Toyota said it sympathised with anyone in an accident involving one of its vehicles, but said it stood behind the safety and integrity of its electronic throttle control system.

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Consumers no longer trust Toyotas because a defective gas pedal, or possibly a malfunctioning electronic throttle control system, or maybe a poorly secured floor mat, can cause them to surge out of control.

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The system constantly monitors road conditions, throttle and steering input to determine which wheels should get power.

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"I lost the throttle on turn nine which I was told was due to a failure on one bank of the control system, " Coulthard said when his race was over.

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