| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to faulty brakes in Toyota Prius cars has happened again within the same organization. In 2010, Toyota had recalled 433,000 hybrid vehicles, including the Prius, due to a braking software glitch [Article 19742]. This indicates a recurrence of software-related issues within Toyota's Prius models.
(b) The article mentions that car recalls, including those related to software failures, are becoming more frequent across different companies. Neil King, an automotive analyst, noted that recalls are common these days and that Toyota was not the only company affected by such issues. The article also mentions a separate incident where US group Chrysler refused to recall 2.7m older-model Jeeps due to concerns about fuel tanks causing fires and deaths [Article 19742]. This indicates that software failure incidents are not unique to Toyota but are affecting multiple organizations in the automotive industry. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the article. The faulty brakes in the Toyota Prius cars were attributed to a design flaw in a brake part. The article mentions that vibrations during driving could cause cracks in the brake pressure accumulator, allowing nitrogen gas to leak into the brake fluid, making the brakes less effective. This design flaw led to the software failure incident in the braking system of the affected vehicles [19742].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is also highlighted in the article. It mentions that drivers would become aware of the problem through a warning light illuminating on the dashboard. In case of this warning, the vehicle should not be driven, and owners were advised to report the issue to their nearest Toyota Centre. This indicates that the failure due to the operation or misuse of the system was a critical aspect of managing the software failure incident in the affected vehicles [19742]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the faulty brakes in Toyota Prius cars is a within_system failure. The article mentions that the issue was caused by a design flaw in a brake part, specifically the brake pressure accumulator, which could develop cracks due to vibrations during driving. This design flaw allowed nitrogen gas to leak into the brake fluid, making the brakes less effective [19742]. This indicates that the root cause of the software failure originated from within the system design itself. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, unknown |
(a) The software failure incident related to non-human actions in the Toyota recall article is due to a design flaw in a brake part. Vibrations during driving could cause cracks in the brake pressure accumulator, allowing nitrogen gas to leak into the brake fluid, making the brakes less effective. This design flaw is a non-human factor that contributes to the software failure incident [19742].
(b) The software failure incident related to human actions in the Toyota recall article is not explicitly mentioned. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- The article mentions a design flaw in a brake part in the third generation Prius models built between March to October 2009. The issue was related to vibrations during driving causing cracks in the brake pressure accumulator, allowing nitrogen gas to leak into the brake fluid, which made the brakes less effective. This design flaw in the hardware component led to the software failure incident [Article 19742].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- In 2010, Toyota recalled 433,000 hybrid vehicles, including the Prius, because of a braking software glitch. This software glitch in the braking system led to the recall of the vehicles [Article 19742]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the faulty brakes in Toyota Prius cars was non-malicious. The issue was attributed to a design flaw in a brake part that could lead to greater stopping distances when braking. The problem was caused by vibrations during driving, which could cause cracks in the brake pressure accumulator, allowing nitrogen gas to leak into the brake fluid and make the brakes less effective. This design flaw was not intentional but a result of a technical issue in the manufacturing process [19742]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
(a) The software failure incident related to the faulty brakes in Toyota Prius cars was not directly attributed to poor decisions but rather to a design flaw in a brake part. The issue was caused by vibrations during driving that could lead to cracks in the brake pressure accumulator, allowing nitrogen gas to leak into the brake fluid, making the brakes less effective. This design flaw was the contributing factor to the software failure incident, rather than poor decisions [19742].
(b) The software failure incident was not a result of accidental decisions but rather a consequence of a specific design flaw in the brake part of the Prius vehicles. The issue was explained as a result of vibrations causing cracks in the brake pressure accumulator, leading to the leakage of nitrogen gas into the brake fluid, which affected the braking system. This indicates that the incident was not due to accidental decisions but rather a technical flaw in the design [19742]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as it mentions a previous recall in 2010 where Toyota recalled 433,000 hybrid vehicles, including the Prius, because of a braking software glitch. This indicates a failure in the development process or a software bug introduced due to lack of professional competence [19742].
(b) The software failure incident related to an accidental factor is seen in the article where it explains that vibrations during driving could cause cracks in the brake pressure accumulator, allowing nitrogen gas to leak into the brake fluid, making the brakes less effective. This issue seems to have occurred accidentally due to the design flaw in a brake part [19742]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident related to the faulty brakes in Toyota Prius cars is considered temporary. The issue was caused by a design flaw in a brake part that could lead to greater stopping distances when braking. The problem was specifically attributed to vibrations during driving causing cracks in the brake pressure accumulator, allowing nitrogen gas to leak into the brake fluid, making the brakes less effective. This design flaw resulted in a temporary failure that could be detected by a warning light illuminating on the dashboard, prompting owners to report the issue and refrain from driving the vehicle until the faulty part is replaced [19742]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident related to the faulty brakes in Toyota Prius cars can be categorized as a crash. The article mentions that the design flaw in a brake part could lead to greater stopping distances when braking, which is a clear indication of the system losing its intended state and not performing its functions correctly [19742].
(b) omission: The article does not provide specific information indicating that the software failure incident was due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s).
(c) timing: The article does not suggest that the software failure incident was due to the system performing its intended functions correctly but at the wrong time.
(d) value: The software failure incident is related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly, as mentioned in the article that vibrations during driving could cause cracks in the brake pressure accumulator, leading to nitrogen gas leaking into the brake fluid and making the brakes less effective [19742].
(e) byzantine: The article does not indicate that the software failure incident was due to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The software failure incident could also be categorized as a design flaw in the brake part, which is not explicitly covered in the provided options but can be considered as a distinct behavior leading to the failure [19742]. |