It can be reasonably forecast that the Toyota hybrid recall will not be the last of its type.
Dr Peter Wells -
AUTOMOTIVEWORLD - February 11, 2010
Will this really slow the adoption of new tech? --Ed.
While much attention has been given to the impact of the Toyota recalls on the company and its much-vaunted brand reputation, so far not much has been said about how the episode of the Prius recall along with some of the other hybrids in the Toyota range will impact on the future prospects for hybrid sales generally.
This is a matter that extends well beyond the confines of the Toyota corporate world, because many OEMs have hybrid vehicles either in or near to market, and certainly the hub-based regenerative breaking system was seen in principle as one of the key means of achieving greater energy efficiency in many future vehicles.
The first key point is that a 'fault' or problem of this type is extremely difficult for any OEM to manage because it is rather elusive. It has proven difficult for Toyota and Prius drivers to agree on the nature of the problem and how it is manifest. In some respects, this lack of agreement is unsurprising. Drivers are exposed to a new technology that behaves somewhat differently in use to their 'normal' expectations, and the result is disconcerting at times.
While drivers may of course become accustomed to different vehicle characteristics, it is the case that when a rather different technology is introduced into the vehicle and that technology delivers a different driving experience there is going to be...
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Hybrid Mode
