Xsp Edition "loaded" on 2040-cars

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Toyota won't face recall for Corolla unintended acceleration

Toyota will not face a recall or further investigation into an alleged unintended acceleration problem in the 2006-2010 Corolla. Following months of analysis, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was unable to find a mechanical defect to cause the issue. If there had been a safety campaign to fix the vehicles, it could have affected 1.69 million cars, according to NHTSA. The incident that prompted the investigation occurred in June 2014 when a driver was pulling into a parking spot. The 2010 Corolla allegedly lurched forward under braking and hit an unoccupied Jeep, according to The Detroit News. No one was injured. The owners had the vehicle examined by a Toyota dealer, and it found no problems. They then filed a petition with NHTSA to open a deeper investigation. NHTSA took the family's Corolla and tested it for over 2,000 miles, according to The News. The agency couldn't replicate the problem and found the brakes were capable of keeping the vehicle from moving at full throttle. In their petition, the owners also submitted 143 other unique complaints of this issue in the Corolla, but the Feds found that most of these incidents were due to driver error where the gas or both pedals were accidentally pressed. After taking all of this into account, "NHTSA has concluded that further investigation of the issues raised by the petition is not warranted," the agency wrote in its report. You can read the entire, 23-page explanation for yourself in PDF format, here. INVESTIGATION Subject : Low-speed surging Date Investigation Opened: SEP 19, 2014 Date Investigation Closed: APR 29, 2015 NHTSA Action Number: DP14003 Component(s): VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL All Products Associated with this Investigation Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) TOYOTA COROLLA 2006-2010 Details Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation SUMMARY: The Agency received a petition on September 11, 2014 requesting an investigation into, "low-speed surging in the 2006-2010 Toyota Corolla [vehicles] with ETCS-i, in which the brakes fail to stop the vehicle in time to prevent a crash." NHTSA conducted a technical review of the material cited and provided by the petitioner, material Toyota submitted in response to a NHTSA formal request, interviews with complainants and manufacturer representatives, as well as the results of testing of the complaint vehicle.

What's in a trademark? Sometimes, the next iconic car name

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is a treasure trove for auto enthusiasts, especially those who double as conspiracy theorists.
Why has Toyota applied to trademark "Supra," the name of one of its legendary sports cars, even though it hasn't sold one in the United States in 16 years? Why would General Motors continue to register "Chevelle" long after one of the most famous American muscle cars hit the end of the road? And what could Chrysler possibly do with the rights to "313," the area code for Detroit?

Toyota i-ROAD goes to carsharing service Park24 in Tokyo

Drivers in Tokyo citizens can now soon a handle on what "active leaning" is all about. That's because a small number of Toyota's funky, three-wheeled i-Road electric vehicle will soon be available for a car-sharing program throughout the Japanese capital city. Let the party begin. Toyota is collaborating with parking-lot operator Park24 Co. on the car-sharing program. The automaker will contribute five i-Road vehicles to the project, which will start April 10 and run until the end of September. Users will be able to pick up the trikes at the Times Station at Yurakucho ITOCiA and will be able to drop them off at five locations throughout the city. Toyota will charge 412 yen (about $3.50) per every 15 minutes and will impose a maximum checkout time of two and a half hours. We first became aware of the i-Road when Toyota posted a groovy video of the vehicles sashaying through town a couple of years back. The car, which has so-called "active leaning" technology, is less than eight feet long and less than three feet wide, and has a top speed of 28 miles per hour. Check out Toyota's press release below and get more details here. Park24 and Toyota to Trial i-ROAD Sharing Service in Central Tokyo February 24, 2015 Tokyo, Feb. 25, 2015 -- Starting in April, Park24 Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corporation will trial a car sharing service in central Tokyo using the Toyota i-ROAD, an ultra-compact three-wheeled electric vehicle. The i-ROAD, designed for flexibility and ease of use, will be paired with Park24's "Times Car Plus" service, which allows members to use share cars at any time of day or night. The trial will also incorporate elements from Toyota's "Ha:mo" optimized urban transport system. The trial will run from April 10 to the end of September. Usage data and user feedback will be gathered with the goal of assessing ease of use. The trial will also be used to assess changes in user activity patterns and receptiveness to new mobility systems of this type. For more information about the program, go to: http://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/detail/6168109/ Related Video: