Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin commented on Monday about the bankruptcy of California-based EV maker Fisker, highlighting the impact on over 12,000 Ocean SUV owners now facing a lack of software, service, and repair support.
The multi-millionaire advocated for increased adoption of open-source practices that would protect the customers in similar situations.
On X, Buterin wrote, “We really need much more open source in the auto industry. Really sad that ‘if the manufacturer disappears, the car is useless now’ has seemingly so quickly become a default.”
His remarks were in response to a post by Bloomberg’s Joe Weisenthal, who shared about the risks associated with the dependency on ongoing software updates from electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers.
Weisenthal stated, “If you buy an EV, because you depend on them for ongoing software updates and all that stuff, you are taking on counterparty risk. This is what happens when the company goes bankrupt…”
The conversation was triggered by recent news of the bankruptcy of a Tesla rival, Fisker, which is now selling off its electric SUVs at a dramatically reduced average price of $14,000 each.
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Initially priced at almost $58,000, Fisker’s financial troubles have forced the company to liquidate its remaining fleet to address cash flow issues.
Earlier today, Fisker issued a recall for 7,545 of its Ocean electric SUVs following the discovery of a potentially serious issue with the vehicle’s water pump.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that the recall affects all 2023-2024 Ocean models.
Last month, the company has halted the sales globally due to a defect with the exterior door handles that can cause them to stick and not open.
The problem stems from a communication failure with the cabin electric water pump, which can cause the high voltage battery management system (BMS) to enter limp mode.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
