Government: No Electronic Flaws in Toyotas

(NewsCore) - Japan's Toyota Motor said Wednesday that a US government investigation into its vehicles "confirms the reliability" of the company's electronic throttle control systems, following a massive recall, AFP reported.

The market reacted positively to the report and upbeat earnings with Toyota shares soaring 4.72 percent in Tokyo trade Wednesday.

The US government Tuesday said electronic flaws were not to blame for cases of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles, which had forced the Japanese automaker to recall millions of cars in the United States.

"We believe the result of the US Department of Transportation investigation confirms the reliability of our electronic throttle control systems," the automaker said in an official statement.

"From here on, we intend to listen to our customers even closer and to offer not only safe vehicles but vehicles that provide peace of mind," it added.

The Japanese automaker has struggled to recover from its damaged reputation after a series of mass recalls affecting nearly nine million vehicles worldwide in late 2009 and early 2010.

The study -- run by NASA and the US Department of Transportation (DOT) -- concluded that the auto maker had accurately identified the only two causes of the incidents: defective gas pedals and floor mats.

"The jury is back, the verdict is in. There is no electronic cause for unintended high speed acceleration in Toyotas, period," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Tuesday.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched the 10-month study last spring at the request of Congress, and recruited NASA engineers with expertise in computer-controlled electronic systems, electromagnetic interference and software integrity to conduct new research into whether electronic systems could have played a role in incidents of unintended acceleration.

According to media reports, the investigation cost about $3 million.

To date, Toyota has recalled more than eight million vehicles to correct the problems and has paid about $49 million in fines related to the recalls.

According to the study, most incidents reported to the DOT were caused by driver error, not mechanical issues.

NASA and the DOT "observed that the vast majority of complaints involved incidents" that began when the car was stationary or at a low speed, the DOT said.

The most likely cause in such incidents was "pedal misapplication," with the driver stepping on the gas, rather than, or in addition to, the brake, according to The Wall Street Journal.