Video: Toyota demonstrates safe hybrid vehicle stopping techniques

Toyota now has produced a high quality video that clearly demonstrates how to stop any Toyota hybrid vehicle in the event of unintended acceleration, following their distribution of a low budget video, apparently created by a Toyota car salesman earlier this week. This new video demonstrates how a Toyota hybrid - any model - should function under normal conditions if the vehicle is accelerating out of control.



Toyota's latest video is a quick response to the incident involving a second generation Toyota Prius that allegedly sped out of control while covering 30 miles of a San Diego, California, freeway earlier this week. Following that incident, many consumers voiced concerns that braking and/or gear engagement systems in push-button start and hybrid vehicles may be different, and therefor react dangerously in an unintended acceleration event.

The video covers the multiple options that a driver has if they feel their Toyota hybrid is accelerating without their input, including the brake override function, how to shift into neutral and the last option of shutting the vehicle off entirely.

(More after the video)


As the video points out, Toyota's hybrid models feature a brake override system, unlike the rest of its current lineup. This feature, if functioning as intended, should override the accelerator in the event that the brakes and accelerator are applied at the same time. When the computer receives both a braking and acceleration signal simultaneously for more than one second, the engine will stop accelerating and return the engine to an idle position.

This video demonstrates that the recent incident in San Diego was either the result of abnormal function of the vehicle's computer, or complete operator error on the part of the driver, James Sikes.