Uncontrolled acceleration is also described as "unexplained acceleration," and "sudden acceleration." It may be described as a situation in which a vehicle speeds up or moves ahead without any action on the part of the driver. Many auto safety experts believe that a majority of uncontrolled acceleration cases go unreported. Part of the reason for these may be that many of these accelerations occur when the car is already moving along at a reasonably high speed.  A large number of accidents in recent years have been linked to unexplained acceleration of a vehicle.

Auto Makers Deny Reports of Uncontrolled Acceleration

Toyota's line of 2006 and 2007 Tacoma pick up models has been the subject of an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over reports of uncontrolled acceleration. It was the fourth such sudden acceleration-related probe into Toyota vehicles in a span of 3 years. Drivers have complained of the engine revving up when the brakes were applied, leading to a potentially disastrous accident.

Another Toyota vehicle, the Prius Hybrid has generated hundreds of complaints over uncontrolled acceleration. The company has recalled the vehicles, and conducted an examination of the electronic software in these cars, but these investigations have proved non conclusive. In such cases, accidents have been avoided entirely because drivers have been able to control the vehicle, and prevent a crash. Meanwhile, complaints of uncontrolled acceleration with the Prius Hybrid continue to come in.

Ford Motor Company recalled its Ranger models after throttle defects lead to sudden acceleration of the car.

In most of these cases, auto manufacturers have refused to admit that any mechanical defect in the vehicle was responsible for the unexpected acceleration. They have blamed driver imagination instead, choosing to present the problem as one that exists purely in the mind of the driver. Several consumer safety experts however have charged that these incidents occur because of serious problems in the computer system software and electronic controls. Auto manufacturers have also been at a loss to explain why such reports of uncontrolled acceleration are restricted only to some models of automobiles, and not others. As auto safety advocates have rightly pointed out, a problem that is the product of a motorist's imagination would likely be found across all models of cars, instead of being restricted to a few.

Sudden acceleration of a car can lead to a serious accident when a motorist is unable to control the car due to such revving of the engine.  The resulting injuries can be serious. As modern vehicles come with super sophisticated features, the possibility of that these high tech systems conceal defects, especially in the software controls that they run on, is a very real one. Unfortunately, auto manufacturers are constantly focusing their energies on creating the next super car that will change the future of the industry, and introducing it as quickly as possible into the American market, without testing it properly.