The Ministry of Commerce and Industry states that the Saudi agent of Toyota has started recalling the first batch of company cars in the local market, in order to install the brake override system.

This comes in response to the mandatory recall campaign that the ministry initiated earlier.

Effective Sunday (Jan. 19), owners of Lexus RX 350 models can have their cars installed with the brake override system for free.

The ministry announced at an earlier date that it will require Toyota Motors, through Abdul Latif Jameel Company (ALJ), Toyota’s agent in Saudi Arabia, to start a campaign to install the brake override system in Toyota cars across the Kingdom.

It has been noticed that some cars accelerate too rapidly right after they are started, which will render the driver unable to stop or control the car. The move by the ministry is similar to the US campaign.

In an earlier press release, the ministry said there was a meeting at the ministry with Toyota’s agent in the Kingdom, during which the ministry directed the agent to start the mandatory recall campaign in order to have the cars equipped with the brake override system on Toyota cars in the Kingdom, which number more than 400,000 vehicles of 10 different models.

The meeting discussed the question of conducting an educational and awareness campaign until all cars are equipped with the system. The campaign should alert the drivers how to handle sudden acceleration of the cars.

Saudi Arabia is the second country requiring the installation of the braking system. The first country to do so was the United States. Canada is thinking of taking similar action.

The ministry said that it will require all car manufactures to take actions that are taken in other countries, and on its part it will take all the necessary action that guarantees the rights of Saudi consumers.