Complaints about malfunctioning vehicle electronic systems have skyrocketed over the last three decades as more and more automobile features are controlled by computers. But safety experts say federal safety regulators have failed to keep pace with the technological changes, Business Week reports.
Vehicle recalls related to malfunctioning electronic systems have tripled and investigations have quadrupled during the last three decades. And complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Agency about vehicle computer systems have doubled since the mid-1990s, according to Business Week. The complaints involve manufacturers including Ford, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and, yes, Toyota.
Some safety advocates say NHTSA isn’t equipped to handle these computer-related complaints:
At NHTSA, the Transportation Department agency responsible for ensuring the safety of motor vehicles in the U.S., two engineers out of 125 specialize in electronics, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said last month. The agency lacks regulations for auto electronics, and rules governing accelerators were written in 1973 and last updated in 1995.
A Toyota spokesman told Business Week that there is no evidence that electronic problems are to blame for its vehicles’ acceleration problems. The company has blamed human error, floor mats and accelerators for the issue.
[...] Safety Regulators Fail to Keep Pace with More Computerized Cars … [...]