riwyle Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 I just read that someone has posited the theory that Toyota runaways may be caused by cosmic rays, which is being studied by the Govt. Don't know how likely, but it is possible. I have always wondered about the safety of a vehicle with critical systems and components designed by computer engineers and computer programmers and not automotive/mechanical engineers. Just an unbiased thought to ponder. R Wyle Mechanical Engineer, Retired Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemon Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 I just read that someone has posited the theory that Toyota runaways may be caused by cosmic rays, which is being studied by the Govt. Don't know how likely, but it is possible. I have always wondered about the safety of a vehicle with critical systems and components designed by computer engineers and computer programmers and not automotive/mechanical engineers. Just an unbiased thought to ponder. R Wyle Mechanical Engineer, Retired Toytota has already stated that the electronics are protected from this sort of thing. If cosmic rays could affect critical electronics that easily, there'd be planes falling out of the sky, your microwave would try to kill you, and your cell phone would melt your ear. Now an EMP, or a solar burst...that might be a different story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riwyle Posted March 24, 2010 Author Share Posted March 24, 2010 I just read that someone has posited the theory that Toyota runaways may be caused by cosmic rays, which is being studied by the Govt. Don't know how likely, but it is possible. I have always wondered about the safety of a vehicle with critical systems and components designed by computer engineers and computer programmers and not automotive/mechanical engineers. Just an unbiased thought to ponder. R Wyle Mechanical Engineer, Retired Toytota has already stated that the electronics are protected from this sort of thing. If cosmic rays could affect critical electronics that easily, there'd be planes falling out of the sky, your microwave would try to kill you, and your cell phone would melt your ear. Now an EMP, or a solar burst...that might be a different story. Cosmic rays do not harm humans, but the can do weird things in circuits of microprocessors and computer chips which are now down the the size of a few atoms. Airline manufacturers and NASA have known about the concerns for years and have built redundancies in their computer programs to prevent failures in case of cosmic hits. Automakers have not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemon Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 Here's the actual information received by the NHTSA http://nhthqnwws111.odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms...0003-39160P.pdf Toyota's response NHTSA is not commenting on the story, but Toyota is. The company told the Free Press that its systems, "are not the same as typical consumer electronics. The durability, size, susceptibility and specifications of the automotive electronics make them robust against this type of interference." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXREY Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 Here's the actual information received by the NHTSAhttp://nhthqnwws111.odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms...0003-39160P.pdf Toyota's response NHTSA is not commenting on the story, but Toyota is. The company told the Free Press that its systems, "are not the same as typical consumer electronics. The durability, size, susceptibility and specifications of the automotive electronics make them robust against this type of interference." All of this is so weird and interesting....cosmic rays? Wow, who'da thunk it? By the way, I am called "Cosmic Rey" at times! I do hope that all of this gets straightened out. I have always talked up Toyota through the years and this has been so hard to take in. I hope the company recovers its amazing reputation. "Cosmic" Rey in L.A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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