| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the ignition switch problem in General Motors Co's pickup trucks and SUVs is an example of a failure happening again within the same organization. This incident involved another ignition switch problem causing engines to stall, similar to the faulty ignition switches that prompted the recall of millions of vehicles in the past [52483]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the article. General Motors Co. discovered an ignition switch problem among its pickup trucks and SUVs that can cause engines to stall. This issue was found before any injuries occurred, and the problem was identified by an employee who owned one of the trucks and informed higher-ups. GM quickly moved to recall the affected vehicles, indicating a failure introduced during the system development phase [Article 52483].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article. Therefore, there is no specific information available regarding a failure introduced by the operation or misuse of the system. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the ignition switch problem in General Motors' pickup trucks and SUVs was discovered internally by an employee who owned one of the trucks and informed higher-ups. This indicates that the issue originated from within the system itself, leading to the recall of about 3,300 vehicles to correct the problem [52483]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was not directly related to non-human actions but rather to a mechanical issue with the ignition switch in General Motors' pickup trucks and SUVs. The problem caused engines to stall, leading to the shutdown of various systems like power steering, power brakes, and airbags. It was discovered by an employee who owned one of the affected vehicles and promptly reported it to higher-ups, resulting in a recall of about 3,300 vehicles to address the issue [Article 52483].
(b) The failure was not attributed to human actions but rather to a technical fault in the ignition switch mechanism. The discovery of the problem was initiated by an employee who owned one of the affected vehicles, indicating that the issue was not intentionally introduced by human actions but rather a result of a design or manufacturing flaw in the software or hardware component [Article 52483]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is related to hardware. The issue with the ignition switch in General Motors' pickup trucks and SUVs caused engines to stall, leading to the disabling of power steering, power brakes, and possibly airbags. This hardware-related problem was discovered by an employee who owned one of the trucks and informed higher-ups, leading to a recall of about 3,300 vehicles to correct the issue [Article 52483]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the ignition switch problem in General Motors' pickup trucks and SUVs does not appear to be malicious. It was discovered by an employee who owned one of the trucks and informed higher-ups, leading to a recall of about 3,300 vehicles to correct the issue. There were no reports of crashes or injuries related to the engines shutting off [Article 52483]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
The articles do not mention any software failure incident related to poor decisions or accidental decisions. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to the ignition switch problem in General Motors' pickup trucks and SUVs does not seem to be directly attributed to development incompetence. The issue was discovered by an employee who owned one of the trucks and informed higher-ups, leading to a quick recall of the affected vehicles. This indicates that the problem was not a result of incompetence but rather a flaw that was identified and addressed promptly [52483].
(b) The software failure incident appears to be accidental in nature. The ignition switch problem causing engines to stall and disabling various systems like power steering, power brakes, and airbags was not intentional but rather a defect that was discovered before any injuries occurred. The recall was initiated promptly after the issue was identified, suggesting that it was an accidental failure rather than a deliberate act [52483]. |
| Duration |
unknown |
The articles do not mention any software failure incident related to the General Motors Co. ignition switch problem or the recall of pickup trucks and SUVs. Therefore, the duration of the software failure incident in this case is unknown. |
| Behaviour |
crash |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the article is related to a crash where the engines of the affected vehicles were stalling, causing the system to lose its state and not perform its intended functions, including disabling power steering, power brakes, and possibly airbags [52483].
(b) omission: There is no specific mention of the software failure incident being related to omission in the articles.
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not attributed to timing issues in the articles.
(d) value: The software failure incident is not described as a value-related failure in the articles.
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit characteristics of a byzantine failure in the articles.
(f) other: The software failure incident in the articles is primarily described as a crash where the engines of the affected vehicles were stalling, leading to a loss of functionality [52483]. |