National Academe of Science Sudden Unintentional Acceleration Meeting January 28, 2011 Presented by: David Champion - Auto Test Director

National Academe of Science Sudden Unintentional Acceleration Meeting January 28, 2011 Presented by: David Champion - Auto Test Director

80+ Vehicles Purchased Anonymously National Academe of Sciences

SAFETY: OUR MAIN FOCUS National Academe of Sciences Each Vehicle Undergoes 50 Different Tests and Evaluations Braking: dry, wet, ABS, fade Emergency handling Routine handling Driving Position/Visibility Controls and Displays Acceleration Headlight performance Fuel Economy Seat comfort Transmission Ride Interior noise Access Trunk Interior fit and finish

Overall Test Score from the 50 different tests Reliability from Annual Survey Owner Satisfaction from Annual Survey Owner Cost calculation of depreciation, fuel costs, insurance, loan interest, sales tax and maintenance and repair

2010 Annual Questionnaire Mailed Spring 2010 Greater than 5 million subscribers (CR & CR.org) 1.3 million vehicles Data on models covering 10 years Largest U.S. survey of its kind

Tire testing

Overall Score is a weighted average of the following: Dry Braking Wet Braking Hydroplaning Resistance Dry and Wet Cornering Ice braking Snow traction Ride Comfort and Noise Emergency dry handling and wet handling Rolling resistance Tread Life Safety related items like braking, handling, hydroplaning resistance and winter grip are emphasized in the overall score

Rolling Resistance Consumer Reports says use rolling resistance as a tiebreaker. Why? Some tires compromise dry and / or wet grip and tread-life for optimum rolling resistance.

Consumer Reports Child Passenger Safety Testing: Bringing Two Worlds Together

Ease-of-Use Fit-to-Vehicle Crash Performance / Sled Test Performance

Changes suggested by Consumer Reports following the Toyota SUA incidents Brake override. Simple ignition switches. Easily understood transmission shifters. Adequate distance between pedals and floor.

Brake Override Require cars to be able to stop within a reasonable distance, even with the throttle fully open. A sustained press on the brake pedal should allow the car to stop in a reasonable distance, even if the throttle is wide open. One method to reduce stopping distances is smart throttle technology that allows the brakes to override the throttle. But other methods would be acceptable, as long as the vehicle can stop within a reasonable and safe distance that would be determined by regulators.

Simple Ignition Switches Require simple, standard controls that turn off the engine in an emergency. In many current Toyota vehicles, for instance, the engine is shut off with a single press of the button when parked, but when the car is moving it requires a sustained three-second push. Though that s a safety precaution to prevent accidental engine shut-off, it s an action many owners may never guess, particularly if they are panicked. Toyota has changed how its start-stop ignition button operates to improve ease of use. Ignition controls including push buttons should provide immediately intuitive operation in the event of an emergency.

Easily Understood Transmission Shifters Mandate intuitive, clearly labeled transmission shifters in all new cars. If your car is accelerating out of control, hitting the brakes and shifting into Neutral is your best strategy. The advent of gated and electronic shifters can make finding Neutral if the driver is in a panic confusing. Shifters should be designed so that a driver can quickly identify the neutral position and easily shift gears to regain control.

Adequate Distance Between Pedals And Floor Require a minimum distance between the gas pedal and the floorboard. Floor mats that entrapped throttle pedals have been a major focus in recent recalls. People frequently use thick all-weather floor-mats, illfitting mats, or stack one mat atop the other. So why not design for failure in this case? Simply allowing for sufficient clearance between the pedal and the floor mat, no matter what position the pedal is in, will reduce the risk of pedal entrapment.

Vehicle measurements Seat to Steering Wheel Offset Seat to Brake Pedal Offset Brake to Accelerator Centerline Brake Pedal to floor height. Brake Pedal to Accelerator Depth

Mode l Y e a r Model Centerline of seat to centerline of brake pedal (+ve rt, - ve lt) Centerline of seat to centerlin e of steering wheel (+ve rt, - ve lt) Centerline of brake pedal to centerline of accelerato r pedal Height from he floor o center of brake pedal Depth of accelerato r pedal from brake pedal 2007 Toyota Sienna AWD 2.00 1.00 6.00 3.00 1.50 2008 Chrysler Town & Country 1.25 0.00 6.75 5.50 2.50 2008 Honda Accord 1.00 0.00 6.25 4.00 1.50 2008 Jeep Liberty -1.75 0.00 5.25 4.00 2.50 2008 Chevrolet Aveo LT 1.50 0.00 5.25 3.75 1.50 2009 Honda Pilot 0.75-0.50 6.75 4.50 1.50 2009 Hyundai Azera 1.00-0.25 6.00 4.50 2.00 2009 Infiniti G37 convertible 0.75 0.00 5.50 4.00 1.50 2009 Infiniti G37 coupe 0.75 0.00 5.50 4.00 1.50 2009 Nissan 370Z 1.25 4.25 4.50 2009 Toyota Avalon 0.25 0.75 5.75 3.00 1.75 2009 Volkswagen Routan 1.50 6.00 5.50 2010 Acura MDX SH AWD 0.00 7.00 4.50 2010 Audi A6 3.0 T 1.00-0.25 5.50 3.50 1.25 2010 Buick LaCrosse 1.50-0.75 6.50 3.50 2.00

60 Pedal Depth 69 vehicles 50 Number of Vehicles 40 30 20 10 13 vehicles - 5 Toyotas 0 0 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.25 2.5 Pedal Offset [in]

2011 Audi A8 L 0.00 2011 Jaguar XJL 0.00 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander 0.00 2011 Subaru Forester 0.00 2011 VW Touareg 0.00 2010 Mazda Miata (manual) 0.75 2010 Lexus GX460 1.00 2010 Lexus IS250 Convertible 1.00 2010 Lincoln MKZ 1.00 2010 Toyota 4 Runner 1.00 2010 Toyota Prius 1.00 2010 Toyota Yaris 1.00 2011 Kia Sorento 6cyl 1.00

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