In their on-going, never-ending crusade to protect us from ourselves, the NHTSA is proposing a throttle override that would, in essence, eliminate the ability to a) Heel-&-Toe, b) Trail-Brake or c) rock your car if stuck in snow or mud. Please read the attached, then contact NHTSA and tell them that this is a terrible idea!
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/12/n...o-official-sa/

 

this is why i never want to buy a car past ~2006.

 

............... *runs and punches a baby seal* They will be to occupied with crimes against baby seals to worry about this. Problem solved!

 

Meh.

I'm sure some enterprising soul will find a solution and sell it to us. Given that most vehicles nowadays are drive-by-wire, a plug-and-play device similar to the SprintBooster could probably bypass the system.

Car guys have circumvented safety devices before. I mean, think of how some guys install a Momo steering wheel in place of the stock with the airbag in it, or how some remove the TPMS and keep them in pressurized in PVC tubes, so that they can use classic wheels incompatible with the safety device.

I wouldn't jump to blaming the "nanny state" to quickly. We are a litigious culture and we'll sue for just about anything. "Well, your Honor, the manual did not explicit warn my client that simultaneous operation of the brake and accelerator pedals will result in certain death."

If anything "big brother" is protecting the corporations, not we the consumers.

 

Let the corporations protect themselves and leave gov't out of our lives. That's just one more electronic "glitch" to malfunction, requiring $$$$ to fix once out of warranty....case in point: seat occupant switch.

 

This is bad in a couple of ways:

1. Some (probably most if not all) automakers will use this as an excuse to stop making cars with manual transmissions altogether. Then again, the government may just mandate computerized automatics for "emissions" or "effiency"...

B. Once these "safety enhancements" become standard, a few people will clamor for a workaround to defeat it. When they (we) do, there will be a LOUD and self righteous shout down of anyone even asking about a way to defeat it. Anyone remember what happens when someone asks about a way to silence the never ending seatbelt reminder chimes? I wear my seatbelt when I drive. I can't stand noise., and sometimes when I'm swapping cars around in the yard, backing a boat down a ramp (or backing/spotting any trailer) I don't buckle up. I figure if I hit something at less than 5 mph and die, God must have been planning on calling me home anyway...

I mean for this to be tongue in cheek and somewhat amusing, but I'm afraid this is something to really dread.