What to expect from OTA?

[GreenHornet]

PCM hardware for the refreshed Taycan is the same as gen1. It's more that Porsche wants differentiate gen1 and 2. So it seems like Gen 1 will not get the updates that gen2 has gotten. That sucks.

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[whitex]

PCM hardware for the refreshed Taycan is the same as gen1. It's more that Porsche wants differentiate gen1 and 2. So it seems like Gen 1 will not get the updates that gen2 has gotten. That sucks.

I wouldn't bet on this. Keeping gen1 and gen2 software separate, having to create patch releases for both instead of just a since latest version which covers both gen1 and gen2, would be very expensive for Porsche. They got enough differentiation in the gen2 hardware that they don't need to pay a ton of money to keep gen1 and gen2 on separate tracks.

So you might be happy after all.

 

[GreenHornet]

I wouldn't bet on this. Keeping gen1 and gen2 software separate, having to create patch releases for both instead of just a since latest version which covers both gen1 and gen2, would be very expensive for Porsche. They got enough differentiation in the gen2 hardware that they don't need to pay a ton of money to keep gen1 and gen2 on separate tracks.

So you might be happy after all.

Time will tell I hope you are right and not me. The base MIB v3 system is still the same, it's mostly UX changes on the gen2 PCM. I hope we can get them on gen1 also since I like the changes.

 

[whitex]

Time will tell I hope you are right and not me. The base MIB v3 system is still the same, it's mostly UX changes on the gen2 PCM. I hope we can get them on gen1 also since I like the changes.

I've driven Teslas for a decade, so slightly scarred by "new UI" as it became slower and less optimal to use (more like a tablet, vs. aimed at a driver) over time. So personally I would prefer just security and functionality bug fixes, with no new UI or new functionality for gen1, but having been working in the field, I know that is the more expensive option, therefore less likely.

 

[Murph7355]

PCM hardware for the refreshed Taycan is the same as gen1. It's more that Porsche wants differentiate gen1 and 2. So it seems like Gen 1 will not get the updates that gen2 has gotten. That sucks.

The passenger screen is different - it has a filter applied.

Whether this is stuck on or a fundamental screen change, I'm not sure.

 

[GreenHornet]

The passenger screen is different - it has a filter applied.

Whether this is stuck on or a fundamental screen change, I'm not sure.

That is just a screen filter change. Not the base PCM that is based on the Audi MIB v3 plattform.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2021/MC-10189329-0001.pdf

Can find some more hardware information on the MIB v3 plattform in that link.

 

[Smarc]

If porsche had upgraded the PCM hardware, we can be sure that marketing guys would have the world know. For the Macan they said it's Android not in the Taycan refresh.

 

[W1NGE]

It definitely is a weakness of Porsche design. Longest Tesla OTA I ever had was just under an hour total, while I was sleeping. It was an equivalent of the major update Porsche did when the icons became colored.

Tesla knew the value of OTA updates. It is absolutely necessary to hit the scale. 2008 Tesla Roadster did not have OTA, but 2012 Model S and all future cars did. OTA is not just for ADAS. Lack of OTA costed Porsche a bundle already on existing Taycans - just see how many software update recalls they already had on Gen1 Taycan - each costing Porsche hundreds of dollars per car, rather than a penny worth of internet bandwidth. Since Taycans are internet connected, they will require constant updates just to keep them secured from internet threats. Would you use an 8 year old phone without updates today? Such phone can be hacked by any script kiddie from their phones while chilling in their parents' basement. There is also a possibility that once warranty is over, this will fall onto owners of the cars to bring them in to a $600-$1,800 service (depending on the dealer, like the 2 year service price) twice a year to update the software. Wouldn't that do wonders to used Taycan values, eh?

OTA is hard. I know because I've worked on automotive OTA. The problem is that companies think they can tack it on at the very end because it looks simple on the C-suite iPhones or Android phones. Tesla got it right, reliable OTA is the most important software feature which cars should have, as VW learned with ID.4's which were one year delayed due to software woes, and tens of thousands of cars had to be manually flashed, over 10hrs of tech time per car.

I use an 8 year old phone which doesn't get AV updates from Samsung any more - I know bad - but there we are!

When there is a human involved and a potential for harm then now way OTA - not many if any are put at risk with regular patching of phones, laptops, tablets etc for general consumption.

Appreciate that the earth is not flat but I don't buy cars on the basis of the tech they use and a Tesla is not a Porsche (and all that that entails).

Had Porsche gone down the 100% in-house path from the drawing board then their implementation would have been much simpler / smoother / controllable but as they didn't they've ended up with a bugger's muddle and hence OTA is never going to be a Porsche success story unless they rip it up and start again (I expect it's only a matter of time).
Your point is well made though!

 

[Hirschaj]

My kids are growing up in an age where they can get anything they want technologically in minutes. If it doesn't work, they move on to a piece that does.

This is not going to be "optional" when they're in the market for a car (of any price). They will be significantly less forgiving.

I couldn’t agree with you more. ?

 

[Tooney]

Porsche's idea of OTA updates is that you receive an eMail telling you to take the vehicle to the dealer so they can install the software - the notice is OTA - the actual software is monkey's with stone tablets's uising a 1978 epson parrallel printer cable…via an ODBZII adapter - the monkey's are wearing some sort of special hat that lets them send good vibes to the car's software.

Remember the post in here not too long ago from the Taycan owner in Canada who was told that the car couldn't get updated until his dealer received the thumb drive with the update code from Porsche in the mail?
I am not joking.

 

[trycan]

What if you had the PIWIS equipment to connect to the car yourself and install the way a dealership would? Or, no that doesn't work because you still need a dealer account to download the update itself?

 

[RAHRCR]

Hi all,

I drive a MY23 (feb) Taycan and was enthusiastic when the SA told me the car supports OTA updates. Last 14 months I did receive 2 updates. A finder one and a weather one. Is this what I can expect for coming years? I was hoping on more / more frequent ones with new features like all the Muskmobiles get. Can I expect such updates? For example, can I expect an UI update so my car looks like the MY25?

The only OTA update of significance was the one that disabled the front drive motors under certain circumstances for more efficiency. The T-company’s goal is to deliver frictionless mobility. To this end, there can be an endless stream of OTA updates in pursuit of this objective. Porsche’s goal is to deliver a highly engaging driving experience through a vehicle that does what it says on the tin. As such, very few OTA updates are required.

 

[Murph7355]

The only OTA update of significance was the one that disabled the front drive motors under certain circumstances for more efficiency. The T-company’s goal is to deliver frictionless mobility. To this end, there can be an endless stream of OTA updates in pursuit of this objective. Porsche’s goal is to deliver a highly engaging driving experience through a vehicle that does what it says on the tin. As such, very few OTA updates are required.

Their goals are the same - make as much profit as they can.

Porsche has been one of the most profitable brands on the planet.

 

[RAHRCR]

Their goals are the same - make as much profit as they can.

Porsche has been one of the most profitable brands on the planet.

Sure, neither are non-profit orgs……couldn’t be more different otherwise.

 

[daveo4EV]

apparently one of the reasons OTA updates are so far and few between is that you need a stable external power supply while the update is being applied - so to apply and update you need a few things:

• PWIS dealer service computer
• your PWIS needs to have "live/authorized" access to germany during the update (how you achieve this is up to you)
• you need to have the car on a very stable external 12-18V power supply
• you need to follow a mutli-step process to update modules in the order dictated by the software update procedures
• you need to be able to "recover" modules from a bad update
  • it is a fact that during updates to some 2020 model Taycan's that certain vehicle modules were "bricked" requiring installing new physical parts to recover from the failure(s)

the Taycan is not architected to to be able to be safely updated "in the field" by end users - I would suggest it could be many years before we see a Porsche vehicle that does not require a dealer service visit to received "significant" updates…

there are OTA updates for the Taycan but they seem to be limited to PCM functions and the occasional "data set" update…release notes are also not a "strength" of Porsche - so after each update I really have no idea what software I've received.

if you desire the warm fuzzies of a dealer free significant OTA software update infrastructure: Tesla, Rivian, Lucid are probably the vendors you need to be considering. Porsche is not your answer.

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