From 74c03096b259c22f9cd993f340d906b0bed54075 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Siyun Chen <134215502+ChenSiyun1234@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2026 20:25:39 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] selfdrived: surface processNotRunning alert when not engaged

---
 openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/events.py      |  1 +
 .../selfdrive/selfdrived/tests/test_alerts.py | 31 +++++++++++++++++--
 2 files changed, 30 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/events.py b/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/events.py
index cc841accaf6fc0..7b2058e98a4478 100755
--- a/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/events.py
+++ b/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/events.py
@@ -868,6 +868,7 @@ def invalid_lkas_setting_alert(CP: car.CarParams, CS: car.CarState, sm: messagin
   # Thrown when manager detects a service exited unexpectedly while driving
   EventName.processNotRunning: {
     ET.NO_ENTRY: process_not_running_alert,
+    ET.PERMANENT: NormalPermanentAlert("Process Not Running", priority=Priority.LOW),
     ET.SOFT_DISABLE: soft_disable_alert("Process Not Running"),
   },
 
diff --git a/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/tests/test_alerts.py b/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/tests/test_alerts.py
index 276de2a6a9e585..83fad7884458b5 100644
--- a/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/tests/test_alerts.py
+++ b/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/tests/test_alerts.py
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@
 from openpilot.cereal.messaging import SubMaster
 from openpilot.common.basedir import BASEDIR
 from openpilot.common.params import Params
-from openpilot.selfdrive.selfdrived.events import Alert, EVENTS, ET
-from openpilot.selfdrive.selfdrived.alertmanager import set_offroad_alert
+from openpilot.selfdrive.selfdrived.events import Alert, EVENTS, ET, Events
+from openpilot.selfdrive.selfdrived.alertmanager import set_offroad_alert, AlertManager
 from openpilot.selfdrive.test.process_replay.process_replay import CONFIGS
 
 AlertSize = log.SelfdriveState.AlertSize
+EventName = log.OnroadEvent.EventName
 
 OFFROAD_ALERTS_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, "openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/alerts_offroad.json")
 
@@ -129,3 +130,29 @@ def test_offroad_alerts_extra_text(self):
       written_alert = params.get(a)
       assert "a"*i == written_alert['extra']
       assert alert["text"] == written_alert['text']
+
+  # processNotRunning is a controls crash; when not engaged it should be shown over a
+  # downstream fault like steerUnavailable. https://github.com/commaai/openpilot/issues/34751
+  def test_process_not_running_permanent_not_shadowed(self):
+    events = Events()
+    events.add(EventName.steerUnavailable)
+    events.add(EventName.processNotRunning)
+    callback_args = [self.CP, self.CS, self.sm, False, 100, log.LongitudinalPersonality.standard]
+    alerts = events.create_alerts([ET.PERMANENT], callback_args)
+
+    am = AlertManager()
+    am.add_many(0, alerts)
+    am.process_alerts(0, set())
+    assert am.current_alert.alert_text_1 == "Process Not Running"
+
+  # ...but when engaged, the permanent alert must NOT mask the soft disable "take control" warning
+  def test_process_not_running_permanent_does_not_mask_soft_disable(self):
+    events = Events()
+    events.add(EventName.processNotRunning)
+    callback_args = [self.CP, self.CS, self.sm, False, 100, log.LongitudinalPersonality.standard]
+    alerts = events.create_alerts([ET.PERMANENT, ET.SOFT_DISABLE], callback_args)
+
+    am = AlertManager()
+    am.add_many(0, alerts)
+    am.process_alerts(0, set())
+    assert am.current_alert.alert_text_1 == "TAKE CONTROL IMMEDIATELY"