Why Do Electric Vehicles Need Software Updates?
Electric vehicles have been around for several decades, but they have only recently been given the intelligence that put the latest ICE vehicles to shame. EVs have far fewer moving parts in them than traditional vehicles but require significantly more sophisticated software to function properly.
Like our smartphones, most EVs receive OTA or over the air updates to their operating system that fix bugs or add functionality to the infotainment or general vehicular systems. Unlike their predecessors, modern electric vehicles have far more complex hardware that are heavily dependent on optimized software to work properly.
Most if not all, can self-steer to keep you within the white lines, maintain a set speed while keeping a safe distance to the car in front, apply the brakes in emergency situations, turn on the lights when it gets dark, and if necessary, park in user defined spaces. They can accomplish these tasks because of the army of cameras and sensors installed in them.
These sensors also help warn you of vehicles in your blind spots, alert you of an impending collision, control the amount of power sent to the wheels to prevent loss of control, monitor tyre pressure, keep the cabin at the correct temperature, control the charging rate and keep the battery as healthy as possible.
The battery management system relies on clever software to protect the battery pack, manage charge levels and ensure that it’s kept at the optimum temperature. Lithium-ion batteries are sensitive to extreme heat and cold as well as overcharging or low charge levels. If these parameters are kept in check, battery degradation takes place at a very low rate.
In addition to this, manufacturers like Tesla install hardware that remains inactive until a software update is made available. This is done because the current software generation hasn’t matured enough for consumer use or is awaiting regulatory approval in certain regions.
There are two types of updates that EVs receive: software updates and firmware updates. The former is usually meant to address non-critical updates to navigation, touch functionality, lighting or various other things. The latter addresses critical systems like performance of the electric motor, efficacy of traction control, braking, security mechanisms, and others that directly affect the vehicle’s hardware.
The point to this level of automation is that, if something goes EVwrong, it would be easier to rectify the issue with an over the air (OTA) update rather than scheduling a physical appointment. This allows manufacturers to address a problem or update more effectively than with a physical recall, thereby reducing the risk of injury to owners.
Even if your EV isn’t constantly connected to the manufacturer via a cellular connection, once it’s able to connect to the internet via your home WiFi, it will be able to get the necessary updates. Most of them also allow you to schedule the installation of these updates when the vehicle is left idle so as not to inconvenience you.
