| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident has happened again at one_organization:
- The article mentions that Audi owners were the first to report problems back in 2017, followed by Skoda owners and VW Golf buyers, all experiencing similar issues with the SOS systems [113129].
- Flora Ellison, a Skoda owner, reported experiencing the same problem with her Skoda Karoq sports utility vehicle, indicating a recurring issue within the Skoda brand [113129].
(b) The software failure incident has happened again at multiple_organization:
- The article highlights that buyers of VWs, Skodas, and Audis started reporting intermittent problems with the SOS systems almost immediately after VAG Group introduced them in 2017 [113129].
- Complaints have been reported from owners of VW T-Roc, Caravelle, and VW's ID3 electric car, indicating a broader impact across different models within the VAG Group [113129]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the case of the defective SOS warning systems in cars sold by the Volkswagen, Audi, and Skoda group. The eCall system, which automatically contacts emergency services in the event of a serious accident, was introduced in these cars in 2017. However, buyers started reporting intermittent problems almost immediately after its introduction. Despite the issues being reported, the problem has not been resolved by the manufacturer even after almost three years [113129].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the experiences of frustrated owners who have had to make repeated trips back to dealers due to the faulty SOS systems in their cars. Owners have described the system failing while driving, rendering the car's satellite navigation and in-car phone system useless. Some owners have reported being told that the problems affect a significant batch of cars made during 2020. This indicates that the failure is related to the operation or use of the system by the owners [113129]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the defective SOS warning systems in cars sold by the Volkswagen, Audi, and Skoda group originated from within the system itself. The eCall system, which automatically contacts emergency services in the event of a serious accident, was reported to have intermittent problems almost immediately after being introduced in the cars in 2017 [113129]. The issues included warning lights flashing up, satellite navigation system going haywire, and hands-free phone system malfunctioning, indicating that the failure was within the system's components.
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident was also influenced by factors originating from outside the system. For example, the article mentions that in some cases, the sim card within the eCall system was found to be at fault, indicating an external factor contributing to the failure [113129]. Additionally, the need for a software update and replacement control unit to fix the problems suggests that external factors such as software compatibility or hardware issues may have played a role in the failure incident. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
- The article reports that buyers of VWs, Skodas, and Audis started experiencing intermittent problems with the SOS systems almost immediately after VAG Group introduced them in 2017, indicating a failure due to contributing factors introduced without human participation [113129].
- Some of the issues were related to the eCall emergency assist function not working reliably, leading to temporary halts in deliveries and recalls of certain models due to the system not functioning as it should [113129].
- Problems with the SOS system rendering the car's satnav and in-car phone system useless were reported by owners, suggesting a failure in the system itself rather than due to human actions [113129].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
- The article mentions frustrated owners having to make repeated trips back to dealers, indicating potential human actions contributing to the failure resolution process [113129].
- There are instances where dealers had difficulty diagnosing the fault, suggesting potential human errors in identifying the root cause of the software failure [113129].
- The consumer group Which? expressed concerns about manufacturing faults with some VAG models and emphasized the need for the manufacturer to investigate and fix the issues, implying potential human actions leading to the persistence of the software failure incidents [113129]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- The article mentions that in some early cases of the software failure with the SOS systems in VW, Skoda, and Audi cars, the sim card was at fault [113129].
- Owners have required a new replacement control unit in some cases, which suggests hardware issues contributing to the software failure [113129].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- A software update appears to have solved some problems related to the software failure in the SOS systems [113129].
- Lisa Barber of the consumer group Which? mentions concerns about manufacturing faults with some VAG models, indicating software issues [113129]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles does not seem to be malicious, as there is no indication of intentional harm to the system. The failure appears to be non-malicious in nature, stemming from defects in the SOS warning systems of cars sold by the Volkswagen, Audi, and Skoda group [113129]. The issues reported by buyers include intermittent problems with the eCall system, rendering the satnav and in-car phone system useless, and causing warning lights to flash up indicating system failures. The manufacturer has been accused of knowingly selling cars with defective SOS systems, leading to frustration among owners who have experienced these issues shortly after purchasing their vehicles. The failure seems to be a result of technical faults rather than intentional malicious actions. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the defective SOS warning systems in Volkswagen, Audi, and Skoda cars can be attributed to poor decisions made by the manufacturers. The article mentions that buyers started reporting intermittent problems with the SOS systems almost immediately after they were introduced in 2017. Despite these issues persisting for almost three years, the problem has not been resolved by the manufacturer [113129].
(b) The software failure incident can also be linked to accidental decisions or unintended consequences. For example, the article highlights cases where dealers had difficulty diagnosing the fault, and various solutions such as software updates and replacement control units were required to address the problems. Additionally, the consumer group Which? expressed concern over the manufacturer's awareness of the faults and the continued sale of cars without fixing the issues, indicating unintended consequences of the software failure incident [113129]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the case of the Volkswagen, Audi, and Skoda group selling cars with defective SOS warning systems. Despite the requirement for eCall systems in new cars since 2018, buyers of VWs, Skodas, and Audis started reporting intermittent problems with the SOS systems almost immediately after they were introduced in 2017. The issue has persisted for almost three years without a resolution from the manufacturer, leading to frustrated owners making repeated trips to dealers without a fix [113129].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is seen in the challenges faced by dealers in diagnosing the fault in the affected cars. Initially, some cases were attributed to a faulty sim card, while a software update resolved some issues. However, more recent cases have required a new replacement control unit, causing delays of up to two months for the fix. This indicates that the failures were not intentional but rather a result of unforeseen issues that required hardware replacements and software updates [113129]. |
| Duration |
permanent, temporary |
The software failure incident related to the SOS warning systems in cars sold by the Volkswagen, Audi, and Skoda group can be categorized as both permanent and temporary.
1. Permanent:
- The article mentions that buyers of VWs, Skodas, and Audis started reporting intermittent problems with the SOS systems almost immediately after they were introduced in 2017 [113129].
- Despite the passage of almost three years, the problem has not been completely resolved by the manufacturer [113129].
- Some owners reported that their car's satnav and in-car phone system were rendered useless due to the software failure [113129].
2. Temporary:
- Some early cases of the software failure were attributed to the sim card or required a software update, indicating that the failure was temporary in nature and could be resolved through specific actions [113129].
- Owners have required a new replacement control unit in some cases, which suggests that the failure was not permanent but could be fixed by replacing components [113129]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, timing, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the articles can be categorized as a crash as the SOS warning systems in cars sold by Volkswagen, Audi, and Skoda were reported to fail, rendering features like satnav and in-car phone systems useless [113129].
(b) omission: The software failure incident can also be categorized as an omission as the eCall system, which is intended to automatically contact emergency services in the event of a serious accident, was reported to have intermittent problems and failures, leading to the omission of its intended function [113129].
(c) timing: The timing of the software failure incident can be seen in cases where the eCall emergency assist function was not working reliably, leading to delays in the system performing its intended function [113129].
(d) value: The software failure incident can be categorized as a value failure as the system was reported to perform its intended functions incorrectly, such as displaying warning lights indicating the failure of the SOS system and causing disruptions in features like satellite navigation and hands-free phone systems [113129].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit characteristics of a byzantine failure, as there is no mention of inconsistent responses or interactions in the articles.
(f) other: The other behavior observed in the software failure incident is the inability of dealers to diagnose the fault accurately, leading to challenges in identifying the root cause of the problem and implementing effective solutions [113129]. |