Do Toyotas Problems Herald an Era of Recalls?
We don’t want to add to the already overheated panic over Toyota’s (TM) accelerator and braking problems, but should we expect an increase in recalls across the industry as cars get more complex and dependent on electronics and software? On the heels of Toyota’s accelerator pedal recall and Prius braking issues, “In what could be deemed a broader problem with hybrid cars, Ford Motor Co. (F) said on Thursday it would roll out a software patch for consumers to address similar problems with braking reported on its Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan models.” Ford’s action came after Consumer Reports said one of its test engineers had experienced what appeared to be a loss of braking power with a Fusion hybrid. Ford said it was aware of one minor accident related to the braking problem but no injuries. It’s a reasonable assumption that problems with software and electronic systems will increase as cars become more complex, and they also may be more difficult to diagnose. On the positive side, th
