| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the passenger detection system disabling the airbag in Audi vehicles has happened within the same organization. Audi first caught wind of the issue in mid-2017 when it received an increased number of field reports about passenger-detection-system replacements. This indicates that the problem had occurred before within Audi vehicles [88238].
(b) There is no information in the provided article to suggest that a similar software failure incident related to the passenger detection system disabling the airbag has happened at other organizations or with their products and services. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design |
(a) The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles was related to the design phase. The issue stemmed from the passenger detection system's cable having a self-diagnosing function that was too sensitive. If the cable's shielding had even partial surface oxidation, the detection system would malfunction and disable the passenger airbag, even if a passenger was seated there. This design flaw led to an increased risk of injury in a crash [88238].
(b) The articles do not mention any software failure incident related to the operation phase or misuse of the system. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles was due to a self-diagnosing function in the cable of the passenger detection system that was too sensitive. This sensitivity caused the detection system to malfunction and disable the passenger airbag even when a passenger was seated there. The issue originated from within the system itself, specifically from the design and functionality of the cable's self-diagnosing function [88238].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident was not attributed to factors originating from outside the system. The article does not mention any external factors contributing to the failure; instead, it focuses on the internal issue within the passenger detection system of the Audi vehicles [88238]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles was primarily due to non-human actions. The issue stemmed from the passenger detection system's cable having a self-diagnosing function that was too sensitive. If the cable's shielding had partial surface oxidation, the detection system would malfunction and disable the passenger airbag, even if a passenger was seated there. This non-human factor of cable oxidation led to the malfunction and subsequent recall by Audi [88238].
(b) Human actions were involved in the response to the software failure incident. Audi, upon receiving an increased number of field reports about the passenger-detection-system replacements, collaborated with its supplier to investigate the issue. They eventually discovered the reason behind the fault and initiated a recall to address the problem. Additionally, Audi technicians were tasked with applying a software patch to adjust the diagnostics' thresholds to prevent the cable oxidation from disabling the passenger airbag. This human intervention in diagnosing, fixing, and addressing the issue highlights the involvement of human actions in response to the software failure incident [88238]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles was primarily due to hardware issues. The article mentions that the issue stemmed from the passenger detection system's cable having a self-diagnosing function that was too sensitive. If the cable's shielding had partial surface oxidation, the detection system would malfunction and disable the passenger airbag, even if a passenger was seated there. This hardware-related issue led to the malfunction in the software system controlling the airbag deployment [88238].
(b) The software failure incident also involved a software patch as a solution. Audi planned to address the issue by applying a software patch that adjusts the diagnostics' thresholds to prevent the cable oxidation from disabling the passenger airbag. This software fix was aimed at rectifying the hardware-related issue that caused the malfunction in the passenger detection system [88238]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article is non-malicious. The issue with the passenger detection system in Audi vehicles was due to a cable with a self-diagnosing function that was too sensitive. This sensitivity caused the detection system to malfunction and disable the passenger airbag even when a passenger was seated there. The software patch applied by Audi technicians aimed to adjust the diagnostics' thresholds to prevent the cable oxidation from causing the malfunction, indicating a non-malicious intent to rectify the issue [88238]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
The software failure incident related to the Audi recall for the passenger detection system does not indicate any poor decisions or accidental decisions as contributing factors. The issue was identified as a sensitivity problem in the cable's self-diagnosing function, leading to the malfunction of the detection system and the disabling of the passenger airbag [88238]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles was not attributed to development incompetence. The issue with the passenger detection system was linked to a cable with a self-diagnosing function that was too sensitive. The malfunction occurred due to partial surface oxidation of the cable's shielding, leading to the system disabling the passenger airbag incorrectly. Audi, in collaboration with its supplier, investigated the issue and initiated a recall to address the problem [88238].
(b) The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles was accidental. The malfunction in the passenger detection system was not intentional but occurred due to the sensitivity of the cable's self-diagnosing function. The issue was discovered after an increased number of field reports about system replacements, prompting Audi to investigate and identify the cause of the fault. The company is still working to understand why certain vehicles are more susceptible to the problem and has taken steps to address it through a recall and a software patch to adjust the diagnostics' thresholds [88238]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident described in the article is more aligned with a temporary failure. The issue with the passenger detection system in Audi vehicles was due to the sensitivity of the cable's self-diagnosing function and partial surface oxidation affecting the detection system, leading to the malfunction and disabling of the passenger airbag. Audi addressed this issue by planning to apply a software patch to adjust the diagnostics' thresholds, preventing the cable oxidation from causing the problem. This indicates that the failure was not permanent but rather temporary, as it was caused by specific circumstances related to the cable's sensitivity and oxidation [88238]. |
| Behaviour |
omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles is not described as a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions [88238].
(b) omission: The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles can be categorized as an omission failure. The detection system malfunctioned and disabled the passenger airbag even though a passenger might be seated there, omitting to perform its intended function [88238].
(c) timing: The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles is not related to timing issues where the system performs its intended functions but too late or too early [88238].
(d) value: The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles can be categorized as a value failure. The detection system performed its intended function incorrectly by disabling the passenger airbag when it shouldn't have, leading to an increased risk of injury in a crash [88238].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles is not described as a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions [88238].
(f) other: The software failure incident in the Audi vehicles can be categorized as a failure due to a sensitivity issue in the cable's self-diagnosing function, leading to the malfunction of the detection system and subsequent disabling of the passenger airbag [88238]. |