| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to Ford's MyFord Touch system is an example of a software failure incident happening again within the same organization. The article mentions that Ford had to send memory sticks to 250,000 customers in the US for software upgrades due to glitches in the MyFord Touch system. This incident led to a significant drop in Ford's user ratings and rankings [9154].
(b) The article does not provide specific information about similar software failure incidents happening at other organizations or with their products and services. Therefore, there is no evidence to suggest that this particular incident has occurred elsewhere. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article where Ford introduced the MyFord Touch system to replace traditional dashboard knobs and buttons with a touchscreen. However, the system was plagued with software glitches such as shutting down without warning, slow reboot times, unresponsiveness to touch commands, and difficulty in understanding voice commands. These issues were a result of the design of the system, which overwhelmed some owners with information-packed screens and did not meet user expectations in terms of functionality and reliability [9154].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the complaints received by Ford dealers and the company itself regarding the MyFord Touch system. Customers faced issues such as screens going blank, inability to defrost windshields or adjust heat due to system malfunctions. These operational failures were experienced by users during the normal operation of their vehicles, leading to dissatisfaction and the need for software updates to address these issues [9154]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) The software failure incident with Ford's MyFord Touch system can be categorized as within_system. The article mentions that the touchscreen system had various issues such as shutting down without warning, slow reboot times, unresponsiveness to voice and touch commands, overwhelming information on screens, and difficulties with understanding commands [9154]. These issues were internal to the system design and functionality, leading to a decline in user ratings and reliability rankings for Ford.
(b) Additionally, the article highlights that the MyFord Touch system had to sync up with over 70 different types of mobile phones, which constantly receive updates. This external factor of compatibility with evolving external devices like mobile phones could have contributed to the software failure incident [9154]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is primarily attributed to non-human actions, specifically software glitches in the MyFord Touch system. The article mentions that the touchscreen system had various issues such as shutting down without warning, slow rebooting, unresponsiveness to touch or voice commands, overwhelming information-packed screens, and other software-related problems [9154].
(b) However, human actions are also mentioned in the article as contributing factors to the software failure incident. Ford had to send out memory sticks to customers for a software upgrade to address the glitches in the MyFord Touch system. Additionally, Ford dealers had to perform software updates and hold owner clinics to address the issues. The article also mentions that Ford is planning to bring back volume and tuning knobs based on customer feedback, indicating a response to human preferences and actions [9154]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The article mentions that Ford's MyFord Touch system, which replaces traditional dashboard knobs and buttons with a touchscreen, experienced problems such as shutting down without warning and taking too long to reboot, which are hardware-related issues [9154].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The article highlights that the MyFord Touch system had software glitches, including issues with voice commands, touch responsiveness, and system shutdowns, indicating software-related problems [9154]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The articles do not mention any malicious intent or actions related to the software failure incident with Ford's MyFord Touch system. The issues with the system were primarily attributed to software glitches, user interface problems, and functionality issues rather than any deliberate actions to harm the system [9154].
(b) The software failure incident with Ford's MyFord Touch system was categorized as non-malicious. The problems stemmed from software glitches, user dissatisfaction with the touchscreen interface, slow response times, shutdowns, and difficulties with voice commands. Ford acknowledged the issues and took steps to address them by offering software upgrades to customers to improve the system's performance and user experience [9154]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the intent of poor decisions is evident in the case of Ford's MyFord Touch system. The decision to replace traditional dashboard knobs and buttons with a touchscreen interface led to numerous issues and complaints from customers. The company faced a significant drop in user ratings and rankings due to problems with MyFord Touch, such as system shutdowns, slow response times, and difficulties with voice and touch commands [9154].
(b) The software failure incident also involved accidental decisions or unintended consequences. Despite Ford's assertion that MyFord Touch was thoroughly tested before market release, the system faced challenges that were not initially anticipated. Issues arose from the complexity of integrating the system with various mobile phones and the constant updates these devices receive. Additionally, customer feedback highlighted preferences for physical knobs and buttons for certain functions, indicating a mismatch between customer expectations and the touchscreen-centric design approach [9154]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the case of Ford's MyFord Touch system. The article highlights how the system was plagued with software glitches, leading to a significant drop in user ratings and reliability rankings. Despite multiple software updates and efforts to improve the system, it was clear that the initial design and implementation lacked the necessary professional competence to ensure a smooth user experience [9154].
(b) The software failure incident also involved accidental factors, as indicated by the challenges faced by Ford in addressing the issues with MyFord Touch. The article mentions how the system would shut down without warning, take too long to reboot, not understand voice commands, and overwhelm users with information-packed screens. These issues were not intentional but rather accidental consequences of the system's design and functionality, leading to customer dissatisfaction and the need for extensive software upgrades [9154]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident related to the MyFord Touch system can be considered as a temporary failure. The article mentions that Ford has been actively working on addressing the issues with the MyFord Touch system by sending out memory sticks with software upgrades to customers to improve the system's performance [9154]. Additionally, Ford has made significant changes to the system through software updates to enhance functionality, such as improving voice recognition and responsiveness to touch commands [9154].
(b) The software failure incident can also be seen as a temporary failure as Ford has been able to mitigate the issues through software updates and improvements. The article highlights that the latest upgrade to the MyFord Touch system has made significant changes to simplify the screens, improve voice recognition, and enhance responsiveness to touch commands [9154]. This indicates that the software failure was not permanent but rather a result of specific circumstances that could be addressed through software modifications. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, value, byzantine, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident related to the Ford MyFord Touch system included crashes where the system would shut down without warning and took too long to reboot. This behavior led to frustration among users as the system lost its state and did not perform its intended functions [9154].
(b) omission: The MyFord Touch system also experienced failures where it omitted to perform its intended functions at instances. Users reported that the system didn't understand voice commands and didn't always respond to touch commands, indicating instances of omission in functionality [9154].
(c) timing: There is no specific mention of timing-related failures in the provided article.
(d) value: The software failure incident with the MyFord Touch system included failures where the system performed its intended functions incorrectly. For example, the system didn't always respond accurately to touch commands and voice commands, leading to incorrect performance of functions [9154].
(e) byzantine: The MyFord Touch system exhibited behavior that could be categorized as byzantine. Users found the information-packed screens overwhelming, indicating inconsistent responses and interactions that contributed to the complexity and confusion in using the system [9154].
(f) other: The other behavior observed in the software failure incident was related to the system's responsiveness. The upgraded system was reported to respond to touch commands more quickly and was less likely to shut down, indicating a change in the system's responsiveness as part of addressing the software failure incident [9154]. |