| Recurring |
unknown |
(a) The article does not mention any previous similar software failure incidents within Ford or with its products and services. Therefore, there is no indication of this specific software failure incident happening again at Ford or with its products and services [128066].
(b) The article does not provide information about similar software failure incidents happening at other organizations or with their products and services. Hence, there is no mention of this specific software failure incident occurring again at multiple organizations [128066]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in the Ford Mustang Mach-E recall can be attributed to the design phase. The issue stemmed from a bug in the software of the powertrain control module, which led to safety software inaccurately reporting torque values and potentially causing unintended acceleration or deceleration, increasing the risk of a crash [128066].
(b) The software failure incident can also be linked to the operation phase. The bug in the software could lead to the vehicle incorrectly detecting hazards on the primary axle, potentially causing the vehicle to enter a speed-limited limp mode. This aspect of the failure could be triggered during the operation of the vehicle, impacting its performance and safety [128066]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Ford Mustang Mach-E recall is within_system. The issue stemmed from a bug in the software in the powertrain control module, which is an internal component of the vehicle's system [128066]. The bug caused the safety software to report incorrect torque values on the secondary axle, leading to potential safety risks such as unintended acceleration or deceleration within the vehicle's system. Ford addressed this issue by issuing a recall and planning to fix it through over-the-air software updates, demonstrating that the failure originated from within the system itself. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the Ford Mustang Mach-E recall was due to a bug in the powertrain control module software that caused the car's safety software to always report a torque value of zero on the secondary axle. This non-human action led to potential issues such as ignoring unintended acceleration, unintended deceleration, or unintended vehicle movement on the secondary axle, increasing the risk of a crash. The NHTSA report highlighted that the software bug could also incorrectly detect a lateral hazard on the primary axle, potentially causing the vehicle to enter a speed-limited limp mode [128066].
(b) Human actions were involved in the response to the software failure incident. Ford first learned of the issue in March and approved a recall in early May after further researching the problem. The automaker took human action to investigate the reported vehicle going into limp mode and subsequently decided to issue a recall to address the software issue. Additionally, Ford provided options for affected owners to receive the software update either through over-the-air updates or by visiting the dealership, with both methods being free of charge. Ford also established a reimbursement plan for owners who may have paid for a fix before the recall notification [128066]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident in the Ford Mustang Mach-E recall was due to a hardware-related issue. The issue stemmed from a bug in the software in the powertrain control module, which is a hardware component that contains the electronics responsible for delivering power to the wheels [128066]. The bug caused the safety software to report a torque value of zero on the secondary axle, leading to potential safety risks such as unintended acceleration or deceleration. This indicates that the software failure incident had contributing factors originating in the hardware component of the powertrain control module.
(b) The software failure incident in the Ford Mustang Mach-E recall was primarily due to contributing factors originating in the software. The bug in the software of the powertrain control module caused the safety software to report incorrect values and potentially lead to safety hazards like unintended acceleration or deceleration. Ford addressed this software issue by planning to send over-the-air software updates to affected vehicles to fix the problem without requiring owners to visit a dealership [128066]. This highlights that the root cause of the software failure incident was related to issues within the software itself. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Ford Mustang Mach-E recall is non-malicious. The issue stemmed from a bug in the powertrain control module software that caused safety software to report incorrect values, potentially leading to unintended vehicle movements and increased crash risk. Ford discovered the issue after a vehicle improperly went into limp mode, prompting the recall to address the software bug [128066]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
accidental_decisions |
The software failure incident related to the Ford Mustang Mach-E recall can be attributed to accidental_decisions. The issue stemmed from a bug in the powertrain control module software that caused safety software to report incorrect torque values, potentially leading to unintended vehicle movements and crashes. Ford discovered the problem after a vehicle improperly went into limp mode, prompting the recall to address the issue [128066]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Ford Mustang Mach-E recall was not due to development incompetence but rather identified as a bug in the powertrain control module software. Ford discovered the issue in March after a vehicle improperly went into limp mode, leading to the recall being approved in early May. The bug in the software caused safety software to report a torque value of zero on the secondary axle, potentially leading to unintended acceleration, deceleration, or vehicle movement risks [128066].
(b) The software failure incident was accidental, as Ford did not intentionally introduce the bug in the powertrain control module software. The issue was discovered after a vehicle experienced a problem, prompting further investigation by Ford, leading to the identification of the bug and subsequent recall for affected vehicles [128066]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to the Ford Mustang Mach-E recall is temporary. The issue with the powertrain control module software causing safety concerns was identified, leading to a recall for affected vehicles. Ford is addressing the problem through over-the-air software updates, indicating that the failure is not permanent but can be resolved through specific actions taken by the company [128066]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, value |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the Ford Mustang Mach-E recall article led to a potential crash risk due to the system reporting a torque value of zero on the secondary axle, which could cause the vehicle to ignore unintended acceleration, deceleration, or movement on the secondary axle, increasing the risk of a crash [128066].
(b) omission: The software bug in the powertrain control module caused the safety software to always report a torque value of zero on the secondary axle, potentially leading to the system omitting to detect unintended acceleration, deceleration, or movement on the secondary axle, which could increase the risk of a crash [128066].
(c) timing: The software issue did not specifically mention any timing-related failures in terms of the system performing its intended functions too late or too early [128066].
(d) value: The software failure incident involved the system incorrectly reporting a torque value of zero on the secondary axle, indicating a failure in performing its intended functions correctly in terms of value representation, which could lead to safety risks [128066].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident did not exhibit behaviors of inconsistent responses or interactions that would classify it as a byzantine failure [128066].
(f) other: The software failure incident in the Ford Mustang Mach-E recall article did not exhibit any other specific behavior beyond those mentioned in options (a) to (e) [128066]. |