Why Mercedes-Benz Recalled 1.3 Million Vehicles

Recently, Mercedes-Benz ordered a recall on 1.3M cars due to software failure. 

With the rise of technologically advanced cars, we’ve seen an increase in practical software implementation. For Mercedes-Benz, through eCall, a design feature immediately notifies authorities when automatically triggered by a vehicular accident or crash. 

Sounds great, right? It is…until it malfunctions. Many classes of 2016-2021 Mercedes vehicles were recalled because of eCall, with Mercedes being worried that the software would send out the wrong location. 

In fact, the NHTSA warned that the root of these potential errors is likely affecting nearly all of the recalled classes, meaning it could be catastrophic if these cars stay on the road. 

Among the recalled vehicles are the following classes:

A-, B-, C-, E-, GT-, S-, SL-, SLC-, CLA-, CLS-, G-, GLA-, GLB-, GLE-, GLS-.

Beginning on April 6, the recall will lead to free software updates at dealerships designed to alleviate the issue before it manifests. 

In a statement by Mercedes-Benz reported by The Verge, the company noted: “a temporary collapse of the communication module’s power supply caused by a crash might lead to the vehicle’s position during a potential emergency call being incorrect.”

Luckily, there have been no incidents involving miscommunication between the eCall system and authorities in the U.S. However, a case has been reported in Europe (based on a 2019 study conducted by Mercedes-Benz), so the company wants to contain the problem before it starts to appear more frequently, and leads to a fatal miscalculation by a local authority reporting to the site of a crash. 

The eCall situation shows us that we can’t always be too reliant on technology because a malfunction would leave us helpless.