[keskival]

The example is wrong:

"A simple poka-yoke example is demonstrated when a driver of the car equipped with a manual gearbox must press on the clutch pedal (a process step, therefore a poka-yoke) prior to starting an automobile."

You would typically put the car to a neutral gear before starting up the car, clutch isn't required.

Furthermore, if there was such a poka-yoke preventing start-up when the clutch isn't pressed, it would prevent the common safety procedure when a car doesn't start and is in a dangerous position, for example on rails or in the motorway. In such situations you would drive the car with the starter engine alone, putting the first gear on, release the clutch, and start the car, thus moving it forward slowly by the battery and the starter engine.

[nrr]

A lot of newer[0] US domestic market manual transmission cars do, in fact, have an interlock that prevents the starter motor from getting power without the clutch pedal also being depressed. Of particular note, my 1984 Ford Bronco II, 1991 Mitsubishi Galant, and 2004 Honda Accord all had such an interlock.

0: This is basically everything after the three-on-the-tree/four-on-the-floor era. I have yet to drive anything with an overdrive gear that didn't require popping the clutch to crank the starter.

[HeyLaughingBoy]

My 1987 Toyota 4x4 pickup had such an interlock. It also had a switch to disable the interlock, allowing you to start the truck in gear. A very useful feature when you were stalled on a very steep hill offroad. Starting in 1st gear, low range basically turned it into an electric car for a few seconds :-)