| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) In the provided article, the incident involving Tesla cars using Autopilot or other self-driving features crashing into emergency vehicles is not the first time such safety concerns have been raised about Tesla's Autopilot feature. The National Transportation Safety Board had previously found Autopilot partly to blame in a 2018 fatal crash in Florida that killed a Tesla driver. Additionally, there was a case in a Houston suburb where a Tesla crashed and killed two people earlier in the year, with the car allegedly having its adaptive cruise control engaged before the crash [117484].
(b) The article mentions that self-driving options like Tesla's Autopilot and adaptive cruise control, available on a wide range of automakers' vehicles, have features that can slow down a vehicle when necessary. However, the article also highlights concerns raised by an analyst regarding the danger that Tesla's Autopilot feature poses not only to Tesla drivers but also to other non-Tesla drivers on the road who could be injured by cars using the feature. This indicates that similar incidents or safety concerns related to self-driving features may not be limited to Tesla alone but could potentially involve other organizations and their products as well [117484]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article where the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating Tesla accidents involving Autopilot or other self-driving features that crashed into emergency vehicles. The investigation aims to understand the causes of these crashes, including the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce the driver's engagement with driving while Autopilot is in use [117484].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the accidents where Tesla vehicles using Autopilot or traffic-aware cruise control were involved in crashes with emergency vehicles. These incidents occurred when the self-driving features were engaged as the vehicles approached the crash scenes, indicating a failure in the operation or misuse of the system [117484]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system:
- The software failure incident involving Tesla cars using Autopilot or other self-driving features crashing into emergency vehicles was primarily due to contributing factors originating from within the system itself. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating these accidents, which occurred when the Teslas had the self-driving Autopilot feature or traffic-aware cruise control engaged [117484].
- Tesla's Autopilot feature has been questioned before for its safety, with the NHTSA investigating to understand the causes of these crashes and the technologies used to monitor and enforce driver engagement while Autopilot is in use [117484].
- The issue raised by an analyst, Gordon Johnson, highlighted the danger that Tesla's Autopilot feature poses not only to the drivers but also to other non-Tesla drivers on the road, emphasizing the risks associated with the feature itself [117484].
(b) outside_system:
- The software failure incident involving Tesla cars crashing into emergency vehicles was influenced by contributing factors originating from outside the system, such as the presence of emergency vehicles with control measures like first responder vehicle lights, flares, illuminated arrow boards, and road cones at the accident scenes [117484].
- The article mentions that the real problem lies in the fact that many Tesla owners assume their cars can drive themselves, indicating a potential lack of understanding or misinterpretation of the system's capabilities by users, which could be considered an external factor impacting the software failure incident [117484]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The article reports on the investigation by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) into 11 accidents involving Tesla cars using Autopilot or other self-driving features that crashed into emergency vehicles. These accidents occurred when the Teslas approached the scene of earlier crashes, and the post-accident scenes included control measures like first responder vehicle lights, flares, an illuminated arrow board, and road cones. The NHTSA is looking into the causes of these crashes, including the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce the driver's engagement with driving while Autopilot is in use [117484].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
The article mentions a fatal crash in Florida in 2018 where the National Transportation Safety Board found Autopilot partly to blame. Additionally, there was a case in a Houston suburb where police reported that there was no one in the driver's seat of a Tesla that crashed and killed two people, although Tesla denied this charge. In this case, Tesla's vice president of vehicle engineering confirmed that Tesla's adaptive cruise control was engaged and accelerated before the crash. These incidents highlight the potential role of human actions in contributing to software failure incidents involving Tesla vehicles [117484]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- The article mentions that the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is investigating accidents involving Tesla cars using Autopilot or other self-driving features that crashed into emergency vehicles. These accidents occurred when the vehicles approached the scene of an earlier crash where control measures like first responder vehicle lights, flares, an illuminated arrow board, and road cones were present [117484].
- The article also discusses how Tesla's adaptive cruise control was engaged and accelerated before a crash in which there was no one in the driver's seat, resulting in two fatalities. This incident raises concerns about the hardware and software systems in Tesla vehicles [117484].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- The article highlights that the National Transportation Safety Board found Autopilot partly to blame in a 2018 fatal crash in Florida that killed a Tesla driver, indicating a software-related issue [117484].
- There are concerns raised about the Autopilot feature and the need for active driver supervision despite Tesla's claims about the safety of cars using Autopilot. The investigation aims to understand the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce driver engagement with driving while Autopilot is in use, suggesting potential software-related issues [117484]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Tesla accidents involving Autopilot and emergency vehicles does not seem to be malicious. The incidents were attributed to the self-driving features of the Tesla cars, particularly Autopilot and traffic-aware cruise control, being engaged as they approached the crashes. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating to better understand the causes of these crashes, including the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce the driver's engagement with driving while Autopilot is in use [117484].
(b) The software failure incident can be categorized as non-malicious. The incidents were not caused by human(s) with intent to harm the system but rather by the limitations and potential errors in the self-driving features of the Tesla vehicles. The safety agency emphasized that no commercially available motor vehicles today are capable of driving themselves and that drivers must use advanced driving assistance features correctly and responsibly [117484]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
The articles do not provide specific information about the intent behind the software failure incident related to Tesla vehicles using Autopilot and crashing into emergency vehicles. The incidents are being investigated by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to better understand the causes of the crashes, including the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce the driver's engagement with driving while Autopilot is in use [117484]. The focus is on understanding the contributing factors and ensuring driver responsibility and safety rather than explicitly attributing the failure to poor or accidental decisions. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating accidents involving Tesla cars using Autopilot or other self-driving features that crashed into emergency vehicles. The investigation aims to understand the causes of these crashes, including the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce the driver's engagement with driving while Autopilot is in use [117484].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is highlighted in the article when discussing how self-driving options like Tesla's Autopilot or adaptive cruise control are designed to ignore stationary objects when traveling at more than 40 mph to prevent unnecessary braking. However, the real problem arises when Tesla owners assume their cars can drive themselves, leading to confusion and potential errors when approaching accident sites with cues that may make more sense to humans than to the auto drive system [117484]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to Tesla's Autopilot feature can be considered as a temporary failure. The incidents involving Tesla cars using Autopilot or other self-driving features crashing into emergency vehicles were due to contributing factors introduced by certain circumstances, such as the cars approaching the crashes with Autopilot or traffic-aware cruise control engaged [117484].
However, it's important to note that the investigation by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration aims to better understand the causes of these Tesla crashes, including the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce the driver's engagement with driving while Autopilot is in use. This indicates that the failure is not permanent but rather temporary, as it is being actively investigated to identify contributing factors and potential solutions [117484]. |
| Behaviour |
crash |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the articles can be categorized as a crash. The incidents involving Tesla cars using Autopilot or other self-driving features crashed into emergency vehicles when coming upon the scene of an earlier crash, resulting in injuries and even a death [Article 117484].
(b) omission: There is no specific mention of the software failure incident being due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s) in the provided article.
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not described as a timing issue where the system performed its intended functions correctly but too late or too early in the provided article.
(d) value: The software failure incident is not described as a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly in the provided article.
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident is not described as a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions in the provided article.
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident is not described as falling under the "other" category in the provided article. |