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Volvo recalls 59,000 cars over software fault

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Re: Volvo recalls 59,000 cars over software fault

#61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Putting this kind of safety-related issue aside, the first purchaser probably won't keep the car long enough to have any real problems (at this price level it's probably a lease). Even if they do, the dealer will give them a loaner (and may even pick up the car) so problems aren't much of an inconvenience. It's much more of an issue for those of us who like to buy several year old luxury cars -- they have become much…

Can you explain "it's usually a lease?" Doesn't it defeat the purpose of signaling wealth if you don't actually own it? How common actually is leasing at this price level?

Apparently there is a huge market for lending things to rich people. Art, fine wine, cars, houses. Being rich gives you vast access to credit.

Re: Volvo recalls 59,000 cars over software fault

#62
post #52

Why don't any of the luxury car brands (other than Lexus) focus on reliability? It seems so strange that the market is willing to pay ~$40-$80k for a car totally indifferent to its engineering quality. If I were to own a luxury car, I'd want to know its engineering is rock-solid first and foremost. I'd want to be proud of it as a machine not just a symbol. Maybe that's just a techie thing, though. Volvo has been noto…

> Why don't any of the luxury car brands (other than Lexus) focus on reliability The Mercedes-Benz/Puch G-Class hasn't changed that much since 1979. It's a mid-size four-wheel drive luxury SUV, a real cross country vehicle. Deer hunters, various military, VIPs, presidents and the pope, many use the G-Class. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_G-Class

I went and found a few images of this car and variations of it.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/2015...

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/attachments/g-class/209746d1...

http://olive-drab.com/images/id_mb_gclass_03_700.jpg

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--qAO8Ma4i...

http://spintires-mods.lt/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Mercedes... (CGI)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DobFdTEMh3Y/TDoii7WEbZI/AAAAAAAABB...

http://cars-pics-db.com/pics/steyr-puch/steyr-puch-g-290/ste...

http://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/testdrive/gallery/108...

http://car-from-uk.com/ebay/carphotos/full/ebay1416702369969...

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/4a/bc/16/4abc163c1...

http://www.papercraftsquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/D... (Paper Model)

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/3d/84/04/3d84040cc...

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s---M1k3rjO...

Re: Volvo recalls 59,000 cars over software fault

#63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've always thought, if I was rich, I would hire one or more developers who's job was to educate me on software (empowering me), and write and run software I was interested in. Wonder why I haven't heard of any rich people doing that?

Your comment reminds me of the question: The Greeks invented the steam engine, why didn't they have an industrial revolution? One answer is that slave labor made a steam engine unneeded: any work the engine could do was already being done by slaves. Similarly, Cicero had no need for a printing press, any time he wanted to print something (election pamphlets, for example), he had an army of slaves copy it over and ove…

I think the simpler answer is they didn't invent a practical steam engine.

Re: Volvo recalls 59,000 cars over software fault

#65
post #19

Is there any coding standards like in aviation (DO-178) for cars?

Yes, MISRA, but it doesn't help if it isn't followed which seemed to be what was discovered when the Toyota code was examined.

And as there is no way to see the source or replicate the build process no one can easily tell if the guidelines have been followed.

Re: Volvo recalls 59,000 cars over software fault

#66
post #19

Is there any coding standards like in aviation (DO-178) for cars?

Yes, MISRA, but it doesn't help if it isn't followed which seemed to be what was discovered when the Toyota code was examined. And as there is no way to see the source or replicate the build process no one can easily tell if the guidelines have been followed.

More on the Toyota software issue:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9643204

Toyotas Unintended Acceleration and the Big Bowl of “Spaghetti” Code (2013) (safetyresearch.net)

http://www.safetyresearch.net/blog/articles/toyota-unintende...

Re: Volvo recalls 59,000 cars over software fault

#67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've always thought, if I was rich, I would hire one or more developers who's job was to educate me on software (empowering me), and write and run software I was interested in. Wonder why I haven't heard of any rich people doing that?

Your comment reminds me of the question: The Greeks invented the steam engine, why didn't they have an industrial revolution? One answer is that slave labor made a steam engine unneeded: any work the engine could do was already being done by slaves. Similarly, Cicero had no need for a printing press, any time he wanted to print something (election pamphlets, for example), he had an army of slaves copy it over and ove…

Thx. great idea.

Re: Volvo recalls 59,000 cars over software fault

#68
post #59

I've rented a Volvo V70 for the weekend that sounds like it's just the model that they're recalling. So far, no issues, and given the ice patches on the road today I'd hope it stays that way. It's a pretty cool car otherwise, lots of nifty features to make driving easier and safer, like adaptive cruise control, lane warnings, dead angle warnings, automatic break (at low speeds) when detecting obstacles, like a car su…

Update: I'm still alive, and the car returned. Never had an issue, so I guess the model wasn't affected or its not easily reproduced in the kind of casual cross country driving I did.

Regardless – great car, 10/10 would rent again.

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