Toyota asks judge to dismiss lawsuits

In the latest twist in the Toyota unintended acceleration case, the automaker has asked the federal court to throw out the hundreds of lawsuits it is currently facing, calling them baseless.

The company was forced to recall millions of used Toyotas after it was found that a problem with floor mats could jam a pedal and cause the car to unexpectedly accelerate. Many have speculated that the issue might actually lie with the electronic systems in the car, but Toyota has denied this accusation repeatedly.

The plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit claim that they are filing on behalf of all Toyota owners who have an electric system in their vehicle. The automaker recently stated that this "defies common sense."

"Toyota is confident that its cars provide safe, reliable transportation and that the plaintiffs have no credible claims of loss or defect," said Cari K. Dawson, an attorney for Toyota, in a company statement.

Recent documents in court allege that Toyota knew about the acceleration issue well in advance of the recall and purchased vehicles back from complaining consumers. Those consumers then supposedly signed a non-disclosure agreement that stated they could not talk about the malfunctions.