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Re:Toyota brand Scion is back and it's going to sell a kei t... by pfdietz on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @05:37PM (#50447288)
I am sure someone will hack it to remove any enforced speed limit. And I'm sure Toyota will design it so that hack isn't too difficult.
Re:Toyota brand Scion is back and it's going to sell a kei t... by wry_xy on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @05:43PM (#50447351)
The trucks can go faster. The issue is where they can drive legally.
Re:Toyota brand Scion is back and it's going to sell a kei t... by shye on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @06:02PM (#50447549)
That's one issue. There's also safety as LSV regulation do not require any crashworthiness tests, so such trucks may be more dangerous to passengers and others (or may not - as there's no mandated bar, we can't really tell how good/bad they are).
Re:Toyota brand Scion is back and it's going to sell a kei t... by jojobas on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @06:09PM (#50447618)
I'd think these are not any more unsafe than any other cab-over truck?
Re:Toyota brand Scion is back and it's going to sell a kei t... by shye on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @06:34PM (#50447838)
We can't tell without comparable tests, which we don't have.

Results from crash testing of the Japanese model aren't great (scored 1 out of 5; higher is better), but since results are only comparable to similar weight vehicles, we can't compare to bigger cab-overs directly, only to passenger Kei cars, where some reach 4 out of 5, with a few scoring the full 5.

Re:Toyota brand Scion is back and it's going to sell a kei t... by jojobas on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @08:12PM (#50448606)
The thing is, heavier trucks are exempt from any of it in the US. 2006-2009 Chevrolet W-Series were frontal collision death traps as kei trucks and nobody cared.
Re:Toyota brand Scion is back and it's going to sell a kei t... by mywittyname on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @05:58PM (#50447504)
> And I'm sure Toyota will design it so that hack isn't too difficult.

And that's how to get these banned.

People reflash these to remove the speed governor, then drive them on regular roads. These things hold up traffic, piss people off, who then complain to law enforcement. The police do nothing about it so the issue gets raised to state and federal legislators, who do take action.

You can get away with a lot, so long as you don't bother anyone. The EPA didn't crack down on diesel tuners until coal rolling became enough of an issue that people complained about the lack of enforcement.

Re:Toyota brand Scion is back and it's going to sell a kei t... by caconym_ on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @06:41PM (#50447898)
> These things hold up traffic

IDK what kind of gearing this gimped version will come with, but it apparently has the same 660cc engine as the "real" Japanese version that can do 70+ mph. That's not a vehicle that's going to hold up traffic by being too slow, unless it's camping in the left lane on the freeway.

Re:Toyota brand Scion is back and it's going to sell a kei t... by pfdietz on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @07:11PM (#50448137)
> And that's how to get these banned.

Just how cars that can be hacked to eliminate pollution controls are banned?

Oh wait. That doesn't happen. The individual that does the hacking can get in trouble; the company? Not so much.

Re:Toyota brand Scion is back and it's going to sell a kei t... by quietsegfault on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @07:48PM (#50448430)
In my US State, low speed vehicles have special license plates. You can get stopped by police and towed if you take it onto roads over 35mph speed limit.