Tesla mandatory software update

[Uncle Paul]

Problem with skipping updates is that you do not know what you are missing.
Tesla does not itemize all the changes that are included in every update, so you are kinda blind as to take the update or to pass.
I have faith in Tesla, and am prone to agree to every enhancement as soon as I am notified.

If you do not update, of course it is all on you. While the concequences are unknown, each owner gets to make their own decisions.
At some point, not doing an update may cause you unintended concequences.

This issue also came up with computer systems. Sometimes the latest updates would unlease issues. Due to this, many choose to wait until a new OS had some time to get the bugs worked out. People would skip the updates they worried about, and wait for a more stable release to come along.

I have joyfully watched as my Model X has gotten better and better with every update. I also do not enjoy the nags, but noticed that far fewer autopilot accidents have made the news. Tesla became aware that owners were becoming very lax with autopilot engaged. The people themselves became disengaged. The safest vehicle needs the autopilot to be backed up with a skilled, alert and engaged human pilot behind the wheel. The videos of owners sitting in their back seats could not be ignored.

 

[kavyboy]

Problem with skipping updates is that you do not know what you are missing.

This forum is very helpful for that, but you do have to give it a while (2+ weeks) for people to really test and evaluate.

 

[1375mlm]

Could it be that Tesla thought you were in the hurricane zone, and they were trying to update your car to give you additional bump from 60 to 75kw?
just a thought

 

[verygreen]

Could it be that Tesla thought you were in the hurricane zone, and they were trying to update your car to give you additional bump from 60 to 75kw?
just a thought

This does not require a new firmware, just a bit flip in config.

 

[10dot]

Why would Tesla restrict access to maps (google maps loaded by internet), supercharging (a free service entered into via sales contract with no stipulations outside of non-salvage), or access to their servers RE: version of software the car is running? There are no real incidents of their network or system being compromised via an attack through a car... so the "updates" are merely preference. Not everyone likes the same thing, layout, functionality, or "improvements" to autopilot.

There are dozens of reasons not to update, nags being one of the most prominent. Forcing you to update is... interesting, and I'm sure a more irritable person might get litigious if this happened to them.

Because "google maps loaded by internet" isn't an accurate description of the nav system. It's more like "google APIs used to populate an in-car mapping client". Google deprecates API versions/features all the time. I'm not saying that's what's going on here, but the way google maps appears in your car is nothing at all like visiting maps.google.com in a browser (where the entire "client" is javascript and "updated" every time you refresh the page).

 

[TJtv]

I'm still running a version of the firmware prior to when the nag frequency was greatly increased. While that's only a few months, and not as long as someone on v7.1 who hasn't upgraded for many year, does it really matter? If you're happy with what you've got I really see no reason to blindly upgrade. More often than not an upgrade removes a feature, modifies how something works, or in extreme cases completely breaks something.

The thing I find MOST egregious is that the damn "software update" window is on TOP of everything if you don't "X" out of it, even when you are reversing. To me that is a safety hazard. When the car is in reverse, it should show the backup camera at all times - tesla should not be allowed to have any other window, especially a "software update" window, blocking the backup camera view when the car is in reverse.

 

[verygreen]

Google deprecates API versions/features all the time

No they don't (not the maps). The insane amount of backward compatibility in Google Maps

 

[Saghost]

I'm still running a version of the firmware prior to when the nag frequency was greatly increased. While that's only a few months, and not as long as someone on v7.1 who hasn't upgraded for many year, does it really matter? If you're happy with what you've got I really see no reason to blindly upgrade. More often than not an upgrade removes a feature, modifies how something works, or in extreme cases completely breaks something.

The thing I find MOST egregious is that the damn "software update" window is on TOP of everything if you don't "X" out of it, even when you are reversing. To me that is a safety hazard. When the car is in reverse, it should show the backup camera at all times - tesla should not be allowed to have any other window, especially a "software update" window, blocking the backup camera view when the car is in reverse.

Interesting. My backup camera comes on over the top of the update window, on 2018.14.2. The update window is on top of everything else, though, including blocking the climate control and Nav etc as the OP noted.

 

[MIT_S60]

Could it be that Tesla thought you were in the hurricane zone, and they were trying to update your car to give you additional bump from 60 to 75kw?
just a thought

The 2013 60 is a true 60, not a software limited 75.

 

[demundus]

Because "google maps loaded by internet" isn't an accurate description of the nav system. It's more like "google APIs used to populate an in-car mapping client". Google deprecates API versions/features all the time. I'm not saying that's what's going on here, but the way google maps appears in your car is nothing at all like visiting maps.google.com in a browser (where the entire "client" is javascript and "updated" every time you refresh the page).

I was being flippant, but I was getting at the fact that Tesla doesn't really have grounds to restrict the built in functionality of the vehicle I own which doesn't rely on them or their services to run.

I'm Implying 3g and LTE are paid for by the customer... they arent, but if they are saying "we pay for your internet in your car so we get to do whatever we want to it" I'm sure plenty of people would quickly raise their hands to pay for their own or disconnect completely.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

I can understand being irked by this, but either way you're kinda screwed.

Even if you had a choice of not updating you'd slowly lose various functionality that relies on online services. I could easily see losing the ability to get tile updates for AP, and without tile updates then that makes AP kinda pointless.

If you do update the new AP update makes AP kinda pointless.

As to ownership I question whether we really own any IoT device let alone vehicle. You're relying on something that has to get updated to address security issues, and safety issues (the Model 3's brakes as an example).

The way the updates are designed in a Tesla means that to update one component you have to update other components. How can Tesla support all those different combinations? They can't so that means only two options remain. Either they don't force you and let you deal with the consequences, or they force you.

If Tesla doesn't force you then they might have liability for some bug/mistakes in the old code. Is that really fair from their perspective?

The other concern is warranty. Like lets say there is a bug in the code that impacts the battery in some fashion. Where they're concerned about the bug prematurely wearing out the battery. How does Tesla go about fixing that in cars with old SW?

 

[bluetinc]

This really isn't true. OTA updates are not unto itself the "best feature", they are suppose to bring those things to us. For a car that is from 2013, it's missing the full AP suite of functions. So you fire up the software on this old car, the display that you see is not the same as a new car. In fact the screens back before 7.0 were still optimized for the information at hand on those older cars, and not shifted to make room for all the new AP data, and I miss those old 6.X screens. On the old cars, 6.X was vastly superior. The developers have repeatedly reduced the usefulness of the displays in the car with most of their changes (for those old cars). To this day, I still want my dates and temperatures back like they were, and I still look for them... -Peter

As a developer, when I see things like this it makes me die a little inside.

Yes, autopilot nags might be more annoying. There might be some feature you like/don't like. Here's the honest truth though: for every line item on a set of release notes, there are probably a dozen or more bugs fixed that were too small to mention. Performance enhancements, minor interface tweaks that make life easier, etc.

I'm not saying everyone should run bleeding edge everything all the time... but what's the point of intentionally not updating for 2 whole years? You're basically knee-capping one of the best features of the car (OTA updates) and one of the *major* advantages it has over competing cars in its price range. If you fire up a 5 year old BMW or Audi it looks... 5 years old. If you fire up a 2013 model S with the latest software it looks basically identical to my brand new car that was just built.

 

[demundus]

This really isn't true. OTA updates are not unto itself the "best feature", they are suppose to bring those things to us. For a car that is from 2013, it's missing the full AP suite of functions. So you fire up the software on this old car, the display that you see is not the same as a new car. In fact the screens back before 7.0 were still optimized for the information at hand on those older cars, and not shifted to make room for all the new AP data, and I miss those old 6.X screens. On the old cars, 6.X was vastly superior. The developers have repeatedly reduced the usefulness of the displays in the car with most of their changes (for those old cars). To this day, I still want my dates and temperatures back like they were, and I still look for them... -Peter

HUGE F'N bingo right here. I have a non-tech, non-ap 2013 and when they changed the screen in 7.x I HATED IT. It wasnt built for my type of car and it was glaringly obvious. I miss 6.x layout alot, it was very intuitive and made sense for the cars they were producing at the time.

 

[conman]

I'm pretty sure the manual stipulates that there will be mandatory updates somewhere from memory, but I cannot remember there being one prior to this. My guess is they consider 7.x releases deprecated and no longer supported. It could well be that major security flaws have been fixed in that time and with their opaque release notes we'll never know. For them to force the update, those security issues on older versions have probably become something the company can no longer risk, especially with more and more "ways to hack or steal Tesla" becoming increasingly common.

 

[KArnold]

The thing I find MOST egregious is that the damn "software update" window is on TOP of everything if you don't "X" out of it, even when you are reversing. To me that is a safety hazard.

I started applying an update back in May. While it was "verifying image", I thought I could move my car to the garage. Car started as normal. But the update aborted because I was "driving". Took over 3 weeks before I was prompted to reinstall.

Of course YMMV. But for those trying to stay on an old release, it might get rid of the splash screen for a while.

 

[whitex]

I don't understand why would you want to ride on 2 year old software. One of the biggest advantages of these cars is OTA updates. I would justify Tesla to stop offering services such as map access, supercharging, and anything that has to do with access to their servers to anyone on software older than a couple months.

It's easy to understand - people dislike new "features". Whether it's due to the slower responsiveness of the UI, AP nags, or no-ability to show 2 apps simultaneously, it simply boils down to liking the old software functionality more. Maybe a different example would help you understand, imagine Tesla decided that for some "greater good" they will limit your acceleration to half of what your car can do today and limit your speed to travel only up to the detected speed limit. Would you happily apply this update, or would you hold on to your current software because like to drive 5 miles over the speed limit and accelerate fast?

From your picture it looks like you have a Model 3, which is very new so you don't have a long history with Tesla software. Wait 3 years when there are newer Model 3's and the software you get will be written for them, and just made work on yours. People who bought old non-AP cars for example at one point found themselves with instrument cluster from new AP cars replacing the speedometer/energy meter. Since they had no AP hardware, the graphic which took 50% of the screen had no functionality at all.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Of course YMMV. But for those trying to stay on an old release, it might get rid of the splash screen for a while.

Also, just a side note - -you don't have to hit the 'X' (if there is one).. you can tap anywhere outside the update dialog box and it should go away. I'm on 2018.18 and staying there for as long as I can, or until the AP nags are adjusted to something more reasonable.

 

[SUN-day Driver]

Interesting. I am also on 7.1 by choice and have not been forced to update (yet). I am still able to dismiss the update notifications.

About why anyone would want to be on old versions: Tesla has made changes to the UI that have made things worse for drivers. They removed the media selector icon. They made the top row of controls disappear when the map is in the top position. They have changed to lower contrast map labels. All these intentional changes require the driver to spend more time looking at and fiddling with the screen instead of watching the road. Then there are the unintentional changes. USB drive media breaking. Traffic layer not updating on the map. Etc., etc.

Even if the changes were not "worse" or unintended, not knowing where something got moved to or having to figure out the new way to do something while you are trying to drive is dangerous. I contend all UI changes to a car introduce a chance of accident as the driver has to relearn how to use it while trying to drive.

Yes if a back end service changes then it will require an update to match that change, but that hasn't happened. Maps still work. AP still works. I don't need tiles because my AP uses the camera and never had the issue of slamming on the brakes at an overpass, which the tiles fix.

I LIKE how my car works. I have no desire to take any of the updates offered so far which change the way it works, and not always for the better (AP nags, traffic layer not updating, etc.). Until there is a new feature I really want I will not update, if I have the choice.

 

[Krazaak]

It's possible that this mandatory update is prep for version 9 updates. It's entirely possible that the car may not be able to handle a version 7.x to version 9.x update and they're forcing the update because your car would essentially be broken from their point of view.

That said, you should be allowed to keep your old software version if you choose, but Tesla shouldn't be obligated to continue to provide you support on the old version and that could include navigation data, streaming service or even supercharger authentication.

My first reaction is that it's probably an oversight on their part, not realizing that some people are intent on staying on the old software.

 

[MP3Mike]

That said, you should be allowed to keep your old software version if you choose, but Tesla shouldn't be obligated to continue to provide you support on the old version and that could include navigation data, streaming service or even supercharger authentication.

I think it is interesting that nobody has mention remote API/Tesla app access as one of the services that could be impacted.

It is also common to only support the current major version and one prior major version. So as they get ready for V9 they may be getting rid of V7.

I have seen one person that was trying to stay on an old version but had to upgrade because of a warranty repair. As I recall it took days to get his car updated because the engineers had to build a custom upgrade package because his car couldn't install what was available via the server.