[Software] Analysis-Tesla software updates allow quick fixes - and taking risks

[FazzNoth]

By Tina Bellon, Hyunjoo Jin and David Shepardson

(Reuters) - Tesla Inc's ability to quickly issue safety patches via remote software updates is an approach other automakers eye enviously, but that also carries risk as cars become more like rolling computers.

Investors have awarded Tesla's leadership on in-car software with a market value of $905 billion that dwarfs traditional carmakers, many of which are now scrambling to roll out their own ability to offer over-the-air software updates.

However, Tesla's risk-friendly culture and its desire to quickly release cutting-edge technology has also put it on collision course with U.S. safety regulators, which have launched a string of recalls and investigations into the carmaker in recent months. The latest included the opening of a formal probe on Thursday into reports of unexpected brake activation.

"There's definitely the mindset that you can fix fast so you can take a higher risk," Florian Rohde, a former Tesla validation manager who is now a consultant, said about the electric carmaker's ability to issue remote updates.

That behavior was illustrated earlier this month when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ordered Tesla to issue a recall to prevent some of its vehicles from making "rolling stops" instead of coming to a complete halt at some intersections. That feature violated state laws and was a safety risk, the agency said.

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk, who has a long history of clashing with U.S. safety officials, denied there was a safety issue with the function. "The car simply slowed to ~2 mph & continued forward if clear view with no cars or pedestrians," Musk wrote on Twitter.

But the carmaker nevertheless issued a software update to disable the function. NHTSA officials on Thursday said they would push for recalls if they feel safety risks may exist in any vehicles.

Tesla has said it develops almost all its software to allow for regular over-the-air updates. The carmaker has issued software updates that control vehicle performance, braking, battery charging and infotainment functions.

Tesla has led the auto industry in over-the-air recall updates. While nearly all recalls issued by NHTSA since 2020 required physical fixes, seven of Tesla's 19 recalls since January 2020, or 37%, were addressed with over-the-air software updates, an analysis of public data showed.

Tesla handles majority of industry remote software recalls - https://graphics.reuters.com/TESLA-RECALLS/lgpdwxdobvo/chart.png

Link: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/analysis-tesla-software-updates-allow-quick-fixes-and-taking-risks/ar-AAU1Lun?ocid=BingNewsSearch