All GM cars to have brake override system

General Motors today announced it's expanding the use of brake-override systems into all of its vehicles sold globally by the end of 2012.

Eight or nine GM vehicles in the U.S. are already sold with the system, said Alan Adler, a GM spokesman. It works by reducing power to the engine when the brake and accelerator pedals are being depressed at the same time.

GM said it already uses a braking performance standard in all vehicles that requires a braking vehicle to stop within a specific distance.

Adding the brake override to all vehicles is “for additional customer confidence," Adler said.

The vehicles that already have the system typically have really big engines, such as the Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac V-series vehicles.

The announcement comes in the wake of controversy at Toyota and its recalled vehicles involving unintended acceleration.