35!!!!

lock the gears up on that oon a hill by yourself. and no hand brake your screwed!!!

Cya