| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) In the provided article [675], it is mentioned that Toyota had faced a quality crisis due to various issues with their vehicles, including the Prius. The Prius had been experiencing problems with faulty brakes, which led to concerns about safety and quality. This incident with the Prius was not the only issue Toyota was dealing with; they had also faced recalls of other models due to sticky gas pedals and unintended acceleration. The article highlights that Toyota executives were facing complaints about cars accelerating against the driver's will and failing to stop promptly when the brakes were applied. This indicates that the software failure incident related to faulty brakes in the Prius had happened again within the same organization, Toyota.
(b) The article [675] also mentions that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States had received complaints about the brakes on the 2010 Prius, with incidents of the vehicle surging forward or temporarily losing braking after driving over uneven surfaces. Some of these incidents resulted in crashes and injuries. This suggests that similar incidents related to faulty brakes may have occurred with other organizations or their products, indicating a broader issue in the industry beyond just Toyota. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be inferred from the article. The article mentions concerns over the Prius's safety due to brake malfunctions, which could be attributed to a design flaw in the braking system of the hybrid Prius [675]. The article discusses how the Prius model was fitted with an overhauled regenerative brake system different from previous models, which had not caused any complaints. This indicates that the design change in the regenerative braking system for the newest Prius model may have introduced a potential flaw leading to brake malfunctions [675].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can also be identified from the article. The article reports complaints from drivers about the brakes on the 2010 Prius momentarily stopping working at low speeds, especially on slippery surfaces, and some incidents where the vehicle surged forward or temporarily lost braking after driving over uneven surfaces. These issues point towards operational challenges or misuse of the braking system in certain conditions, leading to failures during the operation of the vehicle [675]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the Prius brakes can be categorized as within_system. The article mentions that concerns arose over the Prius's safety due to issues with the brakes on the hybrid model, specifically mentioning reports of momentary brake failure since the car went on sale in May [675]. The article also discusses how the Prius model was fitted with an overhauled regenerative brake system different from previous models, which had not caused any complaints, indicating an internal system change that could have contributed to the failure [675].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident related to the Prius brakes does not seem to be primarily attributed to factors originating from outside the system. The focus of the article is on the internal issues with the Prius brakes, such as momentary brake failure and concerns over the regenerative brake system within the car itself [675]. There is no explicit mention of external factors causing the software failure incident in the provided article. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident related to non-human actions:
- The article does not mention any software failure incident specifically caused by non-human actions. It primarily focuses on the issues with the Prius brakes and the potential problems related to regenerative braking technology [675].
(b) The software failure incident related to human actions:
- The article discusses the concerns and complaints raised by drivers regarding the brakes on the 2010 Prius, indicating potential issues introduced by human actions or decisions during the design or manufacturing process [675]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- The article does not mention any software failure incident occurring due to contributing factors originating in hardware.
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- The article discusses a software failure incident related to the Prius model's brakes. Drivers reported issues with the brakes on the newest Prius model, with complaints of momentary brake failure at low speeds, especially on slippery surfaces [675].
- The article also mentions that the Prius model was fitted with an overhauled regenerative brake system different from the ones used in previous models, which had not caused any complaints. Toyota executives were investigating complaints related to the regenerative brakes in the Prius [675]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Prius brake issues does not appear to be malicious, but rather a non-malicious failure. The articles do not indicate any intentional actions by individuals to harm the system. The issues with the Prius brakes were attributed to potential defects in the regenerative brake system and conventional brakes, leading to concerns about safety and performance [675]. The focus was on investigating and addressing the technical problems rather than any malicious intent behind the software failure. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
The software failure incident related to the Prius brake issues does not directly involve software failures but rather focuses on potential mechanical and electronic issues with the braking system. Therefore, the options of poor_decisions and accidental_decisions are not applicable in this context [675]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article [675].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is discussed in the context of the Prius brake issues. The article mentions concerns over the Prius's safety due to brake malfunctions, with reports of |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to the Prius brake issues described in Article 675 can be categorized as a temporary failure. The article mentions that drivers complained about the brakes on the newest Prius momentarily stopping working at low speeds, especially on slippery surfaces, and that the brakes momentarily lost braking after driving over a pothole or uneven surface [675]. These issues indicate that the failure was not permanent but rather occurred under specific circumstances, such as low speeds or uneven surfaces, suggesting a temporary nature of the software failure incident. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident related to the Prius involved a crash where the brakes momentarily stopped working at low speeds, especially on slippery surfaces, leading to a collision in July 2009 [675].
(b) omission: The software failure incident involved the system omitting to perform its intended functions at instances where drivers complained that the brakes on the newest Prius momentarily stopped working, particularly after driving over potholes or uneven surfaces [675].
(c) timing: The software failure incident did not specifically mention a timing-related failure where the system performed its intended functions but too late or too early.
(d) value: The software failure incident related to the Prius involved a value-related failure where the brakes on the newest Prius model were reported to have issues, such as the vehicle surging forward or temporarily losing braking functionality after certain driving conditions [675].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident did not exhibit a byzantine behavior where the system behaved erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The software failure incident could be categorized under the "value" behavior as it involved the system performing its intended functions incorrectly, leading to safety concerns and accidents [675]. |