Cars and trucks are heavy, fast, expensive machines people use every day, and we all have to pass a test to earn the privilege — it is not a right — to drive them.
But in driver's education in high school, I don't remember the instructor talking about anti-lock brake system, or any other safety feature, like stability or traction control, or how it feels when it is active. I also don't remember any discussion of how dangerous it is to be distracted while driving or even how to tell if your car needs anything checked.
Even my father, a terrifically experienced and accomplished driver, never taught me about traction or stability controls. The shortcomings of our driving education system are now responsible for needless recalls including the "fix" of anti-lock braking, removal of regenerative braking from hybrids and the steering issue for Corollas.
The recent spate of recalls for Toyota illustrates just how poorly informed most drivers are. For the Prius, recent complaints involve the "‘inconsistent brake feel' during slow and steady application of brakes on rough or slick road surfaces with the ABS activated."
What these drivers don't understand is that the "inconsistent feel" is the anti-lock braking system at work. The worst thing that can happen is a very brief loss of traction.
The braking system works by a computer figuring out which tire is sliding and pumping the brakes for you on that particular wheel to keep traction, to keep you out of the ditch and away from that tree. It is a brilliant system that has totally replaced the old "pump the brakes" technique our parents learned.
Although it is superior, those who don't understand the technology think it feels weird through the pedal, since the pedal feels like it is pushing back. The solution is simple: if you feel the pedal start to bump or push against your foot, keep your foot on it. The car is using technology to slow you down safely.
Another cause of misdirected concern involves the regenerative braking system on hybrids, including the Ford Fusion hybrid as well as the Prius, which kicks in when you take your foot off the gas or lightly press the brake pedal. What happens in those common situations is the tires connected to the car's electric motor convert the car's kinetic energy into a voltage that charges the batteries and stores the energy for future use by the electric engine — a great idea.
It can feel weird to an uninformed driver who doesn't understand the technology, but it is an important part of driving a hybrid, as it helps improve the efficiency of the vehicle. Removing it is not a sensible alternative to educating the driver of its function.
Even more ridiculous than the removal of regenerative braking is the news that federal officials might be investigating steering problems on the 2009-2010 Corolla.
According to an article from USA Today, one driver was quoted as saying, "If you take your eye off the road for a second, the car will drift into another lane."
So when you're not paying attention, and the car drifts wherever you're looking, it is the fault of the car? When driving or walking or running, people tend to drift in the directions they're looking.
The article also mentions that other steering, "Complainants have compared the movement to being buffeted by strong winds, sliding on black ice or hydroplaning."
They said that after trying to straighten the car, it can overcorrect, requiring the driver to use a tight, persistent, two-handed grip on the wheel to travel in a straight line. If these drivers understood their alignments better, they would understand their wheels are probably out of balance and need to be checked. This isn't unusual at all, just normal maintenance.
So please stop before suing a company over something you don't take the time to learn about your car. It will save a lot of headaches.
- Sean Tomlinson is a doctoral student in chemical engineering. Please send
comments to opinion@spub.ksu.edu.
