美国运输部长拉胡德(Ray LaHood)周三说，该部门正在扩大针对丰田汽车突然加速问题所提投诉的调查范围，看丰田汽车的电子油门系统是否受到了电磁干扰。他还说，希望能与丰田汽车公司(Toyota Motor Corp.)的首席执行长丰田章男(Akio Toyoda)直接会谈。
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday his agency is widening its probe of sudden acceleration complaints in Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles to look at the possibility of electromagnetic interference with electronic throttle systems, and said he wants to talk directly with company Chief Executive Akio Toyoda.
拉胡德在国会听证会上的一席话曾短暂引起金融市场和丰田汽车经销商的恐慌，当时他说，那600万辆被召回丰田和雷克萨斯(Lexus)汽车的车主应停止驾驶这些车辆。丰田召回这些车辆是为了解决其被怀疑存在的油门问题。拉胡德随后迅速收回了这一讲话，称这是一个口误，他只是想鼓励这些丰田汽车的车主们迅速解决这一问题。
Mr. LaHood briefly caused a flurry in financial markets and at Toyota dealerships when he said during a congressional hearing that owners of six million Toyota and Lexus vehicles recalled to fix suspected throttle problems should stop driving the cars. Mr. LaHood quickly retracted the remark, calling it a misstatement and said he meant only to encourage Toyota owners to get their cars fixed quickly.
由于拉胡德决定让美国全国高速公路交通安全委员会(NHTSA)调查有关电磁干扰可能导致电子油门系统出现故障的投诉，汽车工业有可能面临一场范围更广的挑战。丰田的许多款车都使用了电子油门系统。
The car industry could face a broader challenge because of Mr. LaHood's decision to have the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigate claims that electromagnetic interference could cause electronic throttle systems such as those used in many Toyota models to malfunction.
这一事态发展有可能使消费者对汽车采用电脑控制系统的业内普遍做法产生质疑，汽车行业这样做一定程度上是为了使汽车达到燃油经济性要求。
That in turn could raise questions about the industry's wholesale move to computerized systems, done in part to meet fuel-efficiency requirements.
丰田将其汽车出现的突然加速问题仅仅归咎于以下两个原因：汽车底垫摆放位置不当以及油门踏板出现卡壳。
Toyota has blamed sudden acceleration on just two causes: out-of-position floor mats and sticky accelerator pedals.
电子油门用继电器取代了连接油门踏板和油门的机械装置。已被汽车行业普遍使用的电子油门系统可以降低汽车重量，减少汽车油耗。
Electronic throttles replace mechanical links between the gas pedal and the throttle with electronic relays. The systems, used widely in the industry, reduce vehicle weight and fuel waste.
NHTSA说，它已开始从一个新的角度看待电子油门控制系统和电磁干扰对这一系统可能产生的影响。该机构说，目前还没有理由认为电子油门系统存在安全缺陷或该系统在遇到电磁干扰时无法正常工作。
NHTSA said it had begun a 'fresh look' at both electronic throttle control systems and the possible effects of electromagnetic interference on the systems. The agency said it has no reason at this point to believe there are safety defects in the systems or in their ability to function when exposed to electromagnetic interference.
它说，自己进行的是针对基本技术问题的背景调查。
Instead, it is 'a background examination of the underlying technological issues,' NHTSA said.
作为调查工作的一部分，NHTSA将与汽车制造商及零部件供应商举行会晤，以进一步了解他们的电子油门系统以及这些公司会以何种方式解决可能出现的电磁干扰问题。NHTSA说，它还将与独立专家和那些“在媒体上”提出可能存在电磁干扰问题的人士举行会晤，以了解其想法的依据。
As part of the probe, NHTSA will meet with manufacturers and suppliers to gain more understanding of their electronic throttle systems and ways in which these companies address any possible interference effects. NHTSA said it also will meet with independent experts and people who have raised the possibility of EMI effects 'in the media' to learn more about the basis of their opinions.
