The Audi Sudden Unintended Acceleration Episode

May 8, 2018

In the early eighties, the Audi 5000 was the must-have German sedan. Then some owners reported that the car had a mind of its own, accelerating wildly out of control with the driver powerless to stop it. Then 60 Minutes ran a segment that featured a rigged Audi accelerating without the driver pressing the gas. Our guest is Tom McDonald, who was Audi’s PR chief during this tumultuous time. He recounts the hysteria, the sales collapse, and the valuable lessons learned.