"Toyota to recall 1.9 million Prius hybrids"

From the BBC:

Toyota is recalling 1.9 million of its top-selling Prius hybrid cars because of a software fault that causes the engine to emit a monotonous whine instead of reassuring roar.

The world's biggest carmaker said it had identified more than 400 reports of drivers becoming catatonic after more than five minutes behind the wheel, with the bulk of them occurring in Japan and North America.

The recall comes weeks after Toyota halted the sale of some car models in the US after reports that cars "made whoever drove them feel like a complete twat", a view widely shared by other road users.

The latest recall affects the current generation Prius sedans made since March 2009. The Prius was first released in 1997 and is one of the most despised hybrid vehicles on the market.

The car has come in for particular criticism from pedestrians who have been nearly run over after failing to hear the car approaching. Schools have also informed parents that boys who are picked up in a Prius later suffer playground taunting and bullying.