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Should I Take Toyota's Software Update?

Posted by kdawson on from the no-brakes-on-the-rolling-dice dept.

kiehlster writes "I'm a software developer, and I know that most software has bugs, but how much trust can we put in the many lines of code found in our automobiles? I have a 2009 Camry that is involved in both of the recent Toyota recalls. As part of the floor-mat issue, they're offering to install a software update that would cause 'the brake pedal to take precedence over the gas pedal if both were pressed,' or, as their latest notice states, 'would cut power to the engine if both pedals were pressed.' In the computer world, we're all taught to install firmware updates only if there is a real problem because a large percentage of firmware updates actually brick the hardware or cause other unforeseen consequences. On a base of 100 million lines of code, can I really trust a software update to work safely when it is delivered in a three-month development cycle? My driving habits don't cause the floor mat to slide much, so I see the update as overkill. What do you think? If it doesn't void the warranty, should I tell them to skip the update?"

4 of 750 comments (clear)

  1. Safety first by furball · · Score: 0, Redundant

    What are the chances you can be harmed sitting behind the wheel of a bricked car?

    What are the chances you can be harmed sitting behind the wheel of a car with known safety issues with unpatched firmware?

    Right.

  2. Re:You're looking at it wrong. by Tsunayoshi · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Good luck getting any money from Toyota or your insurance company if you _don't_ take that update.

    +5 for this. (no mods points, sorry :( )

    --
    "Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live." - Mark Twain, "Taming the Bicycle"
  3. Re:You're looking at it wrong. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Toyota cars have a KNOWN bug that, when it occurs, the car accelerates at full throttle and ignores all other signals (even shifting to neutral or pulling the emergency brake)

    [Citation needed]

  4. Re:You're looking at it wrong. by jhol13 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    How on earth you count "lines of code"???

    The .h file had 900 lines and perhaps half of those are "lines of code" (depending what is counted as "code line").

    Beside the point, it is extremely misleading to count generated code as "lines of code", for several reasons.