NASA space and aeronautics engineers are being called in to help examine Touota’s electronic throttles, to find out if they are the cause of the sudden auto accelerations.

“We are determined to get to the bottom of unintended acceleration,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told Reuters.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, part of the Transportation Department, is doing an investigation into Toyota’s throttles. As part of that probe, nine NASA scientists who are experts in electronics, electromagnetic interference, software and difficult problem solving will be lending a hand.

The NHTSA investigation is slated to be done by the summer, and then it will be decided whether to go forward with a formal probe.

In Japan Tuesday, Toyota president Akio Toyoda convened a committee with 50 members that will study safety problems.