All U.S. Honda Vehicles To Get Brake Overrides By Next Year
American Honda has announced that it will be installing a brake-override system on all of its Honda- and Acura-brand vehicles for the North American market by the end of 2011.
The device would, quite simply, allow the brake pedal to override any throttle input returning the engine to idle or near idle to permit safe braking if the accelerator pedal is either stuck or accidentally simultaneously pressed.
Several other automakers, including Mazda, have announced plans to incorporate brake overrides on all their future models, ahead of a potential federal requirement for them. Currently, Nissan is the only automaker to use them across its entire lineup, though Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and Chrysler already have the feature on many of their models.
Toyota is also planning to install a brake override on a number of models for 2011, and the 2010 Toyota Camry and 2010 Toyota Avalon already had the feature.
At the time Toyota was dealing with its stuck-accelerator recall, Consumer Reports helped bring stuck-accelerator strategies to light, clearly demonstrating—when accelerators were floored—the stopping difference between vehicles that did and didn't have brake overrides.
The first application of the so-called Brake Priority Logic will come to market this August, Honda says.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
