Incident: Apple Car Software Incident: Near Collision Detection Failure in Test Vehicle

Published Date: 2022-07-11

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident involving one of Apple's test vehicles nearly striking a jogger while moving at about 15 miles per hour happened earlier this year as mentioned in Article 129927. 2. The article was published on 2022-07-11. 3. Therefore, the incident likely occurred in 2022.
System 1. Apple Car's software system failed to correctly identify and respond to a jogger, nearly causing an accident [129927].
Responsible Organization 1. Apple's Project Titan team [129927] 2. Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi [129927]
Impacted Organization 1. Apple's Project Titan team [129927] 2. Apple's CEO Tim Cook [129927] 3. Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi [129927] 4. Apple's former chief design officer Jony Ive [129927]
Software Causes 1. The software of the Apple Car failed to correctly identify a jogger, initially categorizing them as a 'stationary object' before finally recognizing them as a 'moving pedestrian,' leading to the car only slightly adjusting its path, which could have resulted in a collision if the human driver had not intervened [129927].
Non-software Causes 1. Lack of commitment to mass production from CEO Tim Cook [129927] 2. Management turnover and ever-shifting goals within the Apple Car project [129927] 3. Concerns about the design and functionality of the Apple Car, such as the seating arrangement and trunk compartment [129927] 4. Concerns about consumer adoption of electric vehicles in general, including charging infrastructure, range, and cost [129927]
Impacts 1. The software failure incident involving an Apple test vehicle nearly striking a jogger at 15 miles per hour had significant safety implications, as the car's software initially misidentified the jogger and only slightly adjusted its path, requiring the backup human driver to intervene at the last moment to prevent a potential collision [129927]. 2. Following the incident, Apple temporarily grounded its fleet of test vehicles to investigate what happened, indicating a disruption in the testing and development process of the self-driving vehicle software [129927].
Preventions 1. Implementing more rigorous testing procedures for the car's software to ensure accurate identification and response to objects on the road, such as pedestrians [129927]. 2. Providing more training and oversight for the human backup drivers to intervene effectively in case of software failures or unexpected situations [129927]. 3. Enhancing the software's ability to adapt and respond to dynamic situations on the road, rather than just following pre-set responses [129927].
Fixes 1. Implement rigorous testing procedures to ensure accurate identification and response to objects in the vehicle's path, especially pedestrians, to prevent potential accidents like the one with the jogger [129927]. 2. Address the software's limitations in adjusting the vehicle's path appropriately in real-time situations to enhance safety measures [129927]. 3. Focus on developing scalable self-driving software that can operate effectively in a broad area, rather than just on fixed routes, to ensure the technology's viability in various locations [129927].
References 1. Interviews with 20 company employees [Article 129927] 2. Test vehicle incident details and aftermath [Article 129927] 3. Consumer Reports survey on electric vehicles [Article 129927] 4. Insights from former Uber self-driving vehicle engineer Arun Venkatadri [Article 129927]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring unknown The articles do not provide information about a specific software failure incident happening again at either the same organization (Apple) or at multiple organizations. Therefore, the information related to the recurrence of a software failure incident is unknown.
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the Apple Car project where the car's software incorrectly identified a jogger, initially categorizing them as a 'stationary object' before finally recognizing them as a 'moving pedestrian.' Despite the correction, the car only slightly adjusted its path, leading to a potentially dangerous situation. This incident highlights a failure in the software's design to accurately detect and respond to dynamic objects on the road, which could be attributed to issues introduced during the development phase [129927]. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the same Apple Car project where one of the test vehicles nearly struck a jogger. The incident was a result of the car's software failing to properly identify the jogger and make the necessary adjustments to avoid a collision. Fortunately, the backup human driver intervened and slammed the brakes at the last moment, preventing a potential accident. This failure in the operation of the self-driving vehicle's software emphasizes the importance of human intervention in critical situations where the system fails to respond appropriately [129927].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the Apple Car project, specifically the incident where one of Apple's test vehicles nearly struck a jogger, was due to issues within the system. The car's software initially identified the jogger incorrectly as a 'stationary object' before eventually recognizing the jogger as a 'moving pedestrian.' However, even with this correction, the car only slightly adjusted its path, indicating a failure within the software's decision-making process [129927]. (b) outside_system: The article does not provide specific information about the software failure incident being caused by contributing factors originating from outside the system.
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident related to non-human actions: - The incident involving one of Apple's test vehicles nearly striking a jogger was due to the car's software initially identifying the jogger as a 'stationary object' before eventually categorizing it as a 'moving pedestrian.' The software only slightly adjusted the car's path even after the change in identification, highlighting a failure in the software's decision-making process [129927]. (b) The software failure incident related to human actions: - The incident involving the test vehicle almost hitting a jogger was averted by the backup human driver who intervened by slamming the brakes at the last moment. This human intervention prevented a potential collision, indicating that the failure was mitigated by human actions [129927].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The article reports an incident where one of Apple's test vehicles nearly struck a jogger while moving at about 15 miles per hour. The car's software initially identified the jogger as a 'stationary object' before reclassifying it as a 'stationary person' and then finally as a 'moving pedestrian. However, even with these changes, the car 'only slightly adjusted its path.' Fortunately, the backup human driver intervened and stopped the vehicle within a few feet of the jogger, preventing a collision [129927]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The same incident mentioned above highlights a software failure where the car's software misclassified the jogger multiple times before making a minor adjustment to its path. This incident showcases a software failure in accurately identifying and responding to dynamic objects in its environment, potentially leading to a collision if the human driver had not intervened [129927].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) non-malicious (a) The software failure incident related to the Apple Car project does not seem to be malicious. The incident where one of Apple's test vehicles nearly struck a jogger while moving at about 15 miles per hour was due to the car's software incorrectly identifying the jogger as a 'stationary object' initially before correctly categorizing it as a 'moving pedestrian.' The car only slightly adjusted its path, and it was the backup human driver who intervened by slamming the brakes at the last moment to prevent a potential collision [129927]. (b) The software failure incident related to the Apple Car project appears to be non-malicious. The incident where one of Apple's test vehicles nearly struck a jogger while moving at about 15 miles per hour was due to a software issue where the car incorrectly identified the jogger initially. The incident led to Apple temporarily grounding its fleet of test vehicles to investigate what happened and make necessary improvements, such as adding the crosswalk to its maps database [129927].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions, accidental_decisions (a) The software failure incident related to poor decisions can be observed in the Apple Car project as reported in Article 129927. The project, dubbed Project Titan, has faced issues such as a 'revolving door of leaders,' time wasted on sleek demos, and a lack of commitment to mass production from CEO Tim Cook. The report mentions that Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, is skeptical of the project, and CEO Tim Cook has been unwilling to commit to mass production of the vehicle, frustrating other leaders at the firm [129927]. (b) The software failure incident related to accidental decisions can be seen in the incident where one of Apple's test vehicles nearly struck a jogger while moving at about 15 miles per hour. The car's software initially identified the jogger as a 'stationary object' before eventually categorizing it as a 'moving pedestrian.' Despite the change in categorization, the car only slightly adjusted its path, and it was the backup human driver who had to intervene by slamming the brakes at the last moment to avoid hitting the jogger. This incident highlights a mistake or unintended decision in the software's behavior [129927].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence, accidental (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the Apple Car project as reported by Article 129927. The incident where one of Apple's test vehicles nearly struck a jogger while moving at about 15 miles per hour showcases a failure in the software's object recognition capabilities. The software initially identified the jogger as a 'stationary object,' then as a 'stationary person,' and finally as a 'moving pedestrian,' but even with these changes, the car only slightly adjusted its path. This failure in accurately identifying and responding to the jogger's movement highlights a lack of professional competence in the software development related to object recognition and decision-making processes [129927]. (b) The accidental aspect of the software failure incident can be seen in the same incident involving the test vehicle almost hitting a jogger. The report mentions that the backup human driver had to intervene by slamming the brakes at the last moment to prevent a collision. This intervention was accidental and reactive, indicating that the software failure incident was not intentional but rather a result of unexpected behavior in the software's decision-making process [129927].
Duration temporary The software failure incident related to the Apple Car project can be categorized as a temporary failure. This is evident from the incident earlier this year where one of Apple's test vehicles nearly struck a jogger due to the car's software initially identifying the jogger incorrectly as a 'stationary object' before eventually recognizing it as a 'moving pedestrian' but only slightly adjusting its path. The backup human driver had to intervene by slamming the brakes at the last moment to prevent a collision [129927]. This incident highlights a temporary failure in the software's ability to accurately identify and respond to dynamic objects in its environment.
Behaviour crash, omission, timing, value, other (a) crash: The software failure incident mentioned in the article involved a crash scenario where one of Apple's test vehicles nearly struck a jogger while moving at about 15 miles per hour. The car's software initially identified the jogger as a 'stationary object,' then as a 'stationary person,' and finally as a 'moving pedestrian.' However, even with these changes, the car 'only slightly adjusted its path,' leading to a potential collision. Fortunately, the backup human driver intervened by 'slamming the brakes at the last moment,' preventing the crash [129927]. (b) omission: The software failure incident also involved an omission scenario where the car's software failed to correctly identify the jogger in a timely manner. Initially categorizing the jogger incorrectly as a 'stationary object,' the software's delayed recognition of the jogger as a 'moving pedestrian' led to a situation where the car did not make significant adjustments to avoid the potential collision. This omission of timely and accurate identification by the software could have resulted in a crash if the human driver had not intervened [129927]. (c) timing: The timing of the software failure incident is evident in the delayed and incorrect categorization of the jogger by the car's software. The system initially identified the jogger as a 'stationary object,' then as a 'stationary person,' and finally as a 'moving pedestrian.' However, these changes occurred too late, as the car 'only slightly adjusted its path' after the delayed recognition. The timing issue is further highlighted by the fact that the backup human driver had to intervene at the last moment to prevent a potential collision, indicating a timing failure in the software's response [129927]. (d) value: The software failure incident also involved a value scenario where the car's software performed its intended functions incorrectly. The incorrect categorization of the jogger by the software, initially identifying the individual as a 'stationary object' and then as a 'stationary person' before finally recognizing them as a 'moving pedestrian,' led to a situation where the software did not provide the correct response to avoid a collision. This incorrect interpretation of the jogger's movements by the software resulted in a potential safety risk that required human intervention to prevent an accident [129927]. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident did not exhibit a byzantine behavior as described in the articles. (f) other: The software failure incident also involved an aspect of 'other' behavior where the software's performance was influenced by the management and leadership issues within the Apple Car project. The report highlighted concerns about management turnover, shifting goals, and a lack of commitment from top leaders like CEO Tim Cook. These organizational challenges could have impacted the software development process, potentially leading to issues such as delayed responses, incorrect categorizations, and overall inefficiencies in the software's functioning [129927].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception sensor The software failure incident mentioned in the articles is related to the perception layer of the cyber physical system that failed due to contributing factors introduced by sensor error. Specifically, the incident involved a test vehicle nearly striking a jogger while moving at about 15 miles per hour. The car's software initially identified the jogger as a 'stationary object,' then as a 'stationary person,' and finally as a 'moving pedestrian.' However, even with these changes, the car only slightly adjusted its path, indicating a failure in accurately perceiving and responding to the environment [129927].
Communication unknown The articles do not provide specific information about a software failure incident related to the communication layer of the cyber physical system that failed at either the link level or connectivity level. Therefore, it is unknown whether the failure was specifically related to the physical layer or network/transport layer.
Application TRUE The software failure incident related to the application layer of the cyber physical system that failed can be identified in Article 129927. The incident involved an Apple test vehicle nearly striking a jogger due to a software issue. The car's software initially identified the jogger incorrectly as a 'stationary object,' then as a 'stationary person,' and finally as a 'moving pedestrian.' Despite these corrections, the car only slightly adjusted its path, leading to a potentially dangerous situation. Fortunately, the backup human driver intervened by slamming the brakes, preventing a collision. This incident highlights a failure in the application layer of the software controlling the vehicle's behavior [129927].

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence non-human (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure - There is no mention of any deaths resulting from the software failure incident reported in the articles. [129927] (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure - The incident involving an Apple test vehicle nearly striking a jogger at about 15 miles per hour did not result in physical harm as the backup human driver intervened and stopped the vehicle within a few feet of the jogger. If the human had not intervened, the car "would have almost certainly hit the jogger." [129927] (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure - There is no mention of people's access to food or shelter being impacted by the software failure incident. [129927] (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incident did not involve any impact on people's material goods, money, or data. [129927] (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure - The incident involving the Apple test vehicle nearly striking a jogger did not result in any activity being postponed. [129927] (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incident involved the Apple test vehicle's software incorrectly identifying a jogger and only slightly adjusting its path, which could be considered an impact on non-human entities (the vehicle's operation). However, no direct impact on non-human entities is explicitly mentioned in the articles. [129927] (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure - The software failure incident involving the Apple test vehicle nearly striking a jogger did have consequences, such as the need for the backup human driver to intervene to prevent a potential collision. Therefore, there were observed consequences of the software failure. [129927] (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur - The articles do not discuss potential consequences of the software failure that did not occur. [129927] (i) other: Was there consequence(s) of the software failure not described in the (a to h) options? What is the other consequence(s)? - There are no other consequences of the software failure incident mentioned in the articles. [129927]
Domain information, transportation (a) The failed system was intended to support the information industry as it was related to the production and distribution of information. The Apple Car project, known as Project Titan, aimed to develop a self-driving vehicle with advanced software capabilities. The project faced challenges such as management turnover, shifting goals, and a lack of commitment from top leaders at Apple, including CEO Tim Cook and Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi [129927]. (b) The software failure incident is related to the transportation industry as it involved the development of the Apple Car, a self-driving vehicle project under Project Titan. The incident mentioned in the article involved a test vehicle nearly striking a jogger due to software issues in identifying the pedestrian correctly, which required human intervention to prevent a potential collision [129927]. (c) The failed system was not directly related to the extraction of natural resources. The incident discussed in the article pertained to the Apple Car project, which focused on developing a self-driving vehicle, rather than activities related to extracting materials from the Earth [129927]. (d) The software failure incident did not involve the sales industry. The focus of the article was on the challenges faced by Apple's Project Titan in developing a self-driving car, rather than issues related to exchanging money for products [129927]. (e) The failed system was not associated with the construction industry. The article discussed the difficulties encountered in the development of the Apple Car project, which aimed to create a self-driving vehicle, rather than activities related to constructing the built environment [129927]. (f) The software failure incident did not pertain to the manufacturing industry. The article highlighted the obstacles faced by Apple's Project Titan in creating a self-driving vehicle, rather than issues related to manufacturing products from materials [129927]. (g) The incident was not directly linked to the utilities industry. The focus of the article was on the challenges faced by Apple's Project Titan in developing a self-driving car, rather than issues related to power, gas, steam, water, or sewage services [129927]. (h) The failed system was not specifically related to the finance industry. The article discussed the struggles of Apple's Project Titan in creating a self-driving vehicle, rather than issues related to manipulating and moving money for profit [129927]. (i) The software failure incident was not directly associated with the knowledge industry. The article detailed the difficulties encountered in the development of the Apple Car project, which aimed to create a self-driving vehicle, rather than activities related to education, research, or space exploration [129927]. (j) The incident did not involve the health industry. The focus of the article was on the challenges faced by Apple's Project Titan in developing a self-driving car, rather than issues related to healthcare, health insurance, or the food industry [129927]. (k) The failed system was not related to the entertainment industry. The article discussed the obstacles encountered in the development of the Apple Car project, which aimed to create a self-driving vehicle, rather than activities related to arts, sports, hospitality, or tourism [129927]. (l) The software failure incident was not directly associated with the government industry. The article highlighted the challenges faced by Apple's Project Titan in creating a self-driving vehicle, rather than issues related to politics, defense, justice, taxes, or public services [129927]. (m) The failed system was not related to any of the industries described in options (a) to (l). The incident discussed in the article pertained to the software failure in the development of the Apple Car project, which aimed to create a self-driving vehicle, falling outside the specified industry categories [129927].

Sources

Back to List