Mercedes Can Now Update Car Software Remotely 228
MatthewVD writes "Our cars run millions of lines of code that need constant and, often, critical updates. Jim Motavalli writes that Mercedes-Benz's new mbrace2 'cloud infotainment system' has a secret capability: it can update software automatically and wirelessly. In a process called 'reflashing,' the Mercedes system turns on the car operating system (CU), downloads the new application, then cuts itself off. With companies like Fisker paying dearly for constant recalls for software problems, automakers will likely rush to embrace this technology. No more USBs in the dashboard!"
Many possibilities (Score:5, Insightful)
This also means that hackers and government agencies can update the software automatically and wirelessly. Finally there is no more need for cutting the break cables.
Re:Many possibilities (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Many possibilities (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm willing to bet it's far more likely that they'll need to patch security holes remotely than it is for the update mechanism itself to be exploited. That is, assuming they digitally sign the updates.
So? Even a 1000:1 ratio would be unacceptable.
And if a lesson were to be learned from Playstation / XBox / DVD / Blu-Ray / iPhone, it's that as long as customers (and thus hackers) have access to the hardware, keeping things secret is a temporary reprieve at best.
Re:Secret capability? (Score:5, Insightful)
If this were not the manufacturer of the car doing this, I might have thought the same thing you are thinking. But if people begin to get troubled with too much recommended maintenance, they will start to believe their cars are unreliable and will not buy another one... or at least not one that tells them things they don't want to know.
Re:Many possibilities (Score:4, Insightful)
We ignore laws here... especially the government.
Re:Secret capability? (Score:4, Insightful)
If this were not the manufacturer of the car doing this, I might have thought the same thing you are thinking. But if people begin to get troubled with too much recommended maintenance, they will start to believe their cars are unreliable and will not buy another one... or at least not one that tells them things they don't want to know.
Are you paying for "reliability" or "Government-regulated mandatory safety upgrades"?
"Repairs" can be spun many, many different ways...such as the difference between optional and mandatory types of insurance. People hate paying for either type of insurance, but don't see much of a choice when it's "mandatory". A "cost" turns into a "fee" if EVERY car owner is charged for it, so this is yet another vehicle to mandate mass fees, turning profits through "safety standards"(for both the auto industry and Government). But you somehow feel better about it, because your 37 air bags are all up to date with the latest software patch and ready to protect you (not that they didn't before).
Oh and your insurance company feels better too, because they got a piece of the profits as well by mandating that no car will be insured without an "active maintenance subscription". Oh yeah, you'll need auto anti-virus protection too.
(I mean seriously, what do you think auto and insurance lobbyists do all day?)
Re:Turn on the CU? (Score:4, Insightful)
If it works like the iDrive system in BMW, the ECU stays active for about 10 minutes after the car is turned off, in order to remember navigation position and the creature comfort stuff like heated seats being turned on. Mercedes is likely putting this update check in after such an interval.
As for the brake and tire wear checking, that's done by a Mark-I eyeball installed in a service technician at the dealership, which is included in the service plan that comes with the car.
Re:Many possibilities (Score:4, Insightful)
I am tired of this standard banal instantly modded up response:
- Something is made easier
- Aha! Government all other evil guys will have easy access too!
Duh!
Re:Secret capability? (Score:5, Insightful)
Given that most new cars have a period of maintenance factored in where the owner does not pay for warranty work (often 5 years), any warranty work performed like software updates simply come right off the companies bottom lin.e It only makes good business sense to make this as inexpensive as possible and if they can do updates remotely without actually going into the dealer then this is a huge cost savings for them and far more convenient to the owner.
Also, given how much of the safety systems on these high end Mercedes are under software control, I wouldn't be surprised if the lawyers are warning the company that if they do not do due diligence in rolling out safety related upgrades, then they may be liable for crashes related to the failing of this software. In such a case making sure the software updates are rolled out to as many people as possible as easily as possible would be a mandate of theirs.