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1:Introduction
2:What is Cruise Control?
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5: What is Sudden Acceleration?
6: Incidence & Examples
7: Internal 
failure mechanisms
8: Discussion
of  Failure Mechanisms
9: Links & References
9.5: SAI
by manufacturer

Dr Antony Anderson 
C.Eng FIEE
9 - Sudden Acceleration Links and References

9.4 - NHTSA (NATIONAL HIGHWAYS TRAFFIC AND SAFETY ADMINISTRATION)


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LINKS SUB-INDEX
9.1. How a cruise control system works
9.2. General background
(Incl papers and patents)

9.3. Miscellaneous material on sudden acceleration

9.4. NHTSA
9.4.1 CURRENT NHTSA SA INVESTIGATIONS

9.4.2  COMPLAINTS DATABASE
9.4.3 DEPT OF TRANSPORT REVIEW OF NHTSA
9.4.4  NHTSA SA ARTICLES AND REPORTS
9.4.5 NHTSA DENIAL OF PETITIONS RELATING TO SA

9.5. References to particular manufacturers: 
Audi - BMW - Buick - Chrysler - Daewoo -  Ford - General Motors - Honda - Jaguar - Land Rover - Mercedes -  Mitsubishi - Nissan - Renault -  Toyota - Toyota/Lexus -  Volvo
9.6. Alternatives to cruise control
(Speed Sensitive Accelerator)

9.4.1 CURRENT NHTSA SUDDEN ACCELERATION INVESTIGATIONS
August 11, 2005  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation of several Toyota models because of uncontrollable and unintended acceleration while the vehicle is in reverse. The agency has received 13 reports of accidents because of the uncontrollable acceleration.  NHTSA has received complaints involving the Camry, Solara, Lexus, ES, ES 300, ES 330 losing throttle control while the vehicle is reversing out of a driveway. The vehicles were all manufactured between 2000 and 1005. [NHTSA Action Number: DP05002] http://www.consumeraffairs.com/recalls04/2005/nhtsa_toyota.html

March 22, 2004 : Again, NHTSA Probes Sudden Acceleration - By Harry Stoffer - WASHINGTON -- A relatively new technology, the electronic throttle, is a leading suspect in a wave of claims that some vehicles unexpectedly accelerate out of control. Government investigators are looking at 2002-03 Toyota Camrys and Solaras and Lexus ES 300s to determine whether they are defective. More than a million of the cars are in service. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun a preliminary investigation of the latest claims. It is gathering information about 37 complaints of sudden acceleration by owners of the Toyota and Lexus cars. The complaints include 30 reports of crashes. They involved injuries to five people; one of them was seriously hurt. If NHTSA decides that the added data warrant more study, it will upgrade its investigation to an engineering analysis. If the review identifies a defect, NHTSA would push for a recall.  http://www.autosafety.org/article.php?scid=125&did=887  NHTSA Notice : http://www.autosafety.org/PE04-021Opening.pdf   [ PE 04-021 prompted by Consumer Complaints Petition Request DP04-04 : Est. 1,010,000 vehicles potentially affected. 37 Complaints, 30 crashes, 4 injury incident, 5 injuries ]  ODI Complaint Numbers: 763094, 6900639, 8001010, 8004502, 8004502, 80135543, 8013908, 8015215, 8017143, 8022453, 10002266, 10002533, 10003476, 10003640, 10003939, 10008367, 10008754, 10015971, 10017187, 10019875, 10023329, 10024048, 10024313, 10025068, 10026392, 10026512, 10032815, 10038103, 1039916, 10045644, 10045944, 10048030, 10053774, 10055375, 10055820, 10056060, 10056117, 10056537 ] Search on NHTSA database by putting in ODI Complaints Numbers 25 at a time spaced with commas only http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/complaintsearch.cfm

July 28, 2004 NHTSA Closes Probe of Unintended Acceleration in Toyota, Lexus Models


9.4.2 NHTSA OFFICE OF DEFECTS (ODI) DATABASE
[Hint: Search NHTSA Complaints Database under VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL]   

9.4.3 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT REVIEW OF NHTSA ODI
  • Jan 3 2002 : Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General Report: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Report Number MH-2002-071[PDF] Presents results of a review of the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) performed at the request of Senator John McCain, Ranking Minority Member, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science , and Transportation.  http://www.oig.dot.gov/show_pdf.php?id=662

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9.4.4 NHTSA ARTICLES AND REPORTS  RELATING TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION
  • Nov 1 1999: A Simple Case of Sudden Acceleration Or So It Seemed at First to Bob Young : by ANNA WILDE MATHEWS Staff Reporter THE WALL STREET JOURNAL November 1, 1999  [Connection of flashers into the brake light circuit on police and emergency vehicles may compromise shift lock performance and thus increase the possibility of a sudden acceleration incident.    Archived at  http://www.cs.york.ac.uk/hise/safety-critical-archive/1999/0215.html 
  • May 1994 Reinhart, W. The effect of countermeasures to reduce the incidence of unintended acceleration incidents National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration United States Paper No 94 S5 0 07 Fourteenth International Technical Conference on Enhanced Safety in Vehicles Munich Germany May 23-26 1994Abstract: This paper provides a description of "Unintended Acceleration" UA in passenger cars, provides dtat pertaining to the scope of the problem (number of accidents and injuries reported annually to NHTSA), Identifies the known causes of UA, discusses countermeasures to reduce the incidence of US,and provides analysis to assess the reducitons in the UA incident rates which have resulted from the use of automatic shift locks. UA Reports are defined as incidents of high powered unwanted vehicle acceleration from a stationary position or very slow speed, accompanied by reportedly ineffective brakes. Previous studies and investigations performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and by Canadian and Japanese Governement agencies have concluded that the major causes of such incidents has been drivers unknowingly depressing the accelerator instead of the brake pedal on automatic transmission equipped cars. BBased on Data from NHTSA's computerized consumer complaints file system, and information obtained in the course of agency defect investigations, the paper concludes that the best  known countermeasure to US has been factory installation of automatic shift lock systems which prevent the driver from shifting the transmission ot of Park unless the brake pedal is being applied simultaneously. A comparison of reported UA accident rates (accidents per vehicle produced) for automatic transmission equipped cars indicates that the cars equipped with shift locks have experienced UA accidents at approximately 1/2 to 1/4 the rate of comparable cars without shiftlocks. Also the effect on UA of retrofitting shift locks on one particular make/model is assessed.
  • September 1989 Brackett, R.Q., Pezoldt, V.J., Sherrod, M.G. Human Factors Analysis of Automotive Foot Pedals  DOT  HS 807512 US Depertment of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration "The results of a literature review, field measurements and experimental studies led to the development of a set of recommendations for the design and layout of foot pedals which conform to the expectancies and preferences of a large portion of the driving population. Recommendations are provided for automobiles equipped with automatic transmissions."
  • January 1989 :  “An Examination of Sudden Acceleration” by John Pollard and E.Donald Sussman (Report DOT-TSC-NHTSA-89-1)  This includes as Appendix H the 1988 NHTSA Report on sudden accelerations in Audis.
  • November 1976 NHTSA Report "Investigation of Electromagnetic interference effects on motor vehicle electronic control and safety devices" Espeland, R.H., Layton, D.H., Warner, B.D.,  Teters, L.R. Morrison, E.L. DOT Report HS 802 107 Abstract: This report sumarizes the analysis and measurement tasks accomplished for this phase of the DoT Road Vehicle EMC/EMI program and the contents of EMC Guidelines proposed for the design and maintenance phases of electronic safety and control systems. A computerized
  • October 1975 NHTSA Report "Investigation of Electromagnetic interference effects on motor vehicle electronic control and safety devices" Espeland, R.H., Jacobsen, L.A., Teters, L.R. Morrison, E.L. DOT Report HS 801-737 Abstract: This report describes the results of a study to investigate, identify, and analyse the potential problems of electromagnetic interference from all sources (inernal and external to the vehicle) that may cause malfunction of motor vehicle electronic control and electronically actuated safety devices. This program accomplishes an analysis of inter- and intra-vehicle energy transfer and coupling by computer simulation, utilising DOD developed modelling techniques that have been employed for a wide range of EMS/EMI design and evaluation support problems. These applications have included aircraft, spacecraft and advanced surface ships. A computerized circuit analysis model adapted from the IBM Electronic Circuit Analysis Program (ECAP)  is used to assess susceptibility of representative types of electonic components and subsystems typically used in automotive electronic applications.A preliminary EM environmental source file is provided based on a literature seach of vehicular internal noise sources and worse case external electromagnetic field descriptions. Validatin test plans and preliminary EMC guidelines for automotive electronics are summarised.
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9.4.5 NHTSA DENIALS OF MOTOR VEHICLE PETITIONS REQUESTING INVESTIGATION OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION
  • January 29 2004 : (MY) 1996 and 1997 General Motors J-cars (Chevrolet Cavaliers and Pontiac Sunbirds) NHTSA Denial of Motor Vehicle Defect Petition, DP03–007 http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/04-1864.htm
  • September 22 2003 : LEXUS MODEL YEARS 1997-2000 :  NHTSA Denial of Motor Vehicle Defect Petition, DP03–003 :  [Notices  55076-79  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 183 / Monday, September 22, 2003] Notice describing the reasons for denying a petition dated April 25, 2003 submitted to NHTSA under 49 U.S.C. 30162, by Mr. Peter  Boddaert requesting that the agency conduct a Petition Analysis ‘‘covering Lexus cars, model years 1997 to 2000, model series 300 & 400.’’ Mr. Boddaert, made this request after experiencing at least three events involving alleged  unintended engine speed increase in his model year (MY) 1999 Lexus LS 400. The third of these resulted in a crash when his vehicle rear-ended another  stopped at a traffic light. According to the petitioner, his Lexus was inspected by multiple dealers, and no mechanical cause was ever identified that would explain what happened in any of the three incidents. Petition denied [See reference above to current NHTSA investigation into 2002-2003 vehicles] http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/pdf/03-24144.pdf 

  • September 20 2002 : CHRYSLER JEEP AND JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE: NHTSA Denial of Motor Vehicle Defect Petition   59330A [Federal Register Vol. 67, 183 Friday, Sep 20, 2002] This notice sets forth the reasons for the denial of a petition submitted to NHTSA under 49 U.S.C. 30162 by Mr. William Sayler, requesting the Agency commence a proceeding to determine the existence of a defect related to motor vehicle safety in certain Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee vehicles. After a review of the petition and other information, NHTSA has concluded that further investigation of the Agency’s investigative resources on the issues raised by the petition does not appear warranted. The agency accordingly has denied the petition. The petition is hereinafter identified as DP 02-0005 [Petition submitted April 11 2002] Document can be found in PDF downloadable form at: http://www.rdaweb.com/jeepsa/jeep.htm
    • Motor Vehicle Petition DP 02-005  [Jeep Cherokee & Grand Cherokee]  An overview of Research and Findings in the Investigation of Sudden Acceleration Incidents involving Model Year 1991 through 1995 Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokees. March 27 2002. Formal Defect Petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Authors: Sayler, Walter D., Bizzak, David J., Nocivelli, Robert A. Document can be found in PDF downloadable form at: http://www.rdaweb.com/jeepsa/jeep.htm
    • Previous requests for NHTSA investigations
      • Centre for Auto Safety request to NHTSA 23/04/96 for higher level investigation
      • Centre for Auto Safety request to NHTSA 13/07/90 for higher level investigation
(DP99-004) submitted to NHTSA under 49 U.S.C. 30162, requesting that the agency ``institute a new investigation into the cause or causes of
sudden acceleration.

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0: Cruise Control Home
1:Introduction
2:What is Cruise Control?
3: Principles
4: Functional aspects
5: What is Sudden Acceleration?
6: Incidence & Examples
7: Internal 
failure mechanisms
8: Discussion
of  Failure Mechanisms
9: Links & References
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Section 9 : Version 1.1 Updated February 21st 2002 and May 8th 2002, May 16th 2002, September 13th 2002, 
January 31st 2003, February 10th 2003, February 13th 2003, February 14th 2003, February 26th 2003, March 2nd 2003 March 10th 2003, May 2nd 2003, May 8th 2003, June 17th 2003, July 2nd 2003, September 3rd 2003, November 16th 2003, December 31st 2003, January 4th 2004, January 6th 2004, January 10th 2004, Feb 11th 2004, March 21st 2004, March 28th 2004, April 1st 2004, April 14th 2004
.Version 1.2:
May 7th 2004, May 29th 2004, Aug 8th 2004, October 7th 2004, October 11th 2004, December 4th  2004, January 31st 2005, March 9th 2005, March 23rd 2005, March 25 2005, April 17th 2005. April 20th 2005, May 19th 2005, Split into separate sub-pages August 9th 2005, November  25th 2005
©Antony Anderson Version 1.0 February 2001 and Version 1.1 July 2001 and version 1.2 May 7th 2004