>-----Original Message-----
>From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] 
>On Behalf Of Alan B. Pearce
>Sent: 28 June 2007 13:30
>To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
>Subject: Re: [EE] How far do you go? - was: [EE] Firmware 
>flaws andfacelesscorporations
>
>
>> You could design in a soft-fail mode where it continues in limited 
>> mode until fixed, or it could just stop until it is repaired.
>
>Volvo did that with their ECU, and have resulted in some near death 
>situations on motorways when it failed and went into 'limp mode' while 
>barreling down the outside lane - more than once in the UK. 
>Situation has 
>been well covered by the BBC program 'Watchdog'.

I believe the Vovlos suffered from failure of the electronic throttle module rather than the ECU.  This is part of the "drive by wire" system which I have always considered a very poor idea.  Give me a throttle cable any day of the week.

Regards

Mike

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