There’s irony in the ongoing automotive hardware safety problems that are caused by a software infection. In the latest two examples of expensive, normally robust machines by Mercedes-Benz and Toyota have vision systems that are subject to the safety-defect recalls that were publicly revealed today by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling 2022 AMG EQS53, EQS580, EQS450, 2021 S500, S580, and Maybach S580 vehicles. The rearview camera may not display the rearview image due to a software error in the MBUX multimedia system. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, “Rear Visibility.”
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 2022 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Incorrect programming of the parking-assist electronic-control unit (ECU) software may cause the front camera image to appear on the multimedia display instead of the rear camera imagewhen the shifter is placed into reverse. These vehicles also fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, “Rear Visibility.”
In the required filing from Toyota it told NHTSA that Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system, which consists of multiple individual cameras located around the vehicle, including a front view and rearview camera, and a parking assist ECU.
“The PVM system uses the parking assist ECU to activate the signals for each of these cameras, as needed, in order to display the corresponding image. One of the front camera signal activation criteria is based on sonar sensor inputs, and the rearview camera signal activation criteria is based on shifting the vehicle into reverse position. Due to incorrect programming of the parking assist ECU software, if the vehicle had previously used the front sonar sensors to detect an object and the front camera image was displayed, when the vehicle is next placed into reverse position, there may be sporadic instances where the rear camera signal activation criteria is ignored, and the front camera image appears on the multimedia display instead of the rear camera image.”
Toyota dealers will reprogram the parking assist ECU, free of charge as required by US regulations. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s number for this recall is 22TA07.
Mercedes-Benz in the required NHTSA filing said “the MBUX multimedia system software might not meet current production specifications.As a result, the central display might not be activated as intended when the vehicle is unlocked. In this case, the rearview camera image might not be displayed in the central display when the driver engages reverse gear.
Instead, the central display would remain black. A deactivation or freezing of the rearview camera image during reverse driving can be excluded. A rearview camera picture that might not be available within 2.0 seconds (as required by FMVSS 111 S5.5.3) when beginning to back up might impair rear visibility which might increase the risk of a crash.
“Due to deviations in the development processes of two different suppliers, the MBUX multimedia system software on certain vehicles might not meet current production specifications. Before the issue occurs, the driver will not receive a warning due to the nature of the failure mechanism. When the issue occurs, the driver might notice that the central display is not activated and, thus, the reversing camera function is not available.
Mercedes-Benz dealers will update the MBUX multimedia system software, free of charge as required by US regulations. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 9, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Owners in all affected Mercedes or Toyota vehicles may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Blinded: More Software Recalls from Mercedes-Benz, Toyota
There’s irony in the ongoing automotive hardware safety problems that are caused by a software infection. In the latest two examples of expensive, normally robust machines by Mercedes-Benz and Toyota have vision systems that are subject to the safety-defect recalls that were publicly revealed today by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling 2022 AMG EQS53, EQS580, EQS450, 2021 S500, S580, and Maybach S580 vehicles. The rearview camera may not display the rearview image due to a software error in the MBUX multimedia system. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, “Rear Visibility.”
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 2022 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Incorrect programming of the parking-assist electronic-control unit (ECU) software may cause the front camera image to appear on the multimedia display instead of the rear camera imagewhen the shifter is placed into reverse. These vehicles also fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, “Rear Visibility.”
In the required filing from Toyota it told NHTSA that Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system, which consists of multiple individual cameras located around the vehicle, including a front view and rearview camera, and a parking assist ECU.
“The PVM system uses the parking assist ECU to activate the signals for each of these cameras, as needed, in order to display the corresponding image. One of the front camera signal activation criteria is based on sonar sensor inputs, and the rearview camera signal activation criteria is based on shifting the vehicle into reverse position. Due to incorrect programming of the parking assist ECU software, if the vehicle had previously used the front sonar sensors to detect an object and the front camera image was displayed, when the vehicle is next placed into reverse position, there may be sporadic instances where the rear camera signal activation criteria is ignored, and the front camera image appears on the multimedia display instead of the rear camera image.”
Toyota dealers will reprogram the parking assist ECU, free of charge as required by US regulations. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s number for this recall is 22TA07.
Mercedes-Benz in the required NHTSA filing said “the MBUX multimedia system software might not meet current production specifications.As a result, the central display might not be activated as intended when the vehicle is unlocked. In this case, the rearview camera image might not be displayed in the central display when the driver engages reverse gear.
Instead, the central display would remain black. A deactivation or freezing of the rearview camera image during reverse driving can be excluded. A rearview camera picture that might not be available within 2.0 seconds (as required by FMVSS 111 S5.5.3) when beginning to back up might impair rear visibility which might increase the risk of a crash.
“Due to deviations in the development processes of two different suppliers, the MBUX multimedia system software on certain vehicles might not meet current production specifications. Before the issue occurs, the driver will not receive a warning due to the nature of the failure mechanism. When the issue occurs, the driver might notice that the central display is not activated and, thus, the reversing camera function is not available.
Mercedes-Benz dealers will update the MBUX multimedia system software, free of charge as required by US regulations. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 9, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Owners in all affected Mercedes or Toyota vehicles may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.