Buggy CarWare

As pathetic as it sounds, we have all become accustomed to rebooting computers when they crash due to buggy software. In most cases, seeing the infamous BSOD (blue screen of death) and rebooting due to lock ups have become daily routines for many computer users. It is so common that we stopped complaining and accept them as the daily norm of computing life. Of course, some OSs are more stable than others but eventually they all will crash at one point or another. My favorite saying and suggestion to my friends is "When all else fails, reformat!".
More and more automakers are adding cutting edge electronics to their cars. Many of these new technologies require software. Guess what? Software for cars are just as buggy as Microsoft Windows! Yes, it is possible. The consquence between buggy software for cars and computers is obvious. When a desktop computer crashes, the user only has to hit the power button to reboot. He or she may lose whatever she was working on but it cannot really be life threatening in most cases. However, when a car software crashes, the driver (and passengers) is stuck in a fast moving metal box going out of control! It is one thing for a software to crash. But it can be life threatening if the software's crash causes its users to physically crash. Do we really want and need all these buggy software in our automobiles? Is it not the responsibilities of automakers to ensure all their products are at least safe?
Wired Magazine has a great article on the topic of buggy software in expensive automobiles. Wired writes, "'A few months ago, my wife was driving our 2000 Range Rover SE, and the EAS failed while she was driving it on the interstate going 70 mph,' wrote one man on AutomotiveForums.com. 'She lost control and hit a guard rail and was injured.'" You know what? This kind of incidents is simply unacceptable. Automakers need to fully test and debug all the systems before releasing them. The extra time spent in testing can really save a person's life!

Read more on Wired