My thoughts on the Toyota dilemna

Toyota, before 2010, is probably best known through the manufacturing world as the standard for quality and lean manufacturing through the Toyota Production System. Many principles used throughout the Quality world stem from their techniques to eliminate waste and make a better product.  Part of the quality environment includes finding problems before a customer uses it. 

Fast forward to 2010: A problem is found with the gas pedal of over 4.5M Toyota cars.  From the FAQ

The issue involves a friction device in the pedal designed to provide the proper “feel” by adding resistance and making the pedal steady and stable. This friction device includes a “shoe” that rubs against an adjoining surface during normal pedal operation. Due to the materials used, wear and environmental conditions, these surfaces may, over time, begin to stick and release instead of operating smoothly. In some cases, friction could increase to a point that the pedal is slow to return to the idle position or, in rare cases, the pedal sticks, leaving the throttle partially open

I have a few questions for Toyota:

• Was there any feedback from customers saying they wanted the "feel"in the first place?  This is like GM, Chrysler and Ford sticking with the traditional knobs to roll down windows over the safer buttons because "it looked better"
• Why wasn't this material tested?  With any friction in play, the force might be enough for the pedal to come back?