| Recurring |
unknown |
(a) The software failure incident related to the faulty shift lever in Volkswagen cars does not mention any previous similar incident happening within the same organization.
(b) The software failure incident related to the faulty shift lever in Volkswagen cars does not mention any similar incident happening at other organizations or with their products and services. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall is related to the design phase. The fault in the shift lever that poses a rollaway risk was caused by silicate buildup on the shift lever micro switch, which led to the components identifying this buildup as an open micro switch, incorrectly denoting the vehicle as being in Park. This design flaw allowed drivers to remove the key from the ignition without the vehicle actually being in Park, increasing the risk of rollaway incidents and potential crashes [88248].
(b) The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall is also related to the operation phase. Volkswagen mentioned that some models may produce warning sounds or error messages while driving, which would signal that the actual micro switch has failed. This indicates that the operation of the system, specifically the detection and signaling of the micro switch failure during driving, contributed to identifying the issue [88248]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident described in the article is related to a fault in the shift lever of the affected Volkswagen vehicles. The issue is specifically with the shift lever micro switch, where silicate buildup can cause the components to identify a false positive, indicating the vehicle is in Park when it may not be. This internal system fault leads to a rollaway risk, increasing the possibility of a crash and injury [88248].
(b) outside_system: There is no information in the article indicating that the software failure incident was caused by contributing factors originating from outside the system. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall was primarily due to non-human actions. The fault in the shift lever was caused by silicate buildup on the shift lever micro switch, which led to the components identifying a false positive of the vehicle being in Park when it was not. This non-human factor introduced a risk of rollaway for the affected vehicles [88248].
(b) Human actions were involved in addressing the software failure incident. Volkswagen announced a fix where technicians will disable the existing micro switch and install an additional switch outside of the gear lever housing along with another circuit board to rectify the issue. Additionally, VW will offer a reimbursement program for owners who fixed the problem and paid out of pocket, indicating human intervention in resolving the software failure [88248]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware |
(a) The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall is related to hardware. The fault in the shift lever that poses a rollaway risk is caused by silicate buildup on the shift lever micro switch, which is a hardware component. Volkswagen plans to disable the existing micro switch and install an additional switch outside of the gear lever housing, along with another circuit board, to address the issue [88248]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article is non-malicious. The fault in the shift lever that poses a rollaway risk in Volkswagen cars is attributed to the buildup of silicate on the shift lever micro switch. This buildup causes the components to identify a false positive, leading to the incorrect indication that the vehicle is in Park when it is not, potentially resulting in a rollaway risk [88248]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
The software failure incident described in Article 88248 does not directly point to either poor_decisions or accidental_decisions as the intent behind the failure. The issue with the shift lever micro switch buildup of silicate leading to a rollaway risk seems more related to a technical fault rather than poor or accidental decisions. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall is not directly attributed to development incompetence. The issue described in the article is related to a fault in the shift lever that poses a rollaway risk due to silicate build-up on the shift lever micro switch, leading to a false positive identification of the vehicle being in Park. This issue is more related to a design or manufacturing flaw rather than development incompetence [88248].
(b) The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall is more aligned with an accidental failure. The fault in the shift lever that poses a rollaway risk was not intentional but rather a result of silicate build-up on the shift lever micro switch, causing a false positive identification of the vehicle being in Park. This unintended consequence led to the potential risk of the affected vehicles rolling away, increasing the possibility of a crash and injury [88248]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident described in the article is more aligned with a temporary failure rather than a permanent one. The issue with the shift lever micro switch in the affected Volkswagen vehicles is caused by the buildup of silicate on the switch, leading it to incorrectly identify the gear position. This issue is not inherent to the design of the vehicles but rather a result of the specific circumstance of silicate buildup affecting the switch functionality. As a temporary fix, Volkswagen plans to disable the existing micro switch and install an additional switch outside of the gear lever housing, indicating that the issue can be rectified by addressing the specific contributing factor of silicate buildup [88248]. |
| Behaviour |
value |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall is not described as a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions [88248].
(b) omission: The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall is not described as an omission where the system omits to perform its intended functions at an instance(s) [88248].
(c) timing: The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall is not described as a timing issue where the system performs its intended functions correctly, but too late or too early [88248].
(d) value: The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall is related to a value issue where the system performs its intended functions incorrectly. Silicate buildup on the shift lever micro switch causes the components to identify a false positive, indicating the vehicle is in Park when it is not, leading to a rollaway risk [88248].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall is not described as a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions [88248].
(f) other: The software failure incident in the Volkswagen recall is not described as any other specific behavior not covered by the options provided [88248]. |