All About Japan Autos

Reports indicate that human error is to blame for many cases of unintended acceleration in top-selling Toyota vehicles — not a faulty acceleration pedal as originally believed.

According to The Wall Street Journal, “The U.S. Department of Transportation has analyzed dozens of data recorders from Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles involved in accidents blamed on sudden acceleration and found that the throttles were wide open and the brakes weren’t engaged at the time of the crash, people familiar with the findings said.”

In a follow-up interview with Bloomberg, Toyota Spokesman Mike Michels said “virtually all” crashes linked to cases of unintended acceleration were due to drivers mistakenly pressing the gas pedal instead of the brakes.

Michels later clarified his statement to the Boston Globe, saying that he was only referring to “crashes in which the driver reported that his or her foot was on the brake.’’

While initial reports appear to vindicate Toyota of any wrongdoing, USA Today says that isn’t the case: “It isn’t yet clear how many of the thousands of incidents involve pedal misapplication because NHTSA hasn’t analyzed them all. And however many, it will not clear Toyota of already known vehicle problems that created acceleration risks.” These problems include “ill-fitting floor mats that could trap poorly designed gas pedals.”

Though this latest news adds an unexpected twist to an already-complex series of events, there’s likely more to come. “NHTSA says its investigation is incomplete and will take months to finish,” reports Cars.com. “This report, while intriguing, is far from the end of the story.”

If you’re in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.