Incident: Jaguar XJ Super Sport Infotainment System Crash Incident

Published Date: 2010-08-12

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident with the Jaguar XJ Super Sport happened very recently as per the article. 2. Published on 2010-08-12. 3. Estimated timeline: July 2010. Therefore, the software failure incident with the Jaguar XJ Super Sport likely occurred in July 2010.
System 1. Bosch-supplied, Linux-based infotainment system 2. Visteon-supplied virtual instrument display 3. Processor 4. Mouse in the car's wiring 5. Contents of a CNET UK memory key 6. OBD-II port 7. Jaguar's bespoke vehicle-diagnostics software 8. Windows Vista [2735]
Responsible Organization 1. The software failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport was caused by a complex issue within the car's digital systems, potentially involving components such as the Linux-based infotainment system, the virtual instrument display, the processor, wiring, or external devices like memory keys [2735].
Impacted Organization 1. The Jaguar XJ Super Sport car [2735]
Software Causes 1. The software causes of the failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport included issues with the Bosch-supplied, Linux-based infotainment system, the Visteon-supplied virtual instrument display, and potential problems with the car's processor or wiring [2735].
Non-software Causes 1. Exhausted car's battery by watching too much Eminem on the integrated DVD player [2735] 2. Heat-ravaged processor [2735] 3. Dodgy contents of a CNET UK memory key in one of the XJ's two USB ports [2735]
Impacts 1. The software failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport resulted in a complete shutdown of the car's entertainment, guidance, and instrument systems, including the infotainment display and the virtual instrument display, rendering them unresponsive [2735]. 2. The incident required the intervention of a Jaguar Assist recovery specialist equipped with a laptop, bespoke software, and a wireless dongle to diagnose the issue, indicating a disruption in the normal functioning of the vehicle [2735]. 3. The software crash led to the inability of the car to respond to a reboot command from the laptop, necessitating a manual restart by disconnecting the battery, highlighting the severity of the software failure [2735]. 4. The article raises concerns about the increasing reliance on electronic systems in modern cars, emphasizing the potential risks associated with software failures in vehicles that are becoming more technologically advanced [2735].
Preventions 1. Regular software updates and patches to address potential vulnerabilities and bugs [2735]. 2. Thorough testing of the software and systems before deployment to identify and fix any issues [2735]. 3. Implementing robust cybersecurity measures to protect against external attacks or intrusions that could lead to software failures [2735].
Fixes 1. Performing further diagnostics back at the factory as suggested by instructions beamed down from Jaguar Towers via the laptop's Wi-Fi dongle [2735]. 2. Attempting a quick reboot by disconnecting the battery, killing the power, and restarting it manually [2735].
References 1. Jaguar XJ Super Sport vehicle testing experience 2. Jaguar Assist recovery team 3. Bosch (supplier of the Linux-based infotainment system) 4. Visteon (supplier of the virtual instrument display) 5. CNET UK memory key 6. Toyota (issued a software update for braking system problems) 7. Volvo (recalled cars due to faulty software causing engine problems) 8. Estimate suggesting the amount of binary code in luxury saloons 9. General discussion on the reliance on electronic gadgets in modern cars [2735]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: In the article, it is mentioned that Toyota issued a software update to alleviate problems with its braking system, and Volvo recalled 26,000 cars worldwide due to faulty software that caused engine problems in its T6. This indicates that software-related issues have occurred again within the same organizations (Toyota and Volvo) [2735]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: The article highlights that any automobile that relies on computer hardware and software is at risk of similar crashes, citing examples of Toyota and Volvo facing software-related issues. This suggests that similar incidents have happened at other organizations as well, emphasizing the general risk associated with computer-dependent systems in vehicles [2735].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport was related to the design phase. The article mentions that the car suffered a crash that led to the Blue Screen of Death, causing the entertainment, guidance, and instrument systems to become unresponsive. The Jaguar Assist recovery man needed to use bespoke software and a wireless dongle to diagnose the issue, indicating that the problem was complex and required specific tools for analysis [2735]. (b) The software failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport was also related to the operation phase. Despite attempts to diagnose and reboot the car on-site, the issue persisted, and the car did not respond to the laptop's reboot command. This led to manual intervention by disconnecting the battery and restarting the car, similar to how one would handle a malfunctioning laptop, highlighting operational challenges faced during the incident [2735].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system, outside_system The software failure incident involving the Jaguar XJ Super Sport experiencing the Blue Screen of Death and subsequent system crash can be analyzed in terms of the boundary of the failure incident: (a) within_system: The failure was diagnosed using Jaguar's bespoke vehicle-diagnostics software, which analyzed every digital system within the car to identify the root cause. The potential culprits included the infotainment system, virtual instrument display, processor, wiring, and external devices like memory keys. The inability to determine the exact cause on-site and the need for further diagnostics back at the factory indicate that the issue was primarily within the system itself [2735]. (b) outside_system: While the software failure incident was primarily diagnosed and addressed using internal diagnostic tools and procedures, the article also highlights the broader trend of modern cars relying heavily on computer hardware and software. The mention of Toyota issuing a software update for braking system problems and Volvo recalling cars due to faulty software causing engine issues suggests that external factors such as software updates, external software integrations, or software compatibility issues could also contribute to failures in the automotive software systems [2735].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions (a) The software failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport was due to non-human actions. The car suffered a crash that led to a Blue Screen of Death, resulting in the infotainment display and instrument systems becoming unresponsive. The recovery process involved connecting a laptop to the car's OBD-II port to diagnose the issue using bespoke vehicle-diagnostics software. The true cause of the crash couldn't be determined on the scene, and further diagnostics were suggested back at the factory. The incident highlighted the complexity of modern cars' computer systems and the risks associated with relying on electronic gadgets in vehicles [2735]. (b) The software failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport was not directly attributed to human actions. The article does not mention any specific human errors or actions that led to the crash. Instead, it focuses on the complexity of the car's computer systems, the diagnostic process involving a recovery engineer and bespoke software, and the potential risks associated with electronic systems in modern vehicles [2735].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport was primarily due to hardware-related issues. The article mentions that the car suffered a crash that led to the entertainment, guidance, and instrument systems becoming unresponsive. The Jaguar Assist recovery man needed his laptop, bespoke software, and a wireless dongle to diagnose the problem, indicating a hardware-related issue. Additionally, the article discusses connecting the laptop to the car's OBD-II port for diagnostics, further emphasizing hardware involvement in the failure incident [2735]. (b) The software failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport also had contributing factors originating in software. The article highlights that the Bosch-supplied, Linux-based infotainment system, and the Visteon-supplied virtual instrument display were potential sources of the problem. The diagnostic software used by the Jaguar Assist recovery man analyzed the car's digital systems in search of a software-related issue. Furthermore, the article mentions that the true cause of the crash couldn't be determined on the scene, indicating a software complexity that required further diagnostics back at the factory [2735].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) non-malicious (a) The software failure incident described in the article is non-malicious. The Jaguar XJ Super Sport experienced a crash that led to the Blue Screen of Death, resulting in the car's entertainment, guidance, and instrument systems becoming unresponsive. The issue was diagnosed using diagnostic software and a laptop connected to the car's OBD-II port, indicating a technical fault rather than a malicious attack [2735].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) unknown The software failure incident described in Article 2735 does not provide specific information about the intent behind the failure. Therefore, it is unknown whether the incident was due to poor decisions or accidental decisions.
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) accidental (a) The software failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport was not attributed to development incompetence. The article describes the incident as a complex problem that required specialized diagnostic software and tools to identify the root cause. The technician used bespoke software and a wireless dongle to analyze the car's digital systems, indicating a level of professional competence in diagnosing the issue [2735]. (b) The software failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport was more aligned with an accidental failure. The article mentions that the car experienced the dreaded Blue Screen of Death, leading to a complete shutdown of the entertainment, guidance, and instrument systems. The exact cause of the crash could not be determined on the scene, and further diagnostics were required back at the factory. The incident was described as unexpected and required a manual reboot to resolve the issue, suggesting an accidental nature of the failure [2735].
Duration temporary The software failure incident described in Article 2735 was temporary. The Jaguar XJ Super Sport experienced a crash that led to the Blue Screen of Death, resulting in the car's entertainment, guidance, and instrument systems becoming unresponsive. The recovery process involved connecting a laptop to the car's OBD-II port and running diagnostic software to identify the root cause of the issue. Despite the complexity of the problem, a manual reboot was eventually attempted to get the car back on the road, indicating a temporary nature of the software failure incident.
Behaviour crash, other (a) crash: The software failure incident in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport resulted in a crash where the system lost its state and did not perform its intended functions. The car's entertainment, guidance, and instrument systems were unresponsive, and the screens were dead, leading to a situation where the car had to be manually restarted like a computer experiencing a crash [2735]. (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 did not involve the system performing its intended functions too late or too early; rather, it completely failed to respond as expected [2735]. (d) value: The failure was not related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly; instead, it was a complete system crash leading to unresponsiveness [2735]. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident did not exhibit behaviors of inconsistency or erratic responses that would classify it as a byzantine failure [2735]. (f) other: The other behavior observed in this software failure incident was the need for a manual restart of the system, akin to rebooting a computer, to resolve the unresponsive state of the car's digital systems [2735].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception sensor, embedded_software (a) The failure was related to the perception layer of the cyber-physical system that failed due to contributing factors introduced by sensor error. The article mentions that the Jaguar XJ Super Sport experienced a software failure incident where the car's digital systems were analyzed to find the problem. The culprit could have been the Bosch-supplied, Linux-based infotainment system, the Visteon-supplied virtual instrument display, a heat-ravaged processor, an errant mouse in the car's wiring, or the contents of a memory key in one of the XJ's USB ports. This indicates that sensor errors or malfunctions in the various sensors within the car's systems could have contributed to the software failure incident [2735].
Communication unknown The software failure incident described in the article does not provide specific details indicating whether the failure was related to the communication layer of the cyber physical system that failed at the link level or the connectivity level. The focus of the article is on the diagnostic process and the complexity of the car's internal systems rather than the specific technical aspects of the communication layer failure. Therefore, it is unknown whether the failure was at the link level or the connectivity level based on the information provided in the article [2735].
Application TRUE The software failure incident described in Article 2735 was related to the application layer of the cyber physical system. The article mentions that the Jaguar XJ Super Sport experienced a crash where the infotainment display, guidance systems, and instrument systems all failed to respond. The technician had to use bespoke software and a laptop to diagnose the issue, indicating that the problem was more complex and required application-level analysis [2735].

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur (i) other: Was there consequence(s) of the software failure not described in the (a to h) options? What is the other consequence(s)? The consequence of the software failure incident in the provided article is mainly related to the potential impact on property (d). The article discusses how the software failure in the Jaguar XJ Super Sport led to the car's entertainment, guidance, and instrument systems becoming unresponsive, requiring complex diagnostics and a manual restart, highlighting the impact on the vehicle itself and its functionality. Additionally, the article mentions previous incidents with other car manufacturers like Toyota and Volvo, indicating potential financial impacts on the companies due to software-related issues.
Domain transportation (a) The failed system in the article was related to the transportation industry. The incident involved a Jaguar XJ Super Sport, a high-end car that experienced a software failure, leading to a crash and the need for diagnostic software and tools to identify and resolve the issue [2735]. The article highlights the increasing complexity of modern cars, which are heavily reliant on computer systems for monitoring and control, making them susceptible to software-related failures.

Sources

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