Sure, if by software you mean those behind the wheel:
NHTSA Deputy Administrator Ron Medford said... the most likely cause was "pedal misapplication," in which the driver stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes.
NHTSA Deputy Administrator Ron Medford said... the most likely cause was "pedal misapplication," in which the driver stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes.
The full quotation is this:
NHTSA Deputy Administrator Ron Medford said that in many cases when a driver complained that the brakes were ineffective, the most likely cause was "pedal misapplication," in which the driver stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes.
I notice you cleverly replaced the words "that in many cases when a driver complained that the brakes were ineffective" with an ellipsis to subtly change the meaning of Mr. Medford's statement. "Many" is not quite the same thing as "all".
The conclusion of the NHTSA did not let Toyota off the hook for having had mechanical problems.
The software problem that Toyota did have (and has fixed as part of the recall process) was the failure to include a very simple safety feature in the "drive by wire" system that they (and many other manufacturers use) whereby hitting the brake pedal would override the throttle. So, if a defective pedal mechanism (or an errant floor mat) caused a signal to be sent to the car's engine management computer calling for a wide open throttle, applying the brakes would cause that signal to be overridden, thus avoiding a runaway situation and also preventing the loss of brake power assist.
I'm not saying this particular software problem was a direct cause of any of the runaway incidents, but it certainly made it more difficult for a driver to manage the situation.
You need to watch this video produced by Consumer Reports. It clearly shows the software issue that Toyota had, and has now fixed.