US Government Warns Volvo Owners of Danger Due to Software Glitch
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has appealed to the owners of 11,469 Volvo vehicles with a recommendation to immediately update their vehicles’ software. The reason is that a previous update may lead to a temporary loss of the braking system for a period of up to 1 minute and 40 seconds.
The issue concerns hybrid and electric Volvo vehicles from model years 2020-2026, including the C40, EC40, EX40, S60, S90, V60, XC40, XC60, and XC90 models. The situation becomes particularly dangerous when driving downhill in “B mode” or “One Pedal Drive” modes.
Consequences of the Software Error
NHTSA published a video from a dashcam demonstrating an accident caused by brake failure. The recording shows how a Volvo XC90, after a software glitch, rapidly accelerates on a mountain road; the driver loses control but manages to prevent a rollover.
“Pressing the brake pedal may completely disable the braking system”
The problem arose after an update that was meant to fix malfunctions of the rearview camera. Owners are recommended to either immediately install the new update “over the air” or temporarily refrain from using certain driving modes.
This incident has been a serious blow to Volvo’s reputation as a manufacturer of some of the safest cars in the world. Although the company is responding to the problem promptly, the fact that a potentially dangerous software update was released raises questions about software testing processes in the automotive industry.