Software fixes are now responsible for more than 1 in 5 vehicle recalls. That’s the top finding from a decade of recall data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to an analysis by law firm DeMayo Law. While that’s a sign of growing inconvenience for drivers, the positive is that a software patch is usually a much quicker fix than something that requires a hardware replacement.
“Our analysis suggests that we are witnessing a shift in the way automotive recalls are handled. The growing number of software-related recalls, combined with the ability to address problems remotely, could revolutionize the recall process for both manufacturers and vehicle owners,” said a spokesperson for DeMayo Law.
In 2014, 34 of the 277 automotive recalls were for software fixes. The software recall rate hovered around 12-13 percent (apart from a spike in 2015) before steadily increasing from 2020 onwards. In 2021, 16 percent of automotive recalls (61 of 380) were for software. In 2022, nearly 22 percent of recalls were for software fixes (76 of 348), up from over 23 percent last year (82 of 356).
Chrysler led the way, with 82 different software recalls since 2014. Ford (66 recalls) and Mercedes-Benz (60) are the two runners-up. Meanwhile, Tesla comes in at just eighth place, with 26 software recalls since 2014, putting it on a par with Hyundai (25) and Kia (25).
Electrical systems were the most common problem area, which makes sense: This is also the second most common recall for hardware repairs, and would likely be the most common if it weren’t for the massive Takata airbag recall, which has affected more than 100 million vehicles worldwide.
Other systems frequently affected by recalls that required software measures related to rear-end vehicle prevention (e.g., backup cameras, collision warnings or automatic emergency braking), airbags, powertrains and exterior lighting.
It should be noted that not all recalls involving a software fix are intended to fix a software problem. Take, for example, the recent Jaguar I-Pace recall, which was triggered by battery fires caused by battery cells that were damaged during assembly. Jaguar’s solution? A software update that places a new, lower limit on the battery pack’s storage capacity, preventing it from fully charging to 100 percent.
While many older vehicles from legacy OEMs require a trip to the dealership to get patched, a growing number of new models can be updated over-the-air, meaning owners can have the recall carried out from the comfort of their own parking space, provided they have a connection. Even this isn’t without its problems, as some Rivian owners discovered to their dismay late last year when an update broke some of their infotainment screens.
Expect this to happen more often
Automakers say customers want their next car to have such entertainment when they use their smartphones and games consoles. (Whether that’s true, though, remains to be seen.) Software competency is a new battleground between global automakers, and fears for Chinese brands are high, despite a looming ban on Chinese connected car software, likely to go into effect within a few years.
So it’s very likely that the trend of fixing product bugs with software will only increase, especially with the introduction of software-defined vehicles. This represents a clean-sheet approach to designing a car, with a handful of powerful computers replacing dozens of black boxes, each with a single function. That’s great when it all works, but a headache when there are problems.