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These stories are so implausible.

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local-beat/Runaway-Prius-Needs-Help-to-StopCHP-86965487.html
“”Sikes said his Prius seemed to be accelerating on its own — reaching speeds of more than 90 mph on Interstate 8 at one point — before he called the California Highway Patrol. A CHP officer was able to locate Sikes, then pull alongside him and instruct him over the patrol car’s PA system on how to slow the car down. Eventually, after the Prius stopped, the officer placed his patrol vehicle in front of the car as it came to a stop in the No. 1 lane of eastbound I-8. Initial reports from the CHP incorrectly stated that the patrol car pulled in front of the Prius, acting as an additional brake to get the car to stop.

Sikes said he was standing on the brake pedal, trying to slow down.

“I was on the brakes pretty healthy,” Sikes said. “It wasn’t stopping, it wasn’t doing anything to it, and just kept speeding up, kept going, and I called 911 right away, and they were trying to tell me what to do, but I couldn’t hold the phone and the steering wheel properly at the same time, so I just kept trying my methods, dropped the phone and it just kept going faster. I just stayed on the brakes as much as I could until finally they started smelling really bad and I had metal sounds coming in the car.”

Sikes said the CHP officer arrived shortly afterward and told him to use the emergency brake. He also tried to shut off the car, which it finally did, then he rolled to a stop near the La Posta Bridge in the area of the Golden Acorn Casino.””

The ignition buttons on the Yotas don’t always shut the engine off at once. This prevents engine shutdown from an accidental bump against the button, but if the car is veering wildly it is a challenge to hold and keep the button down. Nissans and some others will respond at once to a pressed shutoff button. Toyota looks like it’s got a real issue here.