Modern vehicles increasingly rely on software for basic functions, creating a troubling scenario: when the company behind that software fails, cars can become inoperable. Fisker's bankruptcy in 2024 left hundreds of Ocean owners with vehicles that wouldn't start, turning $44,000-$75,000 electric SUVs into driveway ornaments.

This problem extends beyond Fisker. Better Place, an EV infrastructure company founded in 2007, burned through $850 million before collapsing in 2013. Its battery-swap stations shut down, servers went offline, and Renault Fluence Z.E. sedans were left bricked. The authentication systems, charging infrastructure, and fleet management software all vanished overnight.

These cases highlight a fundamental shift in automotive ownership. Unlike mechanical failures that mechanics could diagnose and fix, software-defined vehicles can be rendered completely useless by backend server failures. As cars become increasingly dependent on proprietary software and cloud connectivity, their longevity is now tied to corporate survival. The convenience of smartphone-controlled features comes with the risk that a company's bankruptcy could leave owners stranded with expensive paperweights rather than transportation.