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Toyota Prius gets higher clearance, better suspension in Pakistan

It's been 16 years since the Toyota Prius launched in Japan. Finally, the world's most popular hybrid is becoming the first hybrid car to show up in Pakistan. This version of the Prius has been customized by Indus Motor Company (IMC) in order to deal with, well, let's just say some challenging road conditions. IMC knows what it's doing, and has modified Toyota and Daihatsu vehicles for the Pakistani market for over 20 years. The Prius brings with it the iconic shape and Parvez Ghias, CEO of IMC, told The Technology Times that the car's arrival, "is indeed a great milestone, not only in the history of IMC, but, of the entire nation." Pakistan Today says that IMC is beefing up the ground clearance of the imported Priuses and adds a "robust suspension system." Why would this be important? Well, the US Department of State warns travelers to beware of crowded roads, aggressive and poorly trained drivers and bad roads that could include potholes and sharp drop-offs. Then there's the "donkeys, cattle, horse carts, and even the occasional camel [that] can pose roadside hazards in some areas." There's also the big problem of terrorism-related violence in Pakistan, but we haven't heard that the Pakistan Prius has been bullet- and shrapnel-proofed.

NHTSA investigating 561k Toyota Prius hybrids for possible steering shaft defect

The Detroit News is reporting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will investigate some 561,000 Toyota Prius models for potentially defective steering shafts. The affected hybrid models are from the 2004-2009 model years. The story indicates that NHTSA is weighing whether or not to grant a defect petition, which claims that Toyota incorrectly assembled the hatchback's steering linkage.
As of this writing, there is no recall. However, a recall based on the Prius steering shaft would be the third related to steering issues for the model since 2006. Seven years ago, Toyota recalled 170K Prius models for potential cracking of the intermediate shafts, and in November of 2012, the automaker recalled 670K units to replace the steering shaft extension assembly.
We'll be monitoring NHTSA's signals to see if this investigation turns into a full-fledged recall. For now, stay tuned.

Toyota asking NHTSA for fuel cell car safety exemption regarding electric shocks

Toyota is requesting an exemption from federal safety regulations that govern electric cars as it prepares to launch a small-scale hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle fleet.
The Japanese automaker is targeting Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 305, which covers the packaging of high-voltage parts in electric cars. According to Uncle Sam, these systems need to be isolated so that passengers and first responders aren't electrocuted in the event of a crash. That seems pretty smart, but it's become a problem for Toyota's upcoming production fuel cell vehicle, as the mechanism that prevents electric shocks in low-speed crashes will apparently simply keep Toyota's car from even functioning.
Instead of the federally approved system, Bloomberg reports that Toyota plans to insulate the high-voltage wires and cables in the car, along with shielding electrical components like the fuel cells, electric motor and batteries with (presumably non-conductive) metal barriers.