| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to emissions filtering system not working in all temperatures has happened again within the same organization, Renault. The article mentions that Renault had to recall more than 15,000 diesel cars due to the emissions filtering system not working properly in all temperatures. The carmaker acknowledged a calibration error in the emissions-cutting system of its diesel engines, leading to nitrogen oxides and sulphur not being properly eliminated. Additionally, Renault announced a software upgrade to cut nitrogen oxides pollution from its diesel engines, potentially affecting up to 700,000 vehicles on the road [39581].
(b) The software failure incident related to discrepancies between vehicle test results and real-world emissions has also been identified in other manufacturers' vehicles. The article mentions that the commission established by the French environment minister has identified several manufacturers whose real-world emissions exceed the tests, indicating a broader issue in the automotive industry beyond Renault. However, there is no evidence of defeat devices in vehicles beyond those used by VW [39581]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be attributed to a calibration error in the emissions-cutting system of Renault's diesel engines. This error led to nitrogen oxides and sulfur not being properly eliminated, causing discrepancies between test results and actual pollution levels [39581].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be seen in the acknowledgment by Renault that its emissions filtering system did not work effectively in all temperatures. This operational issue required Renault to correct the filtration system on certain Captur cars produced between July and September 2015 to ensure it functioned properly in hot or cold weather conditions [39581]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to Renault's diesel cars was due to a calibration error in the emissions-cutting system of its diesel engines, which meant nitrogen oxides and sulphur were not being properly eliminated. This internal software issue led to discrepancies between test results and actual pollution levels, prompting Renault to recall more than 15,000 cars and plan a software upgrade to address the problem [39581].
(b) outside_system: The failure incident was also influenced by external factors such as the regulatory environment and public scrutiny. The French government established a commission to investigate vehicle emissions, leading to the identification of manufacturers whose real-world emissions exceeded test levels. Additionally, anti-fraud investigators raided Renault's premises, indicating external pressure and oversight on the company's emissions practices [39581]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was not directly attributed to non-human actions. The failure was due to a calibration error in the emissions-cutting system of Renault's diesel engines, which meant nitrogen oxides and sulphur were not being properly eliminated. This indicates a fault in the software system that was not functioning correctly, leading to emissions discrepancies [39581].
(b) The software failure incident was a result of human actions, specifically a calibration error in the emissions-cutting system of Renault's diesel engines. The manufacturer acknowledged this error, indicating that it was a mistake introduced by human actions during the calibration process of the software system [39581]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is not directly attributed to hardware issues but rather to a calibration error in the emissions-cutting system of Renault's diesel engines. The article mentions that Renault discovered "a calibration error" in the emissions-cutting system, which led to nitrogen oxides and sulphur not being properly eliminated [39581].
(b) The software failure incident is primarily attributed to a software issue. Renault announced a software upgrade to cut nitrogen oxides pollution from its diesel engines, affecting up to 700,000 vehicles on the road. This upgrade was planned for cars using the most modern Euro 6-compliant engines, indicating a software-related fix to address the emissions problem [39581]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to Renault's diesel cars' emissions filtering system was non-malicious. The failure was attributed to a "calibration error" in the emissions-cutting system of its diesel engines, which meant nitrogen oxides and sulphur were not being properly eliminated [39581]. The French carmaker denied any wrongdoing and stated that there was no "defeat device" like the one used by Volkswagen to cheat emissions tests. Renault acknowledged the difference between its test results and actual pollution levels, indicating that the failure was not intentional but rather a result of a technical flaw in the software system. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
The software failure incident related to Renault's diesel cars' emissions filtering system does not directly point to a software failure caused by poor decisions or accidental decisions. The issue was attributed to a calibration error in the emissions-cutting system of the diesel engines, leading to nitrogen oxides and sulphur not being properly eliminated. The incident was more related to a technical fault in the software controlling the emissions system rather than poor or accidental decisions made during the software development process [39581]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, unknown |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the case of Renault's diesel cars. The article mentions a "calibration error" in the emissions-cutting system of its diesel engines, leading to nitrogen oxides and sulphur not being properly eliminated [39581]. This error indicates a lack of professional competence in the development process, resulting in the emissions filtering system not working effectively in all temperatures.
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to Renault's diesel cars' emissions filtering system can be categorized as a temporary failure. The issue was identified in Renault Captur cars produced between July and September 2015, and Renault confirmed that it involved a small proportion of Capturs produced before September 2015 when the problem was identified and fixed [39581]. This indicates that the failure was due to contributing factors introduced by certain circumstances (calibration error in the emissions-cutting system) during a specific period, rather than being a permanent issue affecting all circumstances. |
| Behaviour |
omission, value |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in this case did not involve a crash where the system lost state and did not perform any of its intended functions. The issue was related to a calibration error in the emissions-cutting system of Renault's diesel engines, leading to nitrogen oxides and sulphur not being properly eliminated [39581].
(b) omission: The software failure incident can be categorized under omission as the emissions filtering system of Renault's diesel cars omitted to work in all temperatures, leading to a difference between test results and actual pollution levels [39581].
(c) timing: The software failure incident was not related to timing issues where the system performed its intended functions too late or too early. Instead, the problem was with the filtration system not working effectively in hot or cold weather conditions [39581].
(d) value: The software failure incident falls under the value category as the system was performing its intended functions incorrectly due to a calibration error in the emissions-cutting system, resulting in nitrogen oxides and sulphur not being properly eliminated [39581].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident was not characterized by a byzantine behavior where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The issue was more straightforward, involving a specific error in the emissions-cutting system calibration [39581].
(f) other: The software failure incident did not exhibit any other specific behavior beyond those mentioned in the options (a) to (e). |