Watchdog urges Tesla to recall 158,000 Model S, X cars to fix knackered NAND flash that borks safety features
- Reference: 1610667627
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/01/14/tesla_nand_recall/
- Source link:
The dept's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a probe into Tesla's failing digital storage in June. In November, [1]it concluded Model S and Model X vehicles built between 2012 and 2018, are at risk of several issues, ranging from the rearview cameras blacking out and an inability to defog windshields, as well as the loss of turn signal chimes and other audio alerts.
[2]
The problems all stem from the hardware that powers the car’s infotainment system, also known as the media control unit (MCU): it includes an Nvidia Tegra 3 system-on-chip with 8GB of eMMC NAND storage. Over the course of five or six years, according to the NHTSA, this consumer-grade flash reaches its program-erase cycle limit. They will be unable to reliably store data, and this renders some of the car’s functions inoperable when the MCU fails.
Now, the investigation has culminated in the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) formally asking Tesla to recall thousands of vehicles.
[3]
Worn-out NAND flash blamed for Tesla vehicle gremlins, such as rearview cam failures and silenced audio alerts [4]READ MORE
“ODI has tentatively concluded that the failure of the media control unit (MCU) constitutes a defect related to motor vehicle safety,” the office's director said in a [5]letter addressed to the electric car maker’s legal department.
“Accordingly, ODI requests that Tesla initiate a recall to notify all owners, purchasers, and dealers of the subject vehicles of this safety defect and provide a remedy, in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, 49 U.S.C. §§ 30118-30120.”
The NHTSA said if Tesla doesn't recall the vehicles, the organization will consider forcing the automaker to fix the issue or face legal action. Tesla has until January 27, 2021 to respond to the NHTSA’s DOI. Its spokespeople were not immediately available for comment.
The letter also revealed that the rate of failure in Tesla’s infotainment gear was worse in older vehicle models. Between 14.2 and 17.3 per cent for the range of 2012-2015 Model S vehicles had suffered setbacks so far; falling to between 1.9 and 4.1 per cent for 2016-2018 Model S and Model X vehicles. The ODI noted that the rate was higher compared to other types of vehicles from different automaker companies that have experienced similar issues.
Tesla attempted to solve the problem with software updates to squeeze more life out of the chips – by, among other things, reducing usage of the memory and improving error correction – though no code can stop these chips from ultimately wearing out. The only way to avoid glitches is to replace the electronics completely, as eventually they will all fail, the agency said.
[6]
“NHTSA notes that Tesla has implemented several over-the-air updates in an attempt to mitigate some of the issues described in this letter, but tentatively believes these updates are procedurally and substantively insufficient. As a matter of Federal law, vehicle manufacturers are required to conduct recalls to remedy safety-related defects,” the letter concluded. ®
Get our [7]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2020/11/17/tesla_nand_memory/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_datacentre/storage&sz=300x250&tile=2&c=2YAEhaUKmqwP8HTbRUzVyuAAAABE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_datacentre/storage&sz=300x250%7C300x252%7C300x600&tile=3&c=33YAEhaUKmqwP8HTbRUzVyuAAAABE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2020/11/17/tesla_nand_memory/
[5] https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2020/INRM-EA20003-11321.pdf
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_datacentre/storage&sz=300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251&tile=4&c=44YAEhaUKmqwP8HTbRUzVyuAAAABE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Great
Not to mentiion that any form of rewritable memory with a limited number of cycles should be user swappable. I'll bet they wish they had built a microSD card slot into the bezel of the infotainment system. Most people wouldn't even bother complaining about popping in a new 8GB card after 6 or so years of use.If it needs to also have firmware on it they could just mail them as cheaply as a recall letter.
plugs Re: Great
Swappable implies plug&socket; In "Old ma Bell" (the old AT&T) these were a no-no (reliability issues).
Re: Great
re: Security 101
Could you elaborate?
I don't remember reading anything in the article about security?
Re: Great
Easy.
Why shall a failing entertainment center (MCU) cause "rearview cameras blacking out and an inability to defog windshields, as well as the loss of turn signal chimes and other audio alerts", as indicated in the article.
Hence why ODI is recommending a recall and threatening legal action.
Had the MCU kept to its namesake as an "entertainment center", Tesla wouldn't be in this pickle.
Security, in this context is the security of the core functions of the car to remain road worthy, plus keep people safe.
NAND has a finite life
Can only cope with so many read/writes.
I've currently got an old-ish Samsund SSD in my PC bleating that I should 'raise the over provisioning partition' - basically lower the usable space, so it has a buffer to reallocate the failing sectors.
Not something I'd thought about when I switched to SSDs - but makes sense when you look at how NAND works.
Slightly scary thing is that maybe this was never considered when building Smart Cars. You can separate the OS out all you like with perfect security - but this is a whole layer below this.
NAND degrades in your car like the tyres, brakes etc. Not an issue if wear can be monitored and the part replaced when it degrades. Very problematic if say the chips are soldered to the brains of the car.
Your no-socket Powerbook might get replaced after 5 years, but cars need to last longer.
Kids today
... don't understand that you need to do wear leveling. Though it sounds like they finally use it in one of the updates.
Re: Kids today
That's not what was implied in the article. What was stated in the article is that Tesla chose to write less to the storage and use error correction.
Seems more like they didn't spec out the NAND properly for the amount of data that was going to be written to the memory each day for the anticipated lifespan of a car.
Or maybe Tesla did spec out the memory properly, anticipating that a combination of "autopilot" and stupid users would finish off these cars before the memory was anticipated to start failing.
Great
A car's entertainment system failure can be a menace for the actual primary function of a car which is passenger safety .
How many times have I already said that the entertainment bus should be physically isolated from the car's command bus ?
I don't remember. I can't count.
In any case, well done Mr Musk. You might be a billionaire, but you still fail Basic Security 101 - all in the name of saving a few bucks.
Well I hope you're happy with your savings now.