Incident: Throttle Delay Software Issue in Porsche Cayman Cars.

Published Date: 2015-10-17

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident involving Porsche vehicles experiencing throttle delays happened when John Cieslik, a Porsche Cayman owner, almost crashed while overtaking a lorry in 2011 [52877].
System 1. Throttle response system in Porsche vehicles, specifically the Porsche Cayman [52877]
Responsible Organization 1. Porsche [52877]
Impacted Organization 1. Porsche drivers who experienced the throttle delay issue, such as John Cieslik and Nick Ray [52877]
Software Causes 1. Throttle delay issue causing a delayed response from the throttle at 30mph due to attempts to conform to European noise limits on high-performance cars [52877]
Non-software Causes 1. Throttle delay in Porsche vehicles due to attempts to conform to European noise limits on high-performance cars [52877] 2. Lack of disclosure of test results by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) [52877] 3. Alleged response from a dealer that the throttle delay was a 'common characteristic' of the car type with no fix [52877]
Impacts 1. Delayed response from the throttle at 30mph, leading to potential safety hazards for Porsche drivers, as reported by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency [52877]. 2. Risk of severe harm to public safety due to the potential impact on the ability of DVSA to perform its statutory functions, affecting all road users and pedestrians [52877].
Preventions 1. Conducting thorough testing and quality assurance procedures during the software development process to identify and address any potential issues before the product is released to customers [52877]. 2. Implementing a transparent and open communication policy between the manufacturer (Porsche) and regulatory agencies (DVSA) to ensure prompt reporting and resolution of any software-related safety concerns [52877]. 3. Providing timely software updates and fixes to address reported issues such as the throttle delay experienced by Porsche drivers to enhance the safety and performance of the vehicles [52877].
Fixes 1. Conduct a thorough investigation into the software code responsible for the throttle delay issue to identify the root cause and potential bugs [52877]. 2. Implement a software update or patch to address the delayed response from the throttle at 30mph in Porsche vehicles [52877]. 3. Enhance communication and transparency between car manufacturers like Porsche and regulatory bodies like the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to ensure prompt resolution of safety-related software issues [52877].
References 1. Porsche drivers who complained about the acceleration issue, such as John Cieslik and Nick Ray [Article 52877] 2. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) [Article 52877] 3. Department for Transport [Article 52877]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization (a) The software failure incident related to throttle delay in Porsche vehicles has happened again within the same organization. One Porsche owner, John Cieslik, experienced a throttle delay that almost caused him to crash while overtaking a lorry. Another Porsche owner, Nick Ray, also suffered the same problem and was reportedly told by a dealer that it was a 'common characteristic' of the car type with no fix available [52877].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident in the Porsche cars was related to the design phase. The article mentions that Porsche drivers complained about their vehicles not accelerating in certain conditions due to a 'delayed response' from the throttle at 30mph. This delay was attributed to attempts to conform to European noise limits on high-performance cars, indicating a design-related issue introduced during the development of the system [52877]. (b) The software failure incident was also related to the operation phase. One Porsche owner experienced a throttle delay that almost caused a crash while overtaking a lorry. This incident occurred during the operation of the vehicle, highlighting an issue related to the operation or use of the system [52877].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) The software failure incident related to the Porsche vehicles experiencing a delayed response from the throttle at 30mph was within the system. The article mentions that Porsche admitted to a 'delayed response' from the throttle at 30mph due to attempts to conform to European noise limits on high-performance cars [52877]. This indicates that the issue with the throttle delay was a result of factors originating from within the system design and software implementation.
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident in the Porsche cars was related to a delayed response from the throttle at 30mph, which was attributed to attempts to conform to European noise limits on high-performance cars. This delayed response of up to 2.5 seconds was identified by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency during testing [52877]. (b) Human actions also played a role in this software failure incident. Porsche owners complained about the throttle delay issue, with one owner almost crashing while overtaking a lorry due to the engine dying. The owner mentioned hitting the accelerator pedal but experiencing a delayed response from the engine, leading to a near-fatal accident. Additionally, another Porsche owner was allegedly told by a dealer that the issue was a 'common characteristic' of the car type and that there was no fix available [52877].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) software (a) The software failure incident in the article is related to a throttle delay issue experienced by Porsche drivers, which could potentially lead to dangerous situations such as delayed acceleration when overtaking. This issue was attributed to a 'delayed response' from the throttle at 30mph, with the company admitting that this delay was due to attempts to conform to European noise limits on high-performance cars [52877]. (b) The software failure incident is specifically related to a delayed response from the throttle in Porsche vehicles, indicating a software-related issue. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency tested a Porsche and found a delayed response of up to 2.5 seconds, highlighting a software glitch or fault in the system that caused the throttle delay [52877].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) non-malicious (a) The software failure incident described in the articles does not indicate any malicious intent. The incident was related to a throttle delay in Porsche vehicles, which was causing safety concerns for drivers during overtaking maneuvers. The delay in the throttle response was attributed to attempts to conform to European noise limits on high-performance cars, rather than any intentional harm to the system [52877].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions, accidental_decisions The intent of the software failure incident in the reported Porsche case seems to involve both poor decisions and accidental decisions: (a) poor_decisions: The incident involved poor decisions related to the design and implementation of the software in Porsche vehicles. The throttle delay issue was acknowledged by the company as a result of attempts to conform to European noise limits on high-performance cars, indicating a design decision that led to the problem [52877]. (b) accidental_decisions: There are elements of accidental decisions or unintended consequences in this incident as well. For example, the delay in throttle response causing potential safety hazards was not likely an intentional feature but rather an unintended consequence of the software design or implementation [52877].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The software failure incident in the Porsche cars was related to a delayed response from the throttle at 30mph, which was attributed to attempts to conform to European noise limits on high-performance cars. This issue led to dangerous situations for drivers, such as almost causing crashes while overtaking. Owners complained about the throttle delay, with one owner mentioning a near-fatal accident due to the engine dying unexpectedly [52877]. (b) The incident involving the Porsche cars and the throttle delay was not explicitly mentioned as accidental in the articles. The focus was more on the dispute between Porsche and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency regarding the disclosure of the test results and the potential impact on future cooperation and safety implications.
Duration temporary The software failure incident described in the article seems to be more aligned with a temporary failure rather than a permanent one. The article mentions a specific issue with the throttle response in certain conditions, such as a delayed response of up to 2.5 seconds when accelerating at 30mph. This indicates that the failure is not a constant or permanent issue but rather occurs under certain circumstances, such as attempting to overtake another vehicle. Additionally, the article highlights that Porsche acknowledged a 'delayed response' from the throttle due to attempts to conform to European noise limits on high-performance cars, suggesting a specific condition triggering the problem rather than a continuous software flaw affecting all circumstances [52877].
Behaviour crash, omission, value (a) crash: The software failure incident described in the article involved a dangerous situation where the engine of the Porsche Cayman almost caused a crash while overtaking a lorry. The owner mentioned, "I hit the accelerator pedal expecting to move swiftly out of danger only for the engine to die" [Article 52877]. (b) omission: The software failure incident involved a delayed response from the throttle of the Porsche Cayman, leading to a situation where the engine did not accelerate as expected when the driver needed it to. This omission of expected acceleration almost caused a fatal accident. The owner stated, "I sat for what seemed like an eternity waiting for the lorry, horn blaring and lights flashing, to drive straight over me" [Article 52877]. (c) timing: The software failure incident resulted in a delayed response from the throttle of the Porsche Cayman. The article mentioned that there was a delayed response of up to 2.5 seconds when the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency tested a Porsche. This timing issue with the throttle response was a key aspect of the failure incident [Article 52877]. (d) value: The software failure incident involved the Porsche Cayman's throttle system performing incorrectly, leading to a situation where the engine did not respond as expected when the accelerator pedal was pressed. This incorrect performance of the throttle system almost caused a fatal accident during overtaking. The owner mentioned, "Within a whisker of a fatal accident, the engine came back to life and the car accelerated away from a near-death experience" [Article 52877]. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident did not exhibit characteristics of a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The focus was more on the delayed and incorrect response of the throttle system in the Porsche Cayman [Article 52877]. (f) other: The software failure incident did not exhibit any other specific behavior beyond the aspects of crash, omission, timing, and value mentioned in the articles. The key issues highlighted were the delayed and incorrect response of the throttle system in the Porsche Cayman, leading to a potentially dangerous situation during overtaking [Article 52877].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence delay (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: The articles do not mention any direct consequences such as death, physical harm, impact on basic needs, or harm to non-human entities due to the software failure incident. The incident primarily focused on the delayed response from the throttle in Porsche vehicles, which could potentially lead to dangerous situations like near-misses during overtaking maneuvers. The main consequence discussed was the safety risk posed by the throttle delay, with potential harm to road users if the issue is not addressed [52877].
Domain transportation, government (a) The failed system in this incident was related to the transportation industry. Porsche drivers complained about their vehicles not accelerating in certain conditions, which could be dangerous when trying to overtake another car. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency tested a Porsche and found a delayed response of up to 2.5 seconds, indicating a software issue affecting the acceleration of the vehicles [52877]. (l) The government industry was also involved in this incident. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency conducted tests on the Porsche vehicles and had a dispute with Porsche regarding the release of the safety report. The information tribunal was involved in the dispute between the DVSA and Porsche, highlighting the government's role in regulating vehicle safety and standards [52877].

Sources

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