FMVSS 124. To the federal government and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, that sting of letters and numbers means a potential mandate. To the automotive industry, they mean more safety but also, more work because of it. The proposal is to make a brake pedal throttle override system a mandatory feature on all future vehicles but its final outcome has yet to be determined. While it waits for final approval, Hyundai is going ahead and acting before hand and soon enough, a compliant system will be found on every one of their offerings.
Starting with May’s production, 100 percent of all U.S.-spec Hyundai models will have brake pedal throttle override capability. The system paralyses the throttle in an emergency event so that acceleration doesn’t occur while the brake pedal is pressed. The proposed mandate came to be sometime after Toyota’s fiasco with “throttle gate” a few years back. Why Hyundai decided to go ahead and make the feature standard when it still doesn’t have to be has yet to be truly official. The automaker does however recognize that their decision was made months, if not years, in advanced. The reasoning might just be found within their loyal customers. “Hyundai development teams have been less concerned about final government mandate timing, focusing instead on the immediate safety and assurance of their customers,” said Hyundai.
Source: Hyundai
