NHTSA hires NASA scientists to study unintended acceleration in Toyotas

Remember earlier this month there was this outrageous report about how the design of Toyota”s microprocessor memory chips could make them vulnerable when exposed to cosmic rays causing them to accelerate out of control? Well, it seems like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is taking that very seriously.

U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Tuesday that his agency has hired nine scientists from NASA to help uncover whether electronic glitches are to blame for unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles. The group of nine will study if such issues as electromagnetic interference may have contributed to Toyota’s acceleration issues.

The National Academy of Sciences will also conduct a study of unintended acceleration and electronic vehicle controls across the entire auto industry.

Both studies will cost the Deport of Transportation about $3 million.

“For the safety of the American driving public, we must do everything possible to understand what is happening,” LaHood said in a statement. “And that is why we are tapping the best minds around.”

– By: Omar Rana

Source: CNNMoney