Archive: Opinions

IBM’s iconic motto is the phrase “THINK SAFETY.”  It is etched onto the front entrances of its now closed factories and office buildings in Endicott, NY. It was placed on buttons, pocket protectors, pens, slide rules and any other hand held device imaginable.  The company eventually shortened its motto to the word, “THINK”, but has always maintained that safety must be the foremost factor for its employees and those who use IBM products. 

Toyota Motor Company might learn a lesson or two from IBM.  Recently the world’s number one auto maker has suffered some serious setbacks in its vehicle production.  First, a sticky gas pedal caused a massive recall of Toyota cars.  In a recall late last year involving 5.4 million vehicles, Toyota said entrapment of the gas pedal by floor mats was the cause of unwanted acceleration that in some cases has been fatal.

A preliminary federal investigation into a highly publicized unintended crash involving a Lexus this past August is pointing toward incorrect floor mats as a significant factor.  However the investigation also noted that the Lexus’s accelerator “is not hinged and has no means for relieving forces caused by interferences.” All gas pedals move up and down to control the engine speed and most are hinged either at the top or the bottom. Some pedals also tilt relative to the arm they’re mounted on.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) seems to imply that if the pedal had a second hinge; it might have been easier for the driver to get it unstuck from the floor mat.

President Akio Toyoda apologized to customers for the anxiety the company has caused them. "I feel very sorry that we have caused our customers unease. We are now working to grasp the facts so that we can deliver an explanation as quickly as possible.” 
 
Toyota now faces another setback as it is poised to recall 400,000 Prius hybrid cars to fix a potentially dangerous brake defect.  This recall of Toyota's flagship green vehicle will undoubtedly add to the weakened reputation of the world's biggest carmaker.  It has already recalled more than 8 million cars worldwide, because of potential accelerator problems. 

Toyota said the problem was not mechanical, but was due to a software glitch that can be fixed in about 30 minutes. Last week it invited allegations of a cover-up after it admitted it had already started fixing the defect on models assembled since the end of last month. 

Again, Akio Toyoda held a news conference where he briefly apologized last week while at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.   With concerns growing about safety issues in more models, he offered another apology a few days later and said Toyota would establish a high-level committee to study the problems. 

Needless to say, his statements are unlikely to quell the mounting concerns of Toyota owners, as well as American government officials.  A House committee will hold a hearing on Toyota safety in Washington, when the company will again be pressed publicly about its handling of safety issues.

All of this uncertainty will have an effect on sales of all Toyotas.  Americans look for reliability as well as affordability, but most importantly, Americans demand safety.  Americans can forgive carmakers for failing to reach the first two goals, but when it comes to safety, we are serious. Our lives and the lives of our loved ones are top priority. 

When gas tanks on the Ford Pinto began to explode during rear end collisions, the public and Congress demanded an investigation into the matter.   Ford acknowledged it had improperly placed the gas tank too close to the rear bumper thereby creating an extremely hazardous, if not life threatening, “Accident waiting to happen.”  Changes were made, and America eventually regained confidence in Ford.  

Earlier this week, Mr. Toyoda apologized again for the computer glitch in a microchip that controls the brake mechanism in the Prius.  Mr. Toyoda, Americans have had enough apologizes and demand that you fix the problems that plague your vehicles.  Safety is a serious matter, and no one is willing to risk any more lives while driving your cars.   And that is to the point. 

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