Why Are Car Software Updates Still So Bad?

"Despite years of effort and the outlay of billions of dollars, none of the world's automakers have yet to match Tesla 's prowess in delivering over-the-air (OTA) software updates. Just like with your phone and laptop, these operating system refreshes allow owners to upgrade their cars remotely. Tesla introduced OTAs in 2012, but now Elon Musk's company pumps out these updates like no other automaker."

"For traditional car companies, software remains, or has been until very recently, merely one bolt-on component among many. In contrast, for Tesla and other digital-native automakers-among them Rivian, Lucid, Polestar, and Chinese brands such as BYD, Xpeng, and Xiaomi-it's almost the whole shebang. Interestingly, GM was actually the first automaker to introduce OTA functionality, two years ahead of Tesla, but it was limited to the OnStar telematics system."

"Cars have had onboard microprocessors since the 1970s, but until relatively recently traditional automakers made their cars with software designed to remain largely unchanged throughout a vehicle's 20-year lifespan. Since 2021, the complexity of the latest vehicle software platforms has increased by about 40 percent per year, estimates McKinsey. OTAs from traditional automakers often add just infotainment tweaks, while OTAs from the digital-first brands can be shape-shifters, increasing range and boosting speed."

Over-the-air (OTA) software updates enable remote operating system refreshes that can upgrade vehicle features and performance. Tesla pioneered OTA delivery at scale in 2012 and issues updates very frequently, while many traditional automakers release OTA changes infrequently, sometimes only annually. Digital-native automakers integrate software as a core vehicle component, enabling range increases, performance boosts, and new features, whereas legacy manufacturers often treat software as a bolt-on limited mainly to infotainment. Vehicle software complexity has grown rapidly, with McKinsey estimating about 40 percent annual increases in platform complexity since 2021. OTA-capable vehicle deployment is expanding globally.

Read at WIRED