- Honda confirmed plans to install brake override technology in Honda and Acura models.
- The first application will come to market in late August this year, but Honda did not say which vehicles would be first to get the technology.
- Toyota said this week that brake override will be available across its entire product line by the end of 2010.
TORRANCE, California — Honda on Wednesday confirmed plans to install brake override technology in Honda and Acura models. The announcement comes as Congress considers new sweeping auto-safety legislation in the wake of Toyota's massive recalls.
"We are committed to applying Brake Priority Logic on 100 percent of Honda and Acura passenger vehicles produced for the North American market by the end of calendar-year 2011, with our first application coming to market in late August 2010," said Honda in a statement.
It did not specify which vehicles would be the first to get the technology.
In congressional testimony last week, Toyota said it will feature brake override technology as standard equipment on all new models sold in the U.S. "Brake override will be available across our entire product line by the end of 2010," said James Lentz, president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motors Sales, U.S.A. in testimony before a House panel.
A U.S. House committee on Wednesday passed a sweeping auto-safety bill that would require installation of brake override systems and event data recorders that record crash information. The bill, drafted in response to Toyota's recalls and unintended acceleration problems, now goes to the floor of the House. A similar Senate bill has been introduced.
The House bill also increases the civil penalty that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration can seek per violation from automakers and increases the maximum civil penalty allowed to $200 million. Toyota last week paid a record $16.4 million penalty — the maximum allowed by law — for what federal regulators said was a slow response to recalling vehicles.
Inside Line says: Expect other automakers, especially those that tout their commitment to safety, to fall in line behind Honda on brake override technology. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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leafguy says:
02:28 PM, 09/17/2010
In answer to a couple of comments above:
No, this does not put an end to heel-toe performance driving as indicated in this video from Consumer Reports.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/video-hub/cars/safety/how-brake-override-stops-runaway-cars/17188412001/73466091001/?EXTKEY=I91ECON&CMP=OTC-ConsumeristLinks
The same video also shows that you can do a burnout in a rear-drive car with the technology if you wish.
If you want a quick tutorial of the technology, you can read one here:
http://livingleaf.info (search brake override system)
alookman says:
01:38 PM, 06/16/2010
Brake torquing means downshifting while going down a steep slope, so brakes don't overheat and the engines slows down the vehicle,as large trucks often do, but not always needed if you have smaller passnger car.
Most unintended acceleration made the foot brake inoperable and people reported that they couldnt move the gear shifter to neutral as engine red lined! Some motorrist never had time to react as it happended in urban congested high traffic environment. Knowing the facts would help.
aznraptor says:
07:53 PM, 05/30/2010
kit cars are the future
rasguetano says:
07:46 AM, 05/28/2010
I apologize for being thick here but i don't understand what is meant by brake override technology. In any case I asked around about the Toyota issue and it did not occur to any one to simply put the car in neutral if there was an issue with acceleration.
angry_mushroom says:
01:08 AM, 05/28/2010
@cr_driver:
Only in America are drivers stupid enough to mistake an accelerator pedal for a brake. Never mind putting the car in neutral.
cz_75 says:
09:13 PM, 05/27/2010
No more heeltoeing either, unless they exempt manuals, or put in some kind of clutch-activated override.
cr_driver says:
06:01 PM, 05/27/2010
"100 percent of Honda and Acura passenger vehicles produced for the North American market"
LOL, hahaha, only for the north american market?
fortstring says:
05:55 PM, 05/27/2010
@ed1234c:
You realize that the initial case that sparked the whole congressional investigation into Toyota's unintended acceleration issues DID involve a runaway Lexus ES, right?
isend2c says:
03:59 PM, 05/27/2010
So now there's no more brake torquing because people are idiots and think that the car will (for example) flip upside down if you put the car in neutral, and then brake... I really don't like stupid people... Don't fall for this Hyundai / Kia!
ed124c says:
03:14 PM, 05/27/2010
Maybe I am missing something here. Has there been hard evidence that drivers are unable to stop their "runaway" Toyotas?
So now we will all pay for what I still believe is driver error.