Myth-busting department: driver error is a myth

Spike

Lest we forget, customer complaints about Toyota SUA spiked after the introduction of the electronic throttle control system. After that, Toyota began claiming in its public statements and its lawsuit defenses that drivers were confusing the gas pedal and the brake. This one bar graph from the NHTSA - NASA study of Toyota electronics should lay that myth to rest in the minds of reasonable people.

Dr. Antony Anderson has studied this and writes

Randy Whitfield is the statistician who first found the statistical spike. He is on Skadden's list of "villains" on the subpoena document request. Here's an example of a 2013 VOQ complaint that Randy makes easily available on his Quality Control Systems website as a public service.

I WAS TURNING AROUND IN A PARKING LOT (360 DEGREE TURN) WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED...I HIT THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE AND I TRIED TO PUT THE ENGINE IN NEUTRAL. I WAS HEADING TOWARD A PARKED VEHICLE (I WOULD HAVE T-BONED IT BUT I SWERVED), FOOT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE TO THE FLOOR, NOTHING ON THE ACCELERATOR, ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE AND WHILE I TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL I OVERSHOT, THREW IT INTO REVERSE (ENGINE STILL RACING), THEN PARK. ENGINE RACING, I SHUT OFF THE CAR. NOTHING WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ORIGINAL FLOOR MAT REPLACED BY A DIFFERENT STYLE. I HAD THE ORIGINAL RECALL ISSUE FIXED SO THE ACCELERATOR IS THE NEW, SHORTENED VERSION. APPARENTLY THAT FIX DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SO NOW WHAT DO I DO? I CAN NO LONGER TRUST THIS VEHICLE TO OPERATE SAFELY. NOTHING SHOULD OVERRIDE THE BRAKE!! *TR