USA TODAY Drive On: A conversation about the cars and trucks we drive

Driver of runaway Lexus 'disappointed' by Toyota finding

If you wanted to put a face on Toyota unintended acceleration cases, it would have to be that of Rhonda Smith. She's the Tennessee woman who emotionally testified to
Congress about her Lexus taking off on her at high speed -- and her hope it never happens to others. She still believes in her cause despite the government's finding yesterday.

She said in an interview with Drive On that she's "disappointed" by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's report that didn't find anything wrong with the electronics that control throttles in Toyotas. She says she suspects investigators didn't look hard enough.

"I firmly believe there is a vehicle defect," she said. "I just knew the electronics went haywire, and that's what I believe. It doesn't happen often, but it's there."

Smith, who testified to a congressional subcommittee on the issue last year, said she knew it wasn't the floor mats jamming that caused her Lexus ES350 to accelerate out of control back in 2006. She was only able to stop it by waiting for it to rev down, then stomping on the brakes. That's her before the panel with her husband, Eddie, above.

She believes strongly in her cause and says she's not part of any class-action lawsuits.

Toyota contends that in her case and others, its electronics are not to blame. And now it has NHTSA behind it.

See photos of: Toyota Motor Corporation