If there's one thing you want in any car, it's a way to stop. It's even more important than power, style or any kind of gadget eye-catching. Having a brake pedal that doesn't work isn't good, which is why Volvo is warning drivers of certain hybrid vehicles plug-in and electrics to stop driving until they download the latest update of software.
According to the recall, this bug in the programming of the brake control module is part of version 3.5.14 of the software and only appears in certain conditions and on models connected to the socket. Affected customers may experience a temporary loss of braking functionality after coasting for at least 1 minute and 40 seconds in "B" driving mode for PHEV vehicles and "One Pedal Drive" mode for BEV vehicles without applying the brake pedal or (to some extent) the accelerator pedal. If the situation occurs, pressing the brake pedal can completely remove the braking functionality.
Although many hybrid drivers plug-in probably don't always drive in "B" mode, people who live in mountainous areas may do so, just as some drivers of battery-electric vehicles religiously use one-pedal mode. That's how the defect was discovered, and the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Agency) even published a video of a DashCam which shows this brake failure mode occurring.
There is something unsettling about knowing that an update of software can interfere with brake performance, because although it should work fine, what if it doesn't? The solution is to stop driving the vehicle and download the latest update of over-the-air software as soon as it is available. If an affected car needs to be moved, make sure that the "B" mode in hybrid plug-in and pedal driving in battery electric vehicles are not selected.
The original article via The Autopian can be read here.
