In preliminary findings delivered to Congress on 58 incidents, investigators found that in 35 cases, the brake was not applied. In a further 14 cases there was only “partial braking”. In one case, both the brake and accelerator pedals were depressed and another showed evidence of pedals getting trapped in a floor mat. But the investigation found no evidence of any electronic problem suggested by Toyota’s critics as a likely cause of crashes.

Let’s hope Toyota won’t suffer the same fate that Audi did. I suppose it didn’t help that GM were so badly suffering from the economic meltdown, just when the stories about runaway cars started surfacing; that may well have “primed” public opinion against Toyota, the successful foreign invaders.