| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to sudden unintended acceleration in Tesla vehicles has happened again within the same organization. There have been multiple incidents reported where Tesla vehicles experienced sudden unintended acceleration, leading to crashes and injuries. For example, incidents involving Tesla Model X SUVs accelerating uncontrollably have been reported, such as the incident where a Model X accelerated at 'maximum speed' by itself and crashed into a shopping mall [94791]. Additionally, there was a fatal crash involving a Tesla Model X on Highway 1010 in Mountain View in March 2018, where the vehicle suddenly accelerated while in autopilot mode [94791].
(b) The software failure incident related to sudden unintended acceleration in Tesla vehicles has also happened at multiple organizations. The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) received 127 complaints regarding sudden unintended acceleration in Tesla Model S, Model X, and Model 3 vehicles, resulting in crashes and injuries [94791]. These incidents occurred in various locations, including California, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, involving different drivers and scenarios where the vehicles accelerated unexpectedly, causing accidents. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the case of Tesla vehicles experiencing 'sudden unintended acceleration.' This flaw was reported in various models from 2013 through 2019, affecting nearly 500,000 cars. The issue led to 110 crashes and 52 injuries, with incidents occurring when drivers attempted to park or while using driver assistance systems. The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) received 127 complaints regarding this issue, indicating a design flaw in the system that caused unexpected high-power accelerations [Article 94791].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the complaints where drivers reported instances of their Tesla vehicles accelerating on their own while in traffic or when parking. For example, a driver in Avondale, Pennsylvania, mentioned the vehicle accelerated on its own while pulling into a parking spot at an elementary school, going over a curb and into a chain link fence. Another driver in Andover, Massachusetts, experienced the car suddenly lurching forward towards the garage door, destroying two garage doors. These incidents point to failures in the operation or control of the vehicles, leading to unintended acceleration [Article 94791]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the sudden unintended acceleration of certain Tesla models is primarily within the system. The incidents were reported to occur when drivers attempted to park or while using driver assistance systems, indicating a fault originating from within the vehicle's software or hardware [94791]. Additionally, the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) received complaints specifically about alleged sudden unintended acceleration in Tesla vehicles, pointing to an internal system issue [94791].
(b) outside_system: There is no specific information in the provided articles indicating that the software failure incident was due to contributing factors originating from outside the system. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
- The incident of sudden unintended acceleration in certain Tesla models was reported by drivers when they attempted to park or were in traffic, indicating a flaw in the software or system that caused the acceleration without human input [94791].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
- The NHTSA received 127 complaints regarding sudden unintended acceleration in Tesla vehicles, with reports of crashes and injuries caused by the flaw in the software or system [94791].
- The owner of a Tesla Model X reported that the vehicle suddenly accelerated at 'maximum speed' by itself, jumped a curb, and crashed into a shopping mall, with no self-driving features activated at the time, suggesting a potential software or system issue [94791]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The incident involving Tesla vehicles experiencing sudden unintended acceleration is attributed to a flaw that caused 110 crashes and 52 injuries [94791].
- One specific incident mentioned a Tesla Model X SUV suddenly accelerating at 'maximum speed' by itself, jumping a curb, and crashing into a shopping mall, with the vehicle being only five days old and no self-driving features activated at the time [94791].
- Another incident described a Tesla Model X crashing on Highway 1010 in Mountain View, resulting in a fatality, with the vehicle accelerating a few seconds before the crash while in autopilot mode [94791].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) received 127 complaints about sudden unintended acceleration in certain Tesla models, leading to an investigation [94791].
- The NHTSA defines 'sudden acceleration incidents' as unintended, unexpected high-power accelerations from a stationary position or low initial speed, potentially indicating a software-related issue [94791].
- The NHTSA is evaluating a defect petition regarding alleged sudden unintended acceleration in Tesla vehicles from model years 2012 through 2019, suggesting a potential software-related defect [94791]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Tesla vehicles experiencing sudden unintended acceleration does not appear to be malicious. The incidents reported involve unintended acceleration of the vehicles, leading to crashes and injuries, without any indication of intentional harm by humans. The focus is on investigating the flaw in the vehicles that caused the sudden acceleration, rather than attributing it to malicious intent [94791]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident related to poor_decisions:
- The software failure incident involving Tesla vehicles experiencing sudden unintended acceleration was attributed to a flaw in the vehicles, leading to 110 crashes and 52 injuries [94791].
- The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) received 127 complaints regarding this issue, prompting an investigation into the alleged sudden unintended acceleration in Tesla Model S, Model X, and Model 3 vehicles [94791].
- The NHTSA defines 'sudden acceleration incidents' as unintended, unexpected, high-power accelerations from a stationary position or a very low initial speed accompanied by an apparent loss of braking effectiveness [94791].
(b) The intent of the software failure incident related to accidental_decisions:
- The incident involving Tesla vehicles experiencing sudden unintended acceleration was reported to have occurred when drivers attempted to park in a garage or at a curb, as well as while in traffic or when using driver assistance systems [94791].
- One complaint mentioned a Tesla Model S accelerating forward towards the street and crashing into a parked car, indicating an unintended acceleration event [94791].
- Another complaint described a Tesla vehicle accelerating on its own into a chain link fence while the driver was pulling into a parking spot at an elementary school, suggesting an accidental acceleration [94791]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the reported Tesla sudden unintended acceleration cases. The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) received 127 complaints regarding certain Tesla models experiencing sudden unintended acceleration, leading to crashes and injuries [94791]. The incidents involved various Tesla models made and sold from 2013 to 2019, indicating a potential flaw in the software or systems of these vehicles. The complaints highlighted instances where the vehicles accelerated unexpectedly while parking, in traffic, or when using driver assistance systems, suggesting a lack of professional competence in the development of these features that led to safety risks.
(b) The accidental nature of the software failure incident is also apparent in the Tesla sudden unintended acceleration cases. Drivers reported incidents where their Tesla vehicles accelerated on their own, causing crashes and damage. For example, a driver in Avondale, Pennsylvania, experienced the vehicle accelerating into a chain link fence while pulling into a parking spot at an elementary school [94791]. These incidents suggest that the acceleration was unintentional and occurred accidentally, potentially due to a fault or glitch in the software or systems of the vehicles. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to the Tesla vehicles experiencing sudden unintended acceleration can be categorized as a temporary failure. This is evident from the fact that the acceleration incidents were reported to have occurred under specific circumstances such as when attempting to park in a garage or at a curb, while in traffic, or when using driver assistance systems [94791]. The incidents were not described as a permanent, ongoing issue affecting the vehicles at all times but rather as sudden and unexpected accelerations that occurred in certain situations. |
| Behaviour |
crash, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident related to the Tesla vehicles experiencing sudden unintended acceleration can be categorized as a crash. This is evident from the numerous reports of vehicles suddenly accelerating and crashing into various obstacles such as parked cars, curbs, fences, and even buildings [94791].
(b) omission: There is no specific mention of the software failure incident being related to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s) in the provided articles.
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not related to the system performing its intended functions correctly, but too late or too early.
(d) value: The software failure incident is not related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly.
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident is not related to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a sudden unintended acceleration leading to crashes and injuries, which is not explicitly covered by the options provided. |