NASA helps clear Toyota's name in midst of legal drama

February 16, 2011 12:00 AM

Toyota has been cleared of any wrong-doing in regards to its electronics and the effect it may have had on the unexpected accelerations that led to multiple deaths, reports The Los Angeles Times.

Thanks to NASA, a study conclusively proved that 39 out of 40 accidents were caused by the driver and the other was floor mat-related. Toyota's popularity has surged just in the past week, thanks to the report.

Unfortunately, that doesn't change the fact that Toyota's design and innovation have taken a seat behind Ford and Chevrolet. Plus, the automaker still faces class-action lawsuits from owners of cars that accelerated without warning and refused to slow down, according to MotorTrend.

"Customers are walking away with the perception that even though a Toyota is well built, they don't see it as the next step in design, styling and innovative features," said Alexander Edwards, president of Strategic Vision, an automotive research and marketing consulting firm.

The next step for Toyota is to focus on presenting a well-built car that has excellent performance ability, states a test driver from Consumer Reports in the Times.

Whether the company can keep up the increase in confidence seen in the past week remains to be seen, however.

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