Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak gets help with his Toyota problem February 2, 2010 | 7:21 pm
Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Woz Wozniak has seen his share of software glitches in the gadgets he has created and in those he collects.
Wozniak But Wozniak said he was surprised several months ago when his 2010 Toyota Prius started accelerating on its own to as much as 97 mph when he used cruise control to increase the vehicles speed. He said he had to tap the brakes to stop the car from accelerating.
Wozniak, 59, wanted to alert Toyota Motor Corp. and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to the possible safety issue, but he grew frustrated when no one would listen.
Thanks to a media blitz Tuesday including an appearance on CNN Toyota engineers are going to borrow Wozniaks car for a week to diagnose the problem, he said. A Toyota spokesman confirmed that the automaker has reached out to Wozniak.
Toyota has recalled millions of vehicles and temporarily halted the sale of eight models because of reports of unintended acceleration. Toyota has not recalled Wozniaks model, which has a steering-wheel-mounted radar cruise control.
Wozniak is famous for collecting technology he likes including Segways, iPhones and Priuses. No product is perfect, he said. I would buy another one.
