| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the faulty airbag control module in Volkswagen vehicles has happened again within the same organization. Volkswagen first received information about the issue from a single field case in late 2017. Subsequently, in 2018, the automaker received a second case from the field, and a third case was reported later in 2018. After working with the supplier ZF/TRW, Volkswagen decided that the defect was significant enough to warrant a recall [86997].
(b) There is no information in the provided article indicating that a similar software failure incident related to the faulty airbag control module has happened at other organizations or with their products and services. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design |
(a) The software failure incident in the Volkswagen airbag system recall can be attributed to the design phase. The faulty capacitor in the airbag control module, which is a component of the software system, was identified as the root cause of the issue. This faulty capacitor introduced a defect in the system, causing the airbag system to potentially malfunction by either deactivating the airbags or deploying them at an incorrect time [86997].
(b) The software failure incident is not directly linked to the operation phase or misuse of the system. The article primarily focuses on the design flaw in the airbag control module and the subsequent recall and software update process to address the issue. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident related to the airbag control module in Volkswagen's recall is within_system. The faulty capacitor within the airbag control module is causing the airbag system to act incorrectly, leading to potential risks of deactivation or improper deployment of airbags and seatbelt pretensioners [86997]. The remedy for this issue involves flashing the cars with a software update that can detect an increase in resistance within the module, indicating a failure of the faulty capacitor, and then replacing the airbag control module [86997]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall was due to a faulty capacitor in the airbag control module, which is a non-human factor introduced during the manufacturing process. This faulty component caused the airbag system to potentially deactivate or deploy at an incorrect time, increasing the risk of injury [86997].
(b) Human actions were involved in the detection and response to the software failure incident. Volkswagen first received information about the issue from field cases in late 2017 and 2018. After working with the supplier ZF/TRW and identifying the defect, Volkswagen decided to issue a recall to address the software failure [86997]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall was due to a faulty capacitor in the airbag control module, which is a hardware component. The faulty capacitor caused the airbag system to act incorrectly, potentially leading to the deactivation or improper deployment of airbags and seatbelt pretensioners [86997].
(b) The remedy for the software failure incident involved flashing the cars with a software update that can detect an increase in resistance within the module, indicating a failure of the faulty capacitor. If the increased resistance is found, technicians will replace the airbag control module, showing that the software update was addressing the hardware-related issue [86997]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the airbag control module in Volkswagen vehicles is categorized as non-malicious. The issue stemmed from a faulty capacitor in the module, causing the airbag system to act incorrectly by potentially deactivating the airbags or deploying them at an improper time. Volkswagen identified the problem through field cases and collaboration with the supplier, leading to a recall to address the defect. The remedy involved flashing the cars with a software update to detect the faulty capacitor and replacing the airbag control module if needed [86997]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
(a) The software failure incident related to the airbag control module in Volkswagen vehicles was not due to poor decisions but rather a faulty capacitor within the module. The issue was identified after multiple field cases were reported, leading to the decision for a recall and a software update to detect the fault [86997]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall was not attributed to development incompetence. The issue stemmed from a faulty capacitor in the airbag control module, causing the airbag system to malfunction [86997].
(b) The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall was accidental, as it was caused by a faulty capacitor in the airbag control module, leading to incorrect airbag deployment or deactivation [86997]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to the airbag control module in Volkswagen's recall is temporary. The faulty capacitor in the module can cause the airbag system to act incorrectly, leading to issues such as airbags deactivating or deploying at an improper time. The remedy involves flashing the cars with a software update that can detect an increase in resistance within the module caused by the faulty capacitor. If the increased resistance is found, technicians will replace the airbag control module, indicating that the failure is due to specific circumstances related to the faulty component [86997]. |
| Behaviour |
omission, timing, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall article is not described as a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions.
(b) omission: The faulty capacitor in the airbag control module can cause the airbag system to omit performing its intended functions correctly. It might cause the airbags to deactivate or deploy at an improper time, leading to the omission of correct airbag deployment [86997].
(c) timing: The software failure incident is related to timing issues as the faulty capacitor in the airbag control module can cause the airbags to deploy at an improper time, which can greatly increase the risk of injury [86997].
(d) value: The software failure incident is related to value issues as the faulty capacitor in the airbag control module can cause the airbag system to perform its intended functions incorrectly, such as deactivating the airbags or deploying them at an improper time [86997].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident is not described as a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The other behavior of the software failure incident is the illumination of the airbag warning light, which serves as an indicator that something is amiss with the airbag system [86997]. |