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Jan 27, 2026 Peter Rothschild, a retired radiologist and long-time Volvo owner, recounts a terrifying brake failure after a software update. He describes the mountain road emergency and the investigation that traced the problem to a faulty release. The conversation explores over-the-air update risks, how automotive software testing can miss rare bugs, and calls for stronger safety standards.
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Brake Failure After Update
- Peter Rothschild nearly died when his XC90's brakes eased after a Volvo software update while descending a narrow mountain road.
- He swerved into dirt and rocks to emulate a runaway-truck escape ramp and regained control, then reported the incident to Volvo and NHTSA.
Safety Is Now Software
- Modern car safety increasingly depends on millions of lines of software rather than visible hardware.
- When software fails, it can make decisions in real time with no audible warning, changing how we assign accountability.
Bug In A Patch Revealed
- Volvo and NHTSA traced Peter's incident to update 3.514 which altered brake feel after startup.
- A line in the notes admitting "the foot brake should feel less stiff right after starting the car" revealed the cause.