Wear-free accelerator pedal kick-down switch

An accelerator pedal for use in a motor vehicle, said pedal comprising:

• a base plate,
• a pedal arm having a first and second end, said first end being pivotably mounted to said base plate on a pivot axis, said second end comprising a pedal plate to which a vehicle driver force can be applied;
• a spring mounted between said pedal arm and base plate, said spring providing resistance to depression of said pedal arm towards said base plate such that said pedal arm defines a rest position away from said base plate and an end position proximate to said base plate;
• a kick down switch mounted proximate to said second end so as to extend away from said second end towards said base plate, said kick down switch comprising a force threshold and signal generating means arranged within said kick down switch such that when said force threshold is manually overcome, said signal generating means is activated thereby generating a signal, and said kick down switch further comprises a magnet, magnetically permeable component and a return element arranged such that a magnetic field generated by said magnet generates a holding force which holds said component to said return element and generates a counter force to said driver force, said holding force being overcome by movement of said pedal arm into said end position;
• and
• a Hall element arranged between said return element and a radial collar part of a tappet, such that when said collar part is moved toward or away from said return element, said magnetic field influences said Hall element so as to change a signal in said Hall element thereby having a triggering effect.