(February 8, 2011) Federal safety officials at the Department of Transportation said today that a comprehensive investigation has found no evidence that electronics were to blame for runaway Toyota vehicles.

"The jury is back. The verdict is in. There is no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas. Period," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told a packed press conference at the department's headquarters. "Our conclusion is Toyota's problems were mechanical, not electrical."

Toyota had maintained throughout 2010 that it had no evidence of electronic failure in vehicles involved in unintended acceleration incidents. The finding should go a long way in helping the Japanese automaker put the question behind it.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched the study 10 months ago at Congress' urging. With the help of NASA engineers, the study sought to determine if cases of unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus vehicles were caused by something other than sticky gas pedals and trapped floor mats.

NASA examined nine vehicles with alleged braking problems and subjected them to electromagnetic interference testing. Engineers also looked at software codes to detect any flaws that could disrupt the electronic throttle control.

Despite the findings, federal regulators are considering new rules to address mechanical and electronic flaws in vehicles. NHTSA may propose mandatory brake override systems on all vehicles. That software upgrade allows a driver to stop a vehicle by pressing on the brake, even if the throttle is stuck.

Toyota and many other automakers already are making the systems standard on all new vehicles.

— Compiled from various news sources