The Toyota Prius was the subject of almost 14 million recalls between 2009 and 2014, including 11 United States, the first consumer of the model. First failures on the accelerator pedal, then on the control software and finally braking problems; the third generation of the hottest hybrid car has made it all the rage for its drivers.
It was during one of these recall campaigns that Toyota made a controversial software update on thousands of vehicles, tells an article from The Economist. To avoid too much pressure on the transistors of its motors, the current has been reduced in the battery that would, in fact, less efficient, on a series of Prius recalled. A maneuver reminiscent ofApple, who admitted to lower the performance of its old iPhone models to avoid premature wear… but has been accused of practicing a form of programmed obsolescence.
Unwanted side effects
Although the cars with potential risks of overheating have been supported by the manufacturer with a repair of thirty minutes at no cost to owners of Prius, and with a renewal of warranty, users complain today consequences of this update.
Several customers claim that following Toyota’s intervention, fuel consumption and exhaust emissions would have increased significantly to offset the reduction in battery power, negating the benefits of the hybrid. This does not please consumers who have chosen the Prius precisely to save not only energy, but also money.
A new turning point in car control?
So the question ironically asks the newspaper “Do electric cars dream of fixed software? – Only when their inverters go haywire” (“Do electric cars dream of software fixes? Only when their inverters fart the lead”) returns to ask: how far can car manufacturers, as well as smartphone leaders, go in software upgrades for their products? Article highlights in particular the potential judicial problems facing the builder. The automaker is now facing litigation over its recourse, a lawsuit filed by one of California’s largest Toyota dealerships alleging that more than 100 of its customers who have already received the software update have returned with the same problem of overheating, Toyota disputes the allegations and asked that the trial be dismissed.A judge has since ruled that the case can go further, and set a date for the trial early next year. ” It is therefore not certain that this maneuver will become the norm in the automotive industry. Case to follow.
Victoire Saugnac