Over-the-air (OTA) software updates are commonplace these days; we hardly notice them unless badgered by pop-ups when new software arrives. But as cars become computers on wheels, the need for OTA updates is now crucial, especially with the threat of connected, autonomous vehicles being hacked.
With the exception of Tesla, only a few mainstream automakers offer limited OTA or manual updates, and they are mostly for infotainment. Mega automotive supplier Continental wants to change this. At an event I attended this week in Germany, the company introduced an OTA update platform that could not only keep car software current, but also enhance connectivity and security.
"To enable OTA updates you, of course, need the cloud and back end," Bruno Nunes-Silva, a product marketing representative for Continental, told me at the company's Tech Days demo. "But you also need to know the electronic architecture of the vehicle, which we are familiar with since we produce many of the electronic control units [ECUs] inside a vehicle.
Car have multiple ways to connect to the cloud—through an onboard cellular modem, a tethered smartphone, Wi-Fi, or satellite communications. These options make modern cars moving targets for hackers, so Continental is working with two new partners to simplify and secure OTA updates and connectivity.
The first is Carnegie Technologies, which provides a platform that provides what Continental calls "bandwidth aggregation and gapless handover of calls and data for faster speeds and seamless switching between different networks, such as Wi-Fi, LTE, 3G, and satellite."
The second is with satellite communications company Inmarsat to provide OTA updates "anywhere in the world … without the complexity of dealing with multiple mobile network operators...at the push of a button," according to Continental.
Nunes-Silva said the Carnegie Technologies platform automatically provides the best connectivity by switching between different data pipes and also slices and dices the bandwidth. "For example, the data packages are split between mobile networks, Wi-Fi, and satellite for the most efficient bandwidth and the software puts it together again," he added.
But even if data gets to a car with the least amount of friction, it's essential that it's also secure. "We have a big team working on both hardware and software security solutions," Nunes-Silva noted. "We can also improve security during the entire development process of the ECUs since we include cybersecurity right from the beginning."
Security measures Nunes-Silva mentioned include using intrusion detection at the point at which data enters the vehicle, encrypted messages between ECUs, and even antivirus software within the vehicle. "We will also try to hack our own systems to learn where hackers can find weak points," he said.
In addition to refreshing a car's software and firmware, providing new features, and increasing security, OTA updates can also save time and money for automakers and vehicle owners in the case of recalls. "There are lots of recalls, and the reason for this is often software," Nunes-Silva said.
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"Automakers have a high cost to recall and repair vehicles," he added. "But with OTA updates they can save money, and for the car owner it's also much more convenient since they don't even have to drive to the dealership for a recall repair."
When Continental's OTA software update system comes online in a few years, a car's software will no longer be frozen in time. "Usually if you buy a vehicle, it stays the same for 10 or 15 years," says Nunes-Silva. "Now you'll be able to update your vehicle over its lifecycle."
And it will be updatable like many of your other electronics. Let's just hope, as with a Windows update, it doesn't always happen when you're a hurry.