Nissan is one of the most reputable brands to come out of the land of the rising sun. However, the problems for Nissan seem to be mounting at the moment. Facing some financial woes, the company has been forced to develop a global recovery plan in an attempt to reinvigorate the brand’s popularity. Those plans have been derailed as Nissan has now issued a recall of nearly 80,000 vehicles due to an unforeseen software defect. The recall is just the latest issue for the once-booming Japanese car maker.
A new generation of cars will inevitably lead to a new generation of problems.
While recalls are a regular occurrence in the automotive industry, the new generation of cars that the world’s top car makers are releasing have faced some inevitable software issues. As is the case whenever a new technology is introduced, there is a teething process to contend with. Although Nissan has been facing some issues, their reputation as a reliable manufacturer might be at stake if the problems persist.
The new generation of cars being sold to the public features an infotainment screen on the dashboard that feeds the driver all the relevant information. The iPad-style screen gives the driver the ability to control all the aspects of the car, like climate control, answering calls, and even playing music or media on the screen. As most of these infotainment screens are manufactured outside of the company’s production lines, quality control can be an issue.
Similar problems have occurred for a range of companies looking to add infotainment screens to the latest versions of their flagship cars. Another Japanese car manufacturer, Honda, has had customers returning their vehicles after similar problems with HondaLink, which connects via smartphone to the car. Acura and even the American giant Ford have also reported similar issues with their infotainment systems.
What has led to the recall of 80,000 Nissan cars? Am I affected?
Nissan has been under some heavy strain as of late. The Japanese company was once the envy of the automotive world, but has recently implemented a global recovery plan to recoup some of the financial losses in the face of an ever-changing market. The recovery plan includes workforce reductions, plant closures, and cost savings initiatives.
The recall has been issued due to the rear-facing camera not displaying on the infotainment system, which can potentially lead to some disastrous scenarios. The info screen has been reported to go blank when the vehicle is put into reverse. Nissan has been aware of the problem and has a software update available to remedy the issue, still the damage has been done.
The blank reverse screen is non-compliant with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard that ensures safety for all cars on American roads. The automotive sector is evolving, and the biggest and best brands need to evolve with it. Nissan has stated that any affected customer can simply take their vehicle into a Nissan dealership for the software update to be downloaded and installed free of charge.
Can the iconic Japanese car maker recover from all the issues it’s facing?
If history has taught us anything, it is that any company with the status and reputation that Nissan has will have multiple strategies in place to deal with recalls. Factory closures and job cuts are becoming more and more prevalent in the modern-day automotive sector. The EV revolution has planted a seed of doubt into the most reputable brands in the world. If Nissan and others can address the recalls and software issues that they have faced in recent years, the automotive industry can survive and even prosper, once again.
For more information about this recall, you can check the 25V-324 recall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association.
