Electric Vehicle Expert Discusses Allegedly Defective Charging System

Case Overview

This case in New Jersey involves an alleged product defect in a popular line of electric cars. The principal “defect” allegedly involves the charging system: customers have reported that the vehicle is not charging properly, charges too slowly, does not charge completely, and does not hold a charge as long as it should. It was believed that the root of the issue was in the vehicle’s power management software, in that the system classified routine current fluctuations in the power line to which the vehicle is plugged into to charge as potentially harmful to the onboard electrical circuits and automotive electronics in the vehicle, and automatically reducing the charging level to protect the system. As a result of the defect, some users experienced a vast decrease in the utility of their vehicle.

Questions to the Software expert and their responses

Please briefly describe your experience and familiarity with electric vehicles.

I have done research on electric vehicles, and published papers on control of electric motors for electric vehicles. I have also designed and built a prototype electric vehicle that has been used for research and education purposes by multiple colleges. My primary area of expertise is nonlinear control systems, and that is what is typically used in the power electronics that control the charging and propulsion of electric vehicles.

Can you speak comfortably to potential failures in electric vehicle software? If so, could this relate to the charging system?

What you call 'electric vehicle software' is essentially just a collection of control algorithms that are implemented in software. I am very comfortable with the intricacies of control algorithms; in fact, I already have my own working theory about this problem.

About the expert

This expert is a technology leader with 20+ years experience in research, development, operations, and administration, in both academia and industry. He is the author or co-author of one book, 6 book chapters, 24 articles in refereed technical journals, 60 papers in refereed technical conferences, and 12 contributions to international telecommunications standards committees. He has been the plenary speaker at major technical conferences and an invited speaker at more than 40 industrial and academic venues in 12 countries across 4 continents. Having earned his doctoral degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he was previously a professor and the vice chair of computer systems at the University of California, Los Angeles.

E-013127

Specialties:

Software