Over The Air Updates?

[Gwaihir]

Have had my 4S for a year and the only thing that I’ve noticed get updated is the sat nav maps. Is there anything I need to do to enable updates over the air? Especially as I has a problem with PCM not shutting down when the car was locked, resulting in two software updates being loaded at the dealership- or so they say as the cause. . . One last thought, do I need to enable the use of home WiFi on the car for these software updates?

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[benver]

Have had my 4S for a year and the only thing that I’ve noticed get updated is the sat nav maps. Is there anything I need to do to enable updates over the air? Especially as I has a problem with PCM not shutting down when the car was locked, resulting in two software updates being loaded at the dealership- or so they say as the cause. . . One last thought, do I need to enable the use of home WiFi on the car for these software updates?

You can't use home WIFI. The car will use its own LTE connection.
Check on https://my.porsche.com that you have OTA updates enabled. It shows a little green cloud to the upper right of the picture of your car.

 

[W1NGE]

Have had my 4S for a year and the only thing that I’ve noticed get updated is the sat nav maps. Is there anything I need to do to enable updates over the air? Especially as I has a problem with PCM not shutting down when the car was locked, resulting in two software updates being loaded at the dealership- or so they say as the cause. . . One last thought, do I need to enable the use of home WiFi on the car for these software updates?

No that's fine - updates are generally map / PCM updates and nothing ever major.

There is no home wifi option - your car cannot be connected to an external wifi source. The car hotspot which I think you are referring to relates to sharing your data services (if you subscribe to which I doubt if you are (no need to)) within the car to other non cellular enabled devices and / or to connect your phone directly to the PCM for calendar syncing (again not something you would likely do).

Major updates to the car are performed by the dealer (that's a good thing) so each time your car is at the dealer they will make checks and update accordingly (VIN dependent).

If you have had the major updates (WMA5 / 6 / 7 (depending on model year)) then you will have what you need. There have been one or two minor things which may also have been applied (by the dealer) but note that there is a global recall announcement active at the moment and if your car is part of it then you will be notified by Porsche UK.

You can always check your current car status here using the VIN checker.

As @benver mentions - check you have the Online Updates enabled on your My Porsche account (I assumed you have) and also check that you have privacy mode disabled (in PCM as this will block updates and remote access via My Porsche or Porsche Connect App if 'on').

 

[Gwaihir]

No that's fine - updates are generally map / PCM updates and nothing ever major.

There is no home wifi option - your car cannot be connected to an external wifi source. The car hotspot which I think you are referring to relates to sharing your data services (if you subscribe to which I doubt if you are (no need to)) within the car to other non cellular enabled devices and / or to connect your phone directly to the PCM for calendar syncing (again not something you would likely do).

Major updates to the car are performed by the dealer (that's a good thing) so each time your car is at the dealer they will make checks and update accordingly (VIN dependent).

If you have had the major updates (WMA5 / 6 / 7 (depending on model year)) then you will have what you need. There have been one or two minor things which may also have been applied (by the dealer) but note that there is a global recall announcement active at the moment and if your car is part of it then you will be notified by Porsche UK.

You can always check your current car status here using the VIN checker.

As @benver mentions - check you have the Online Updates enabled on your My Porsche account (I assumed you have) and also check that you have privacy mode disabled (in PCM as this will block updates and remote access via My Porsche or Porsche Connect App if 'on').

Thanks for the info?

 

[Gwaihir]

You can't use home WIFI. The car will use its own LTE connection.
Check on https://my.porsche.com that you have OTA updates enabled. It shows a little green cloud to the upper right of the picture of your car.

Thanks, yes I’ve got a little green cloud.

 

[kort]

the promised ability to update OTA appears to be just another fail by porsche.

 

[W1NGE]

the promised ability to update OTA appears to be just another fail by porsche.

No strictly ture, PCM and Map updates are OTA, right?

No danger of applying anything safety related or significant (WMA#) should be performed OTA in my view. If that were the case I would disable updates.

 

[chrisk]

No strictly ture, PCM and Map updates are OTA, right?

No danger of applying anything safety related or significant (WMA#) should be performed OTA in my view. If that were the case I would disable updates.

Even for the PCM, OTA does not seem to be able to update the core PCM software (like add Carplay, or Android Auto or anything important). So far the updates I have seen are for the maps and the (useless in my opinion) apps.

 

[kort]

No strictly ture, PCM and Map updates are OTA, right?

No danger of applying anything safety related or significant (WMA#) should be performed OTA in my view. If that were the case I would disable updates.

the teslas did all updates OTA, your fears are unfounded and have no real basis other than your inexperience with OTA updates.

 

[fullmetalbaal]

the teslas did all updates OTA, your fears are unfounded and have no real basis other than your inexperience with OTA updates.

Aside from the fact that OEMs have demonstrated that it's entirely possible to ship bugs in the original car as well as in dealer installed updates all without OTA - and then of course fixing those bugs is far more inconvenient. Same thing goes with the risk of bricking the car - I'd even say the "human component" (ie the mechanic completing the updates at the dealership) seems to increase the likelihood of a component being fried and the car waiting for a replacement part.

Give it another couple of years and car manufacturers that don't master OTA will be uncompetitive.

 

[daveo4EV]

the delivery method has nothing to do with the quality of the contents of the update.

let’s take the most recent WMA5 updates bricking PCM units and other components - that wasn’t OTA and it was a “sh*t show” by any standard.

don’t fear the OTA

fear crappy software being written by people that don’t understand what they are doing…

but ROFL - Porsche OTA is likley saying Quality Tesla Paint job…all valid words, but make no sense.

 

[W1NGE]

the teslas did all updates OTA, your fears are unfounded and have no real basis other than your inexperience with OTA updates.

Sorry but you need to compare apples with apples and not pears.

Tesla is a different world and not a valid comparison - they code almost everything. Porsche on the other hand are reliant on individual companies / OEMs who supply components and code and then attempt to bring it altogether and trust that it works. We've all experienced how that goes.

Compare Tesla to Apple (no pun intended) and you're correct - it should just be OTA all day long.

Further, as we've learned on this forum from someone actually in the know @cd77 (https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/dealer-software-update.4100/page-10#post-58106), there are no global standards for OTA updates particularly important where multiple vendors / OEMs are in play.

For this reason both safety and cybersecurity risks come to the fore and hence why Porsche have no option but to roll out updates they way they do. In time this will (has to) change but I think we are a few years off that.

 

[kort]

Sorry but you need to compare apples with apples and not pears.

Tesla is a different world and not a valid comparison - they code almost everything. Porsche on the other hand are reliant on individual companies / OEMs who supply components and code and then attempt to bring it altogether and trust that it works. We've all experienced how that goes.

Compare Tesla to Apple (no pun intended) and you're correct - it should just be OTA all day long.

Further, as we've learned on this forum from someone actually in the know @cd77 (https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/dealer-software-update.4100/page-10#post-58106), there are no global standards for OTA updates particularly important where multiple vendors / OEMs are in play.

For this reason both safety and cybersecurity risks come to the fore and hence why Porsche have no option but to roll out updates they way they do. In time this will (has to) change but I think we are a few years off that.

I think that you missed porsche's marketing for the taycan in which they specifically claimed that the car can and would be updated OTA.

this claim was hyped to make the taycan appear to be on par with the tesla however it appears to be another fail to deliver on the part of porsche.

some of the claims made by porsche are very "elonesque".

I am one who's car is afflicted with the onboard 19.2 kw that conflicts with the plug and charge feature to the point that charging is crap shoot with 50-50 odds of being able to initiate and complete a charge at the EA units.
I paid for a feature that not only doesn't work it inhibits the usefulness of the car.
the car is very wonky and I can accept the many failings like park assist, weak carplay compatibility and others but your remark regarding the reason for the lack of OTA updates is because of safety concerns is just malarkey.

 

[daveo4EV]

For this reason both safety and cybersecurity risks come to the fore and hence why Porsche have no option but to roll out updates they way they do. In time this will (has to) change but I think we are a few years off that.

this is a valid analysis - then why did Porsche promise Taycan would have OTA updates? So they lied knowing it was impossible?

 

[W1NGE]

I think that you missed porsche's marketing for the taycan in which they specifically claimed that the car can and would be updated OTA.

this claim was hyped to make the taycan appear to be on par with the tesla however it appears to be another fail to deliver on the part of porsche.

some of the claims made by porsche are very "elonesque".

I am one who's car is afflicted with the onboard 19.2 kw that conflicts with the plug and charge feature to the point that charging is crap shoot with 50-50 odds of being able to initiate and complete a charge at the EA units.
I paid for a feature that not only doesn't work it inhibits the usefulness of the car.
the car is very wonky and I can accept the many failings like park assist, weak carplay compatibility and others but your remark regarding the reason for the lack of OTA updates is because of safety concerns is just malarkey.

Mine works fine thanks. Just seems to be a US issue with the PMCC.

My point is more to do with lack of standardisation - did you follow the link to be enlightened?

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