Sometimes in software testing you are finding and fixing coding errors, sometimes you are addressing requirement gaps, and sometimes you have to deal with spiders.
Spiders? Exactly. And no, I don’t mean that as a metaphor for some new fancy software issue. I just mean, sometimes you are actually dealing with spiders.
Mazda has recently announced a voluntary recall of 42,000 Mazda 6s, due to… spiders. The yellow sac spider or Cheiracanthium, for those of you that are arachnid enthusiasts, are attracted to hydrocarbons and gasoline. These adorable little guys have taken a liking to Mazda’s vent lines. The webs restrict air flow and can potentially cause cracks in the fuel tank, which ultimately could lead to fires.
Mazda first addressed this “more common than you’d think” problem a few years ago with a mechanical solution, aimed at keeping the spider out of the lines. However, they proved to be persistent and continue to breach the Mazda’s security. So Mazda has now turned to new software. They offer the free upgraded software to Mazda owners which regulates the pressure level and notifies the owner if there is a problem. True, it is not an actual solution to the spider problem; however it is great to see that Mazda is looking to software proactively to ensure the safety of their customers. It should also be noted that although the problem has persisted for a few years, no injuries or fires have been reported as a result of pressure build up related to spider webs.
I did a quick Google search for “Most common software testing problems” and found it strange that “spiders” did not crack this top 20 list. Maybe next year, spiders. I imagine it would have been fairly amusing to see the reaction of Mazda’s software testing team when they were sat down and directed to create a new software upgrade to battle spiders. However, as the world becomes more technical, software is lending itself to a greater number of solutions every day. And clearly some that may not have been considered possible previously.
In response to why Mazda in particular was having such problems with the pesky little spiders, one representative replied “Don’t ask me, I’m terrified of the damn things”. Me too, Mazda representative, me too. But thank you for developing software that proactively prevents them from damaging cars in addition to giving me the heebie-jeebies.
Have you encountered any “less than usual” software testing situations? Be sure to share in the comments!