Get Upstream’s New After-Sales Quality Report, Zooming in on the Power of AI

Upstream’s researchers analyzed US recalls from 2020-2025 to identify new insights on the power of connected vehicle data

70%

of recalls could have potentially been detected earlier using connected vehicle signals

14%

of 2025 recalls are related to EVs, outpacing the share of EVs of total vehicle sales

37%

of recalls could have been detected by using advanced DTCs analytics

Research Highlights

China’s Rapid Innovation Is Reshaping Global Automotive Quality

China’s EV surge is reshaping global quality benchmarks. Faster rollouts, fragmented software supply chains, and frequent OTA updates accelerate innovation, but also increase the risk of quality failures.

Using the Power of Connected Vehicle Data, AI, and ML

Recent large-scale recalls reveal that early indicators, such as DTCs, voltage anomalies, and thermal inconsistencies, were likely present well before failures occurred. Connected vehicle data and AI could have enabled earlier detection and root cause analysis (RCA), more precise targeting, and reduced safety and financial impact.

Machine Learning and Agentic AI Will Redefine Automotive Quality

AI is fundamentally redefining after-sales quality, enabling real-time detection of emerging issues and accelerating RCA. As AI-driven insights from field data increasingly inform design, engineering, and production, automakers now have a powerful opportunity to drive faster innovation while improving reliability and reducing risk across the entire vehicle lifecycle.

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