Motoring Discussion > Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: SteelSpark	Replies: 17

Wed 23 Jun 10 23:34   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - SteelSpark

tinyurl.com/24zxuwu Tragic, but I wonder what happened. It seems the car he hit was also been driven by a test driver, so I guess it would probably have been a closed road. I guess the details will come out in time. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 01:22   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - Skoda

:-( Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 01:24   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - Armel Coussine

Poor chap of course, untimely no doubt, but one is tempted to say: That's test driving for you. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 01:53   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - rtj70

Terrible accident. But one question it raised for me.... damage and injury in the Lexus worse.... so the £300k+ car not as good as the BMW from a crash point of view??? Head on collision and all. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 05:15   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - Auntie Lockbrakes

Are they sure it wasn't brake failure..... Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 08:16   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - Cliff Pope

I thought they used crash dummies, not real people? Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 08:42   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - Bellboy

looking at the impact damage i would suggest one of the cars had full airbag and sidebag protection and one didnt the crash also looks fairly slow speed so maybe someone wasnt wearing a safety belt? Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 08:54   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - Zero

Looking at the cars that looks worse than NCAP 40 mph offset damage, I would say thats fairly high speed. If its a closed road test track head on crash, there are some questions to be rasied about management and procedure at the site. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 09:02   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - R.P.

Says it was on Highway 410 which suggests a public road - there is a 410 which seems south of the circuit - don't know enough about the area though. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 12:25   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - FotheringtonTomas

"Reports say he veered into oncoming traffic" which suggests a normal road. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 09:03   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - movilogo

... and how exactly he died?? I had very similar head on crash (which I reported here earlier) and survived without any broken bones! If the occupants were wearing seatbelt and airbags worked fine, there should be only minor injury. The lethal effect of head on collission happens as body organs comes to a rapid deceleration in an instant. The seat belts and crumple zone aids to reduce the impact. A very sad news though. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 09:08   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - R.P.

Nothing to say he was killed by the collision......(not wanting to speculate etc) Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 09:09   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - Tooslow

"he veered into oncoming traffic and collided head-on". Not wanting to dwell on his age (67) but I wonder if he could have had a heart attack or similar? Poor devil. JH Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 09:10   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - Zero

Ah. possibly fugu fish. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 09:55   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - Bagpuss

According to the local press the accident happened on the L94 which is a normal road a few kilometers from the Nuerburgring in a place called Boos. The Lexus was a one off prototype and the BMW was a production car filled with prototype electronics and measuring devices. The fact that the BMW drivers were also test drivers was a coincidence, but also indicative of how much testing the car manufacturers undertake at the 'Ring. The lexus driver had to be cut out of the car and was dead at the scene, the occupants of the BMW survived, but the passenger is in a critical condition. All the occupants were wearing not only safety belts but also crash helmets. Noone (yet) knows why the Lexus was on the wrong side of the road. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 10:41   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - jc2

Japan does drive on the left. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 12:09   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - Mapmaker

I know Japan reveres older people, but 67 is quite old for a test pilot, isn't it? Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 24 Jun 10 12:40   Toyota's chief test driver killed in crash - Snakey

I didn't think the damage on the cars looked that bad. Not something I'd want to experience but both cars seemed in excellent structural shape? Reply to this message | Report message